Koi Tunnel (or Cave) to Keep the Bears Out

[mrtrumpet]

Had a bear visit my pond last week. First time in two years. Everyone's fine, but I'm thinking it might be good to give the fish a place to hide should he/she return, or tell their friends. I have 6 koi between 8-12". My thought was to use a 3 ft piece of terra cotta pipe, but can't find it around here. Now I'm considering galvanized pipe, or concrete sewer pipe, if I can find a small enough piece.

I'm thinking a heavier tunnel or cave would be best so a bear would have difficulty moving it, if he really got in a started mucking around.

Does anybody have any ideas to solve the problem of giving your larger Koi a place to hide and be somewhat protected?

Thanks.

 

[addy1]

Electric fence, the only thing that saves bees, from bears. They do not give up. luckily the resident bear, here, has left for greener pastures.

 

[sissy]

saw a rock tunnel that was built in a pond on you tube .They used really big heavy rocks .

 

[Lisak1]

We put a clay chimney flue in our pond for a cave. The fish love it, it's nice and heavy and the algae covers the surface so nicely you can hardly tell it's there. It's also a great plant shelf!

 

[Faebinder]

I have a koi cave in my pond but to be honest you need an electric fence for a while....

 

[audioenvy]

My pond has a koi cave behind the waterfall but honestly it would not stop a determined bear willing to jump into the pond to say nothing of the damage it would do to the liner. But I live in a suburban area. A bear sighting around here would cause a HUGE stir.

 

[addy1]

And if you use a electric fence, to stop them from getting the bees, you have to hang bacon or put peanut butter on the wires so it will lick it off and get a tongue shock or nose shock to stop it. Their fir is to thick to feel the shock.

We were beyond happy the bear moved on. It was here a few years before we started with bees. We do have a electric fence up, ready to run if it returns.

 

[GBBUDD]

Electric fence

THAT and if you go with a pipe it's going to have to be deep and long and heavy or the bear will just shove his 3 foot arm down the tunnel/cave and well fish in a barrel the other thing that can work is rat traps the fur is not so thick at the toes.

 

[GBBUDD]

rock tunnel that was built in a pond

here's my cave and tunnel the tunnel no bear is going to move the rock but the cave is a different story , they are the three rocks at the bottom left that was changed but the three in the center of the phot no bear is going to move the one big stone

 

[Mmathis]

Wouldn’t the bear claws do a lot of damage if the bear managed to make it into the pond? Those guys have some mean claws! I second the electric fence idea!

 

[GBBUDD]

oh yeah bear claws against rubber is no competition. A bear with one swipe can gut a human. Fortunately they would rather have no part of us then to have a confrontation they would rather run. but if you trap them give them no out that's a very bad Idea

 

[j.w]

If a bear ever comes to my pond and tears it all up, I'm done!