Martens are excellent climbers. Did you know that they can easily climb a gutter? Find out below how you can tell that a marten has climbed up the downspout and how you can stop the animals from doing so.

Gutters are ideal climbing aids for martens

How does the marten get on the roof?

Martens have sharp claws on their paws, which they use to cling to trees, but also to smoother surfaces such as gutters. They are also very agile when climbing: they can turn their feet up to 180°. Their leg muscles are impressively strong, because the little creatures can jump up to 2 meters.

Traces on the gutter

Not sure if a marten crawled up the gutters? Here are a few clues:

  • Martens are not quiet animals. Strong scratching noises can be heard when climbing on the gutter and loud rumbling when arriving on the roof.
  • Martens leave scratch marks with their sharp claws - especially on plastic pipes.
  • Tufts of hair can also be an indication of a marten infestation.

tips

Martens climb up the gutter from both the outside and the inside!

How do I stop the marten from climbing the gutter?

Since, as mentioned, martens use the gutter both inside and outside to climb, it has to be blocked twice. You can buy special marten brushes or marten belts from specialist retailers. This is wire wrapped with many long bristles that can be stuffed into or wrapped around the gutter.

Make marten protection yourself

Of course you can also make the marten protection yourself. One option is to build the protection out of pointed wires:

  • Choose a main wire to wrap around the gutters and trim accordingly.
  • Now cut at least ten pieces of wire, about eight inches long.
  • Wrap the middle around the main wire a few times, leaving the ends, now about 4 inches long, sticking out to a point.
  • Fasten all the pieces of wire around the main wire, creating a kind of crown of thorns.
  • Tie this belt around your gutter at least two meters off the ground.

tips

Attach wire netting to the bottom or top of the gutter to prevent martens from crawling in.

Category:

Animals in the garden