Raccoon!

[addy1]

Keep in mind that these are just animals trying to survive guys. They are not out to get us as we seem to be them. If we secure our property correctly I think we can all live in peace whether it be herons, raccoons, coyotes, cats, dogs, snakes etc. I enjoy watching the critters come through and hopefully I have secured my pond so that my fish are safe. If you do it correctly it can be made safe

agree jw...........love to see the critters come around

 

[Johnnie]

Johnie,

So simple yet so ingenious! I'm gonna have my husband look at this. Maybe we'll get a have-a-heart trap.\

Joanie

Joanie, thanks for your kind words. Good luck with your plan to catch coons.

The raccoons come to my pond all of the time. I see their prints on the walk out shallow edge (it goes from inches to feet quickly, but any critter can get out without drowning). But the bulk of the pond is deep enough to protect the fish. They are welcome here, same with squirrels fox, snakes etc.

Addy1, speaking of squirrels, I've caught no coons today, but my coon-catcher "mistakenly" trapped 2 squirrels in 1 shot :lol:! What's the odd of that? Hello Lotto... here I come:lol:.

 

[pondbuilder13]

haha they look funny in there did u let them go?

 

[DrDave]

Have a Heart Traps are great! I use them and so does my neighbor. He has relocated dozens of raccoons over the past few years. Harbor Freight has them at a reasonable price.

 

[sissy]

You wouldn't think it was nice to see critters and snakes around if you went out to your pond and opened the filter and right along side it where your hand is ,there is a rattlesnake staring at you .I think I lost ten years of my life .backed away slowly and my neighbor came over and got rid of it .He has snakes and nows about them and took it far away .I really thought sure it was going to get me .I was lucky to be on the side of the pond where there where rocks between him and me .You should have seen him fight the snake loop he used to catch him and he was not small either .I just thank god he was home .

 

[DrDave]

Thank God you are safe! We have plenty of them here. So far, none in my yard have been discovered.
I don't think I would be as nice to one. Several friends of mine have died from rattlesnake bites.

 

[sissy]

thank you and believe me it is something I will never forget as to this day I look real careful now before I even go down by the pond .He is the one who told me about burying a couple of mothballs around my pond as snake away burns there skin .That happened 2 years ago and Jody my neighbor still stops by to check to see if he see's any evidence of them around here .

 

[sissy]

I remembered why he told me he didn't strike it was because he was cold and he was trying to warm himself up on the rocks .He told me when they are cold they are slower .Here that morning I was complaining about the cold snap and the frost hurting my plants .

 

[stroppy]

Keep in mind that these are just animals trying to survive guys. They are not out to get us as we seem to be them. If we secure our property correctly I think we can all live in peace whether it be herons, raccoons, coyotes, cats, dogs, snakes etc. I enjoy watching the critters come through and hopefully I have secured my pond so that my fish are safe. If you do it correctly it can be made safe

im with you there jw :0)

 

[sissy]

I noticed DR Dave that use an elbow and pipe with holes drilled in it on the out flow is that to add more oxygen to your doc filter and that you have an elbow on it also .I was wondering if I should add that and I still want to melt the abs pipe extension to my elbow coming out to flare it and flatten it a little .I had to drill a hole in the elbow coming out also to allow air in I guess because it was gurgling bad and shaking a little .After I drilled the hole it stop gurgling .I am wondering if thats what the inside pipes on yours do ,as I do not have any extension coming out on the inside ,just a screw in piece that goes to the tank adapter thats about 2 inches long

 

[sissy]

I was also wondering if the bird netting would do the same it is 12x14 and lowes sells it here at new lower price of course after I bought mine for 8 dollars now it is 6 dollars and what is that plant that you call a chia pet also .I modified the build From that plan I got too for the filter online

 

[Johnnie]

haha they look funny in there did u let them go?

Yes, I relocated them a few miles away in the woods. By the way, I took some mugshots. I'm curious if they're able to find their way back to my yard.

They're camera-shy :lol:.

 

[sissy]

ahhhh cute rats with fuzzy tails

 

[stroppy]

red squirrels... only a few red here in the uk ... but we do have loads of greys they are often in my garden but can give you a nasty nip, last spring i found one sitting in my kitchen he just walked in the back door :0)

 

[DrDave]

Sissy, the holes are there to give many places for the overflow to get into the 2" downflow elbow. Leaves and tubes, when I used them as media clog some of the holes and these are there to ensure the overflow goes into the pipe.
You want fencing material as it gives the necessary surface area for the anerobic bacteria to grow. Netting is not enough and scrubbies are overkill. My pond is overloaded yet balanced due to the design of this bio filter.