Omg! Another hawk encounter!!!!

[Texas Panther Man]

What I have to watch for are the stoopid squirrels around my place. They wont eat or attack the chams but they do tear up cages. Ive had two cages screen get torn by the little furry rats... They will eat plastic planters I use for my plants too...

 

[eeekroar]

My first reaction would have been to grab my shot gun. lol. Seriuosly there has to be some law, especially in Florida they have some of the most relaxed gun laws in the country, about nuisance birds and them attacking your pets.

MK

HAHA! If it moves, it's a threat! I have a HUGE problem with snakes in my yard and on my deck. Water moccasin,copper heads,rattlers,kings and especially black racers. I have a pond in my back yard and have to shoot one about once a week sometimes more.

Would one of these types of snakes try to eat my Chameleon?

 

[Carlton]

I find it very amusing when people label a certain animal as a "nuisance". I wonder what animals consider us as...

Maybe home depot has some sort of poison for large birds so you don't even need to get your shotgun.

HA! Nothing like this would be legal for any retail store to carry. Besides, a raptor won't pick up poison unless it is secondary...you poison a squirrel or other prey animal and the hawk happens to catch it before it dies.

Shooting or poisoning any native migratory bird in the USA is ILLEGAL without a very specific permit issued by the US Fish and Wildlife Service or possibly the US Department of Agriculture. The exceptions are annual game hunting seasons for waterfowl, quail, pheasant and such. There are authorized employees who can poison, trap, or otherwise remove nuisance birds such as blackbirds, exotics like starlings or pigeons but that's a whole different world.

Raptors are generally considered beneficial because they help control pest rodents. An owl decoy won't scare a hawk away either...they have no reason to fear owls. Bright flashy foil streamers might keep a hawk from landing on the cage (but would probably stress your cham).

The best way to avoid a hawk is to block the view of the cham from above. Hawks have incredible eyesight...something like 10 times as sharp as a human's, so detecting your cham in a cage is easy for them. If the cage has a lot of thick foliage (so the hawk can't see it and the cham can hide) and a sturdy mesh top it should keep the hawk from getting your cham. They are not very skilled at tearing into things to get at food...its not something they need to learn.

 

[carol5208]

yes Carlton there a plenty of places for him to hide and hiding is what he was doing when I made my way out to the cage!!! I would never poison or harm any animal of any kind and although I was freaked out it also amazed me that this hawk found my little chameleon in that big cage!!! So you are right there eyesight has to be incredible!!! They circle overhead in the sky everyday and I am assuming he saw the cham moving about in the cage.

 

[jannb]

Carol you must be infested with hawks. I am so glad that Romeo is alright. My dog Red always goes outside with us. Maybe birds stay away from dogs.

 

[cryogen]

Jojackson,
If you ever make it to Brevard County Florida our Zoo has a petting area where you can sit down and play with armadillos =) ... my son loves it.

I interned at that zoo over the summer and I have to say that the armadillos were one of my favorite animals to work with there. They're so adorable! If you happen to show up when they're giving them their afternoon mealworms then you can even feed them.

Sorry, way off topic but when I read about my favorite little ones at Brevard Zoo I had to chime in.

I've noticed a hawk circling our yard a lot lately (most likely sizing up the neighbor's little yappy dogs in their backyard), but I never even thought about them picking up a chameleon. Now I'll keep that in mind when we build our cham his outdoor cage.

 

[Carlton]

I would never poison or harm any animal of any kind

I realize you wouldn't do this Carol, but posted that more for those who might not realize its illegal.

 

[Ekaj13]

HA! Nothing like this would be legal for any retail store to carry. Besides, a raptor won't pick up poison unless it is secondary...you poison a squirrel or other prey animal and the hawk happens to catch it before it dies.

Shooting or poisoning any native migratory bird in the USA is ILLEGAL without a very specific permit issued by the US Fish and Wildlife Service or possibly the US Department of Agriculture. The exceptions are annual game hunting seasons for waterfowl, quail, pheasant and such. There are authorized employees who can poison, trap, or otherwise remove nuisance birds such as blackbirds, exotics like starlings or pigeons but that's a whole different world.

Raptors are generally considered beneficial because they help control pest rodents. An owl decoy won't scare a hawk away either...they have no reason to fear owls. Bright flashy foil streamers might keep a hawk from landing on the cage (but would probably stress your cham).

The best way to avoid a hawk is to block the view of the cham from above. Hawks have incredible eyesight...something like 10 times as sharp as a human's, so detecting your cham in a cage is easy for them. If the cage has a lot of thick foliage (so the hawk can't see it and the cham can hide) and a sturdy mesh top it should keep the hawk from getting your cham. They are not very skilled at tearing into things to get at food...its not something they need to learn.

I guess my comment didn't come off as sarcastic as I thought it was...

I would not kill an animal because it is in my yard, I go through great pains to get them there with bird feeders and plants.

 

[Picasso123]

A hawk is hardly a nuisance bird. Killing one can be a crime in some states which is perfectly fine by me. Nature isn't to be messed with and it will happily remind you of such when it chooses.

 

[NWD]

Haha

But shooting them is more fun lol nah hawks are Coool when their not eating ur animals.

 

[jojackson]

Jojackson,
If you ever make it to Brevard County Florida our Zoo has a petting area where you can sit down and play with armadillos =) ... my son loves it.

That would be more than worth flying around the world, alone! Who knows, someday...

Eekroar, you never Had to shoot anything. Ofcourse some snakes would eat a cham, Its hard to reach the counter at Mcdonalds drive thru!
Leave the snakes alone and they will move off when they are ready, they sure as hell wont wait around to meet you!

 

[yokman]

Jojackson,
Leave the snakes alone and they will move off when they are ready, they sure as hell wont wait around to meet you!

AGREED!!!! Being a "snake guy",snakes are more scared of you and would NEVER pull a gun on you. They will kill only to eat and bite only when scared. I hate WC snakes but let them do there thing and leave em alone. Been bite MANY times by my CB's but isn't that bad. I also don't see a snake trying to bust a cage open to eat a chameleon.

 

[eeekroar]

First, let me say I do not kill ANY animal for the fun of it,but when I have rattle snakes making nest in our son's playhouse,and TONS of cotton mouths traveling through our yard. I just can not take the risk.We always have young kids playing in the yard, and around the pond.If it is non poisonous I will try to move them along, but I'd rather not let the children take a bite when they can not identify what kind of snake bit them to receive proper aint-venom.I have tried snake-away and moth balls in the playhouse,but have literally seen two rattle snakes on separate occasions laying next to it.

I know I will offend a bunch of you with this post, and I am sorry, but rather kill a rattle snake than have a child die from stepping on one that is on it's way back to the nest.

 

[yokman]

Being a single daddy I do get that. What you need is a mongoose

 

[eeekroar]

Being a single daddy I do get that. What you need is a mongoose

Or a honey badger, Haha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg

 

[jojackson]

Animal removal services have been around for many decades now. These professionals assist individual homeowners and commercial businesses with controlling pests. It is common for a dead rat or rodent to show up in the ducts of a building at times. Then again, you may have to deal with a dangerous snake, bat or hornet's nest that has to be removed. Fortunately there are pest control services that assist with anything from mice, to insects, to squirrels, to dangerous wasps, to wild skunks. In fact, there is likely one located near you. When it comes to dangerous animal removal and pest control, different people have different needs and concerns. While one residential homeowner may have an unwanted bees nest in their backyard, a small business owner may require assistance with a large, wild dog. Depending on what the job calls for, animal removal experts may use a small trap, tranquilizer gun, or simple tool to deal with pests and insects. It is important for these professionals to approach the task in a humane way. Especially if the animal is not dead already. This way nothing gets hurt or killed. Be sure that you seek out the assistance of a licensed pest control company when you need help with a rodent, snake, squirrel or wild dog. Fortunately there is a lot of data found online for animal removal services and pest control experts. In no time you can get the scoop on what professionals are located near you, and how much it may cost for assistance.

ANIMAL REMOVAL SPECIALIST 228-832-1118
Gulfport, MS
65.0MI from Hattiesburg

http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/professional-trapper/howtogetridofsnakes.htm

*(above) trapping with glues etc is cruel and inhumane, removal is better.

but I'd rather not let the children take a bite when they can not identify what kind of snake bit them to receive proper aint-venom.

The snake dosent need to be identified, Id can be discovered by sampling venom at the bite site, this is common practice now! Educate your children about the dangers of snakes and what to do, educate yourself and put the big gun away!
If your living in a biodiverse area you cant expect wildlife not to be there, including snakes. Your excuse is as old as any Ive heard and rather lame at that, its about convenience for you, not necessity.
Education/prevention is worth more than any amount of dead snakes, you dont just kill anything thats inconvenient.
Keeping your yard clear and not providing refuge for snakes will solve half the problem. If you keep anything (birds for example) or store anything that will attract rodents, you attract snakes, these need to be rodent proofed. Cutting long grass etc will eliminate most snake refuges, clear rubbish etc.
Why do you have kids playing near a pond anyway? You could fence that off for a start, snakes need a water source too.
Im a father too, but I am also respectful of wildlife (especially since I live in Australia) and smart enough to manage to coexist with wildlife including snakes. Ive never feared for my kids because they know what to do if they see a snake, and I know what to do in the unlikely event of a snakebite.
Allowing your kids to play where you know there are venomous snakes, without educating them, is like russian roulette.
Why not raise that playhouse up on post and provide a ladder, snakes find ladders rather tricky.

 

[eeekroar]

I never said I did not expect snakes to live in my area .Saying killing poisonous snakes were children play is not a "lame" excuse.It just might not be the option you would choose.I have a chain linked fence in my backyard, but the pond is two foot from the fence with woods on the other side,which still allow snakes to enter. Having trimmed grass does not stop the snakes from making paths through my backyard because I have seen them numerous of times and found skin they had shed.

Yes, you can teach a small child what a snake is, but how can you teach them not to accidentally step on one while running around or in the woods? Not all children are as smart as yours,obviously.I can not raise a playhouse that is connected to a swing set, that makes no sense.Why do children play by a pond???Seriously?You never caught tad poles and threw rocks into a pond as a child?We have children of all ages over, it is not just my kid.I also have tons of black widows, but I'm sure you will say I should not kill them either since you are smart enough to coexist with animals in nature.In case of a bite I would still have at least a 30 minute drive to a hospital.

Next time a poisonous snake is coming or going from the pond or woods, I'll be sure to tell it to stop while I call animal control.Thank you for the education, I'll be sure to put my "big gun" away.

 

[jojackson]

Boy arnt you angry little man today, did the cat shit in your slippers?
I suggest alternatives to your dirty harry approach and you get your pantys in a knot?

but how can you teach them not to accidentally step on one while running around or in the woods?

You teach them awareness in the first place, where to expect snakes. Your child is unlikely to step on one 'running in the woods' since snakes will generally move off alarmed by vibrations. Im talking about in your yard, not in the woods.

Having trimmed grass does not stop the snakes from making paths through my backyard because I have seen them numerous of times and found skin they had shed.


It makes it much less likely since snakes prefer to move under cover, your kid is more likely to step on one in longer grass.

I can not raise a playhouse that is connected to a swing set, that makes no sense

You never said anything about a swingset. You whinge you find rattlers nesting in the playhouse, but you dont think about providing a safer option Einstein?

Why do children play by a pond???Seriously?You never caught tad poles and threw rocks into a pond as a child?We have children of all ages over,

A pond infested by water moccasins according to you! I suggested fencing the pond to keep the kids away, not the snakes.

I also have tons of black widows, but I'm sure you will say I should not kill them either since you are smart enough to coexist with animals in nature.

Gosh how long did it take you to come up with that? Ever hear of pest control?

Next time a poisonous snake is coming or going from the pond or woods, I'll be sure to tell it to stop while I call animal control.

Whats wrong with keeping the kids inside if theres a snake? You dont blast away with the kids in the yard anyway right? Im sorry your ability to express yourself is so lacking you must resort to elementary school sarcasm.
A few suggestions Ive made may just save your childs life.
Try thinking with your head instead of your 'Gun'. Be an awful shame if you were blasting away at a snake and one these kids came running out of the woods, maybe even your kid.

Enough said about this, Im going to kick myself for bothering, I deserve it. Shame on me!

"never argue with a fool, they will drag you down to their level (you did) and beat you with experience, and folk may not be able to tell the difference either."

 

[PrettyInInk87]

I would never consider shooting a hawk! I mean they have to eat and they are doing just what comes natural to them and that is find prey to survive. I am now just a little more paranoid even with the cage. It is made out of a thick sturdy chicken wire, but not saying a hawks beak could not rip that to shreds if it wanted. If it was a regular screen, he would have probably had it torn open. I just wanted to post this to make everyone aware, who is not, about the dangers of birds.

Thank you for your posts... Before I read your first post I was free ranging Hugh ouside on his Ficus with no cage or anything. I stayed with him outside and even if I didn't, I checked on him every minute. When I read about the hawk I FREAKED and ever since then I free range him right in front of our metal screen door, he can still get some good sunshine but is inside behind a metal screen door. Again, thank you.

 

[lilwish]

OH my so glad your little guy is ok! hawks are pretty scary! dont think that animal control will do anything about them if your in florida I believe they are protected so unless THEY are in danger they wont mess with them in case they do have a nest. My brother in law found one on the side of the road they lived on a while back and when they took it in they told them it would go to a rescue and then they would release it back to where it was found but sadly it didnt make it! this was a few years ago so things may have changed.

for the guy that has the pon and swing set and everything i have heard and been told by my uncle who also has a big pond that moth balls help ALOT he puts them all along the fence and in places they like to hide and says it helps dont know why or if it will help you but never know!!!