Is bird netting good??????????

[jmhoesch]

I've decided that I want some sort of "top" for most of the enclosure. I thought chicken wire. My husband could rig something up, but then he suggested bird netting. Easier to work with yet still get the same safety from air born predators.

Is this a good choice? The sun won't have any problems getting thru? He's our enclosure...........my husband could rig something up using the back wall and the border going around it.........

 

[Yvonne G]

I used bird netting over my pond years ago. But if an airborn predator wants in, he'll get in. Ask your husband to string a couple of wires across in the air some way or another and hang the lids off of cans on the wires. This works good at keeping birds out of trees and eating the fruit, it might work for other types of bird predators. Or how about a cute scare crow. I'm sure you can come up with something that fits the 'decor.'

 

[Laura]

it wont keep coons out.. what are you trying to keep out?

 

[T33's Torts]

Bird netting keeps out...well... birds. You'll need something heavier for coyotes, cats, raccoons, possum, etc.

 

[jmhoesch]

that's the only thing I'm worried about, the air born predators. Don't have any issues w/ coyotes, cats ect. We're in southern AZ and where we're located, the air born predators are my concern. My husband went out yesterday and got some netting, stakes for around the enclosure and he's putting something up now. I'll put a picture up when he's done.....................

 

[lynnedit]

Pics would be great! You could use a 2x2" wood or PVC frame.
I strung fishing line about 1 foot apart across an open area of my outdoor enclosure. Like you, mostly worried about air borne predators, or even crows hassling the tortoises.

 

[jmhoesch]

O geeeezzz are birds going to get caught in this thing? My husband just "casually" mentioned while I was out there watching him and he said, "you know birds are probably going to get stuck in this". I'm like WHAT OMG no, I can't have that! It's gonna freak me out to see a poor bird caught in it. I told him the first bird that is, I'm ripping it all down and we'll have to find another solution. Now, I'm paranoid about getting birds caught in it................

 

[lynnedit]

No,they won't. If it is strung tightly, and not all floppy. Birds can see 10x as well as we can. They will avoid the netting because they can see it.

Birds do get caught in aluminum can rings, or fishing line/netting, or bird netting, or barb wire that is discarded and loose, or floating in the ocean, but that's different.
Now it is possible that a bird will get underneath the netting and not be able to get out. In that case, it is nice to be able to pull a section (in the middle?) back and walk away so they can fly out.
Also,the birds will appreciate a water source away from your tortoise enclosure, so they won't try to use his!

 

[jmhoesch]

The netting doesn't come all the way down on the sides so we can get in and out of it. I'll ask hubby to make sure it's pulled tight. But the birds around here are stupid, they keep flying into our windows and either killing themselves or getting a little birdy concussion then flying off.

 

[jmhoesch]

Here's is a pic of the protective netting my hubby put around it.................Nothing can get in (except for the geckos) and my fears of Mr. Pickles being carried away are gone...............

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Would a bird actually carry away a full grown Greek? That's what you have, right?

I personally think netting takes away from the beauty of the enclosure, so unless I think the threat is real (I have a hardware cover on the RES pond at night) I like my tops open.

Just my 2 cents. You weigh your pros/cons and make the decision you feel most comfortable with.

 

[jmhoesch]

I would much rather have it open. But yes..........the hawks around here have actually picked up puppies and carried them away! I'd rather been safe then sorry, ya know? I'm thinking my hubby will want to make something more "deserty" in the months to come. This was a quick fix so we could get him out there. I wouldn't put him out there w/o some kind of protection.