| Predator Controls - Heron, Alligators, & Much More |
Predator Controls
As we get
un-welcome visitors to our pond, our fish magically
dissapear. These products will help control these Pond
Predators either by scaring them off with a blast of water, a decoy
to confuse them, or netting to fustrate them.
Fish Decoys are fake
fish which you float just under the surface of the water so the
predators will go after them first giving your real fish time to
take cover and hide. They work best in ponds with a surface
current which causes the fish decoy to look like it is swimming
making them a prime target for the predators. They can still
be used in stagnet ponds but are more efficient when wiggling.
Pond Netting is sort of a last resort. By
spreading the netting over the pond surface, the predator will get
fustrated, possibly tangled, and then want to leave.
Note: Blue Herons & Egrets can still strike your
fish through the holes in the netting. Your fish may die from
the stab wounds, but the bird will not be able to eat the fish
because it will be unable to lift it past the netting. If
possible, install the netting so it is 1'-2' off the pond
surface. It will not look preety, but your fish will be
safer.
Alligator Decoys work well with Migratory
Predator Birds. Herons & Egrets are eaten by
alligators in the southern states. As these birds
migrate to the north in the summer months, they are very wary of
being attacked by an alligator so alligator decoys will have some
sucess with these birds.
Blue Herons are very large birds
(see photo below left) & territorial by
nature. They will not feed if another heron is
present. The Blue Heron is capable of killing and
eating very large fish (see photo below
right). An adult Heron can remove & eat
1 ten inch fish per minute out of your pond. Our
Heron
Decoy when installed by your pond, will confuses an
overflying heron into beliving that another heron is feeding
on your pond and will fly on to where there is no competitor
to fight with.
Snapping Turtles are a major
predator in larger liner and earth bottom type ponds. There
favorite meal is your fish. If fish, ducks and frogs are
disappearing without any evidence of predatory birds, then Snapping
Turtles might be your problem. Snapping Turtles are capable
of eating anything they can fit into their mouths including aquatic
life, pets and small children. ShopTJB offers a Wire Trap for catching and
relocating these major aquatic predators.
TJB-INC INSTALLATION TIP:
When using the Heron Decoy, make sure to move it
different locations around your pond every few days otherwise the
smart real heron will relize your heron is a fake and
poses no harm. The real heron will soon land and feed next to
your decoy. (This happened to us in our TJB-INC Display
Gardens). A hungry heron, can clean your pond of
your prized fish in very short order. We have found that a
combination of decoy products has been successful most of the
times.
NOTE:
There are
times when you will get a brave and determined predator who
decides your fish taste good and nothing is going to stop it short
of killing it! (Sorry, but it's the
truth)
