Re-potting Lotus? Snakes?

[LesleyMN]

I have 3 lotus that I'd like to divide this spring but I don't know what kind of dirt to use. Can I use planting medium for water plants? I've used good VA clay before but since we've finish digging out our ponds I don't have any access to clay soil. Does anyone have experience with lotus?

I let them get totally over grown with weeds last year which is one reason I want to repot them.

And PLEASE how can I get rid of my resident snakes??? I think they ate all my frogs last year, not to mention snails and fish! Plus my husband can't stand them! I'm not frightened of them, I just want them gone! Does "snake repellant" work?

thanks!

Lesley

 

[LesleyMN]

Can't anyone offer any suggestions?

thanks!

 

[oldmarine]

When it comes to eliminating snakes, all I can offer is to be vigalent. I don't know of anyway they can be trapped for disposal.
Thirty years ago in California I had a small pond in the back yard of where we livied, and I had a dozen cheep feeder gold fish in the pond that kept coming up missing. One day I came home from work and stepped out onto the patio just in time to witness a three foot garter snake catching and eating one of the largest gold fish. It was vary quick and I was having trouble catching it. I sat next to the pond for about an hour and the same snake came back. I was quick enough to catch it with my hands and I put it in a coffee with a lid. I took it to one of those drainage ditches about six city blocks away and dumped the snake.
Now I'm sitting here and trying to imagine what you could make that could trap a snake so you could get rid of it. I'm stumped. Hopefully someone else out there might have something up their sleeve.

Happy ponding,

 

[j.w]

Wow Rich, you mean the garter snakes around here will go in the water and catch a fish? Yikes now I not only have to worry about the Heron but the snakes too :alieneyesa: Maybe we need to get a pet mongoose? :lol:

 

[oldmarine]

Hi JW,
No, this snake was at the edge of the pond all curled up, and it would sit patiently for a gold fish to come up close enough to take a hold of it. Strangest thing I ever saw. The raskle ate at least half the fish before I caught it.

Happy ponding,

 

[LesleyMN]

I like the idea of a pet mongoose!!! I think we have two different types of snakes. On is a plain brown water snake, the other is mostly black with yellow and white. I have a tool I use to get plant out of the pond but it's not really stong enough to hold a snake for long.

The brown one bit my son last year. Son is still alive so I don't think it's poisonous. (btw, son was 20)

 

[oldmarine]

Where I lived in California and here in the Tacoma, WA area there are no poisonous snakes in this area. The garter snakes here will only eat what they can get in their mouth.

Anyone know how make trap to catch snakes?

Happy ponding,

 

[j.w]

Ok I found these by just doing a search on the net for- snake trap:

http://www.cahabasnaketrapsales.com/

[ame]

http://www.howcast.com/videos/196371-How-To-Build-a-Snake-Trap

http://www.ehow.com/how_2079050_build-funnel-snake-trap.html

http://www.snakeremovaltrap.com/

http://www.snakeguard.com/index.html

[ame]

 

[oldmarine]

JW,

You're assume. I'm sure this information is going give Lesley, and some other folks some piece of mind when it comes to their snake problems. Good job Lady.

Happy ponding,

 

[j.w]

Rich, I don't even remember seeing a snake on our property since we moved into this house 10 yrs ago but I have seen them on my long walks basking in the sun on the roads so I know they are around here. I try to get them to move off the road cuz lots of time they get squished by cars which makes me sad

 

[oldmarine]

I live in an urban neighborhood in the sound end of Tacoma, and we never see any snakes in the yards here. There is a hill and green belt between us and the I-5 where all of us kids used to play for hours. The green belt has garter snakes, frogs at the swamp, lizards of all kinds, and many other critters.
So if one were to site a snake in their yard around here it would be because some kid braught it home and let it go in their yard.

Happy ponding,

 

[j.w]

Personally I don't know how people deal w/ living in places where there are all those poisonous snakes and creepy crawly bugs etc. I have lived here all my life except for 2 yrs in Michigan and I think I am happy here even w/ all our rain just to have none of that freaky stuff. I guess if you are used to it that's fine but I am not and I watch that show where that Billy guy on A&E channel goes to homes and businesses to get rid of snakes, wasps and such and it gives me the creeps.............even tho I do love all animals and can't stand to harm them poisonous stuff bothers me to be around :fish:

 

[DrDave]

Not sure where to get it, but they make a sticky paper used for trapping mice. That could be used with Plastic fencing post to duplicate what this guy invented.

 

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

As far as the lotus, I don't have any of them, but I and some others on the forum plant our plants in pea gravel, no soil. It allows the roots to access the nutrients in the water directly and keeps from a muddy mess if spilled.