What works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to keeping snakes away at home

Summer’s here and the time is right for snakes to be on the move. With temperatures around Australia soaring since September, plenty of snakes have been emerging from their hibernation to hunt for food.

Coming across a snake in your backyard or house can be quite confronting. A quick search online will reveal products that have been specifically formulated to repel snakes, there are even some ‘home remedies’ involving the strategic placement of mothballs or ammonia around your house to keep snakes at bay. However, professional snake catchers and handlers say you shouldn’t be too surprised if they don’t work.

The chances of a snake slithering across your path at home depends on a number of factors, including your location, the surrounding landscape, the presence of water and the design and maintenance of your lawn and garden.

While keeping snakes away from your home completely might not be an option, there are some things you can do to make your place less inviting for them.

Around the yard

Mowing your lawn regularly will not only make your house look nice, but it will help control mice and other insects that are an appealing food source for snakes. Remove excess vegetation and weeds, any piles of debris in areas where snakes can hide. Keep your trees and shrubs trimmed and away from the home and garage. If you store firewood or similar materials, keep them elevated from the ground.

As lovely as it is to hear the sound of birds singing in the backyard, it’s recommended that you don’t use bird feeders or bird baths to attract them, and that if you do feed wildlife with fruits and nuts, be sure to clean up any of the mess that falls onto your lawn. Snakes might not be interested in the salad platter, but they are interested in rodents and other animals that will likely be attracted to such things. If you can’t bear to stop feeding the birds, be sure to store the feed in a metal container with a lid that fits tightly.

Keep your compost piles in a closed container. This will keep snakes and rodents away from your house.

Go around your house and inspect and seal any crevices at the foundations, which will help keep snakes from getting inside your house. Consider screens over vents and sealing openings around plumbing that enters or exits your home.

Consider your landscaping design. Large rock spaces in your landscaping can provide the perfect hiding space for snakes as well as their prey. Water features and fish ponds also attract snakes.

Remove the food

How do you limit the food source of a snake? It’s simple.

If you have pets, bring them inside to be fed. Snakes aren’t at all interested in what your cat or dog is having for dinner, but they are interested in the rodents that your pet’s food will attract. Be sure to clean up any uneaten food straight away. Store your dry pet food in a metal container with a tight fitting lid. You may also wish to contact a local pest control company to treat your home so that any other tasty morsels (think insects, frogs, lizards etc.) for snakes are given their eviction notice to your house.

If you have a chicken coop or aviary, there are signs you can look for to determine if there is a snake. These include fewer or missing eggs, regurgitated egg shells, snake skins, a chicken or bird with a wet head (a sign that a snake tried to eat it, but perhaps gave up). Take a look around the enclosure for any access points where a snake might come in and block those access points to keep snakes out of the coop and nesting boxes. Other tips:

• Replace 1-inch chicken wire with 1/4-inch hardware cloth
• If your coop or aviary doesn’t have a solid floor consider putting down some sturdy mesh to keep snakes and other burrowing predators out
• Store feed in rodent-proof containers (metal containers with tight fitting lids) and consider a feeder that the chooks have to step on to access the feed
• Keep the areas around the coop or aviary free of grass and bushes, remove dead leaves and brush piles, keep your outdoor area clear

Things that don’t work

While it might be your first reaction to reach for a shovel, snakes represent an important part of our ecosystem. For that reason, there are some things that are not advised when it comes to deterring snakes from your home.

Mothballs shouldn’t be used. They are made from chemicals that are toxic to insects and mammals, but aren’t effective against snakes.

Avoid using ceramic eggs or golf balls in your chicken coop. Snakes eat these artificial eggs and their death is slow and painful. What’s worse is that you’ll only increase your snake problem because new snakes will show up to take that snake’s place. Consider improving the chicken coop area using the suggestions above instead.

Refrain from using guns, shovels or other weapons. This is just an increased risk to your own personal safety. Instead, try using a hose to spray water onto the snake, which will encourage it to find somewhere new to hang out.

Finally, the best advice Starts at 60 has been given when it comes to snakes is to just leave them alone. Chances are they will move on without causing you any trouble. Of course, if one does enter your home the recommended advice it to keep an eye on it and if you feel threatened by it, call an expert.