Snakes are wonderful predators for rats and mice, which I have an abundance of since I live next to a huge field behind our house. I am constantly digging them up and then letting them slither off on their merry way. I uncovered the "mama" one day among my cannas. She gave me quite a start at first, but then I just stood still and let her wander off back into the canes. She was quite large and now I know where all the little ones are coming from.

I've even caught a couple of babies to show my grandsons, who think they're really "cool". My husband has a fit and wants me to kill all of them, but no way! I can definitely live with them in harmony if they keep killing the rats and mice that carry horrible diseases and are constantly eating my bird seed!!

I have I rule concerning snakes, I don't kill them unless they have the ability to kill me. In my neck of the woods that means only rattlers and moccasins are on my hit list. My yard is full of black racers and the trees have corn snakes and I see the occassional glass snake in the bushes. They might startle me when they first move but sometimes so do the toads, frogs and lizards that are abound in the yard, I even let out a scream when trimmng a tree one falls out and lands near but rattlers and moccasins do not climb trees and so in the back of my mind I know the falling reptile can't hurt me. Educate yourself about the snakes in your area and learn to identify the harmful ones and you'll not feel as terrified of 'All" snakes anymore. peace, pea

typical arrogance. meg says she doesn't invade the snake's space, butthey were there before her. So, let's see, she moved in, told the existing wildlife it was not welcome in it's own home, and started killing indescrimanately.

A pot-belly pig will make your backyard inhospitable for snakes. Unfortunately, It will also eat pretty much everything (except weeds. Murphy's law)

The ones that concern me are the Copperhead, cotton mouth and the Coral. All others are welcome in my garden, but the three "killers" must go. I try to eliminate them by removing their nesting/den area. This works with the copperheads, the cotton mouth only come up my way if the water has been really high in nearby areas. The coral can show up almost anytime.

Some interesting statistics.

1991-1994 deaths from outdoor activities in Texas:

Auto deaths: 12,818
Drowning: 1317
HUMAN DEATHS FROM FIREARM HUNTING ACCIDENTS: 625
Lightning: 22
Venomous Spiders: 18
VENOMOUS SNAKES: 0

Source: Poisonous Snakes of Texas, Andrew H. Price, Texas Parks and Wildlife Press, 1998.

While the copperhead, cottonmouth and coral snake are venomous they aren't really "killers." Even the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake which is the number one killer in North America accounts for only an average of one fatality per year in Texas. These other three snakes (copperhead, cottonmouth and coral) combined produce fewer than one fatality per decade in Texas.

These snakes should be avoided, but as outdoor risks go hunters with bad aim are over 600 times more lethal.

I speak from experience. When our Pot Bellied Pig had free-range, she rooted up everything. I can't say who was the instigator, the dog or the pig. I used to think I could teach ANY CRITTER TO BEHAVE. But back to snakes, one day our silly pig was hanging in a space where she usually only goes to defecate, when I called her up she wouldn't come... I happened to look and there was a big Ol' Blacksnake. This piglet is not a good snake-deterent. And I am in total agreement about letting snakes live. But we have created a micro-climate on the top of this sandhill and if we let every critter in...LISA

Let them live...all except the poisonous ones..they need to go, there is No living in harmony with them...I don`t care if they were here first, ther`s no such thing as "peaceful co-existance " with a rattlesnake or coral snake..singing "kumbaya" will not get it!

Ah, but it is possible to peacefully co-exist with venomous snakes if you follow a few simple rules: Lay off the liquor when outdoors, don't harass or handle snakes, don't garden barefoot, don't walk around on summer nights without a flashlight, watch where you step and where you place your hands. One simple strategy that works for all snakes venomous or not. LEAVE IT ALONE and it will leave you alone.

Ultimately I understand why many choose to eliminate poisonous snakes in their yard. But some folks do voluntarily co-exist with poisonous snakes (and the record will show that they aren't the "type" who generally get bit). I would welcome a poisonous snake in my yard. In fact, I actively seek these guys out in the wild (saw 78 venomous snakes this year alone) and have never been bitten. Amazing how well one can manage around these dangerous reptiles when one observes them with caution and respect.

Yeah I know I'm advancing an unpopular minority position, but I think folks freak out way too much about snakes.

A flashlight wont help you at night with a rattlesnake if you don`t see him before he strikes.I agree there are certain procedures to follow, but mistakes DO happen.. Look how many professional snake handlers get bitten. I think most people are surprised by snakes because their minds were on pulling weeds, not on watching out for snakes..I like to see the non-poisonous kinds in my yard because of the good they do controlling rodents, but I can do without the other kind..I still don`t care who was here first. In the animal kingdom, which we are part of, it has always been "survival of the fittest"..Fortunately, I have only seen one Coral snake in the wild, and I have lived in Florida many years..I hope I never see one in my yard..

I can't even stand to see a snake but I can not kill one either. When I was living in ND and one of our friends had a snake problem at their farm, they were told to put diesel fuel on some rope and place it around the boundary of where they wanted to keep the snakes out of. I guess you would have to get the ones already within this boundary anyway that you choose, but snakes are not supposed to crawl over a rope that has been drenced with diesel fuel.

All I can say is, I live in Ontario, and we have only 1 venomous snake left, and it's endangered. The other one, the Timber Rattlesnake, has been extirpated (completely extinct in Ontario, but still existing in USA) as a direct result of massive persecution. IE, killing. The remaining one, the Massassauga, is endangered because of ignorent persecution and habitat loss.
If you are lucky enough to have snake habitat in your yard, please do your best to enjoy it. I know that many people are extremely phobic (my mother is one), but please, please don't go on a killing rampage. Venomous snakes have their place in the ecosystem just the same way non-venomous ones do. Most snakes are not aggressive, and will opt for flight rather than fight. Learn more about your local species, visit a local park, talk to the naturalists, get a book out of the library. Perhaps getting to know them a little bit better will lessen the dread. Phobias are also one of the easiest mental disorders to treat, perhaps you should consider looking into a trained counsellor.
I also know this thread is mostly dead, but for anyone re-reading it, please keep my words in mind. (there are two links posted: cut and paste the one you see for snake info, or click the link for phobia info.)

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.pitt.edu/~mcs2/herp/SoNA.html

I am ashamed to admit how frightened I am when I run across a garter snake while weeding in my beds especially after reading about those of you out there who put up with rattle snakes and other more dangerous ones. Now I know why I like to live in cold, cold, Iowa where I have only seen gartersnakes. I especially don't want them in my greenhouse, but also can't kill them. What is it about snakes that cause most of us women and some men to go ballistic? Don't know, just want them to keep their distance and I won't bother them. Mary

I was actually excited to see a big black snack in my yard. Since setting up my new compost pile, I worried that I might attract mice, but I am hoping the snake will help with that. That and the hawk I have seen swoop down and grab something off the pile!!

Your mean, meg933!

I taught my kids and grandkids to "sing" the "snake song" whenever we are in areas that may have snakes... like when we pick blackberries or go near fallen trees... It's just a nonsense song-thing like, "Snake, snake, go away, it's just us". Use any "tune" you like and make up your own words...
It works! I think we warn any snakes and give them time to leave the area.

We've all been "singing" the "snake song" for about 30 years or so ... plus my college work was biology, so I really don't want to kill them - just run them away when I'm around!

I'm not a cat person, but if you keep a cat outside...you won't see snakes. As for calling animal control, unless its a python...don't waste your time. Most snakes I've encountered around the house don't stick around long enough for animal control to get there. I think they probably saw me get their little friends with the hoe. By the way Bullnettle, you're right...it works everytime.

snakes can't hear'you to be kidding with that song bit.Coral snakes eat snakes.

Those of you who would like to have venomous snakes in your yard obviously don't have toddlers or small children around. One tip I've heard of to keep snakes out places you don't want them in, is to sprinkle diotamaceous earth around the spot. This can be purchased at most garden centers. It's also good for snails, slugs and insects and is also organic.

Personally I don't like snakes and also God has given us dominion over all living things, but that being said I have 5 children and they are all young 15,11,8,4,2 I would not want anything to happen to any of them, espically we have the mojave green which is very deadly. I know that my kids have seen them in the backyard but I haven't yet I am hopeing to do something like add lots of concrete and I am not sure what else yet espically since we are hardly back there, but my husband do wants to do some landscaping like put in a pool and some other things so I guess when that happens then I will have to deal with it. But I will say that if I see one of those mojave green snakes and if it isn't runnig from me I will kill it, or I will run from it I am not sure which one but I hope that I am never in that position...

No one has mentioned mowing the grass. Snakes like to hide in tall grass. Like Indiana Jones, I hate snakes. My skin is crawling just reading this thread. I have seriously considered moving to Ireland. But I keep them from surprising me if the lawn is mowed regularly. Even rattlers will get out of your way once they know you are there. They will rattle to inform you of their presence. Then you need to stay still, figure out where they are and let it get away. They won't bite you unless they feel threatened. For every snake that has scared you there has probably been another hundred that you didn't even know were there. And guinea hens will definately work. At the very least they will warn you of a snake and scare it off. And they will usually pick apart a small snake. But without snakes, you cannot have a healthy ecosystem, rodents and insects would overrun your area.

Nalani: "God has given us dominion over all living things"

I'm pretty positive that he/she/it is sincerely regretting that decision by now. Let's not make it worse by assuming that this means we can wipe out whatever doesn't suit our outdoor recreational activities or personal phobias.

We moved to Arkansas about 12 years ago- have never seen so many venamous snakes,mostly copperheads and a large number of water mox,thanks goodness weve not been visited by any of the local Timber Rattlers-which are a protected species here-a young fellow ended up doing prison time for disposing of one.You can call yourself keeping a good watch out for the copperheads -even in well mowed areas and walk right up on top of one-they are, as are other snakes well camaphaged.I am a retired nurse and we always had a number of snake bites each year-from small children who pick up a baby snake-thinking its an earth worm .to people going about their busness outside, some even as late as November -all have been very sick and some suffered permanent damage -some have had to have incisions cut all up and down both sides of an affected limb to save the leg or arm to prevent loosing it due to excessive swelling causing loss of circulation in affected limb-and all have required hospitalizing and close monitoring-a few have had to be airlifted to bigger cities to survive.The first 2 years we were here we encountered 34 very mature copperheads-for each year -and yes they were all different snakes ,not counting all the immature ones encountered.Well it went down to 17 .then 13 -mind I still am referring to mature snakes-they will curl up right next to a vehicle where children get in and out and can be just anywhere .Finally the count of copperheads is down to 5 to 7 ish each year now-still not counting the encountered babys which are as bad as the adults -maybe worse for gardeners and small children,as they love flowerbeds and hang out with the fishing worms.As for water mox-they are very territorial and will lie total claim to your creek and are aggressive-at all times, especially as summer advances into their breeding season thats when the days are hot and the swimming hole is an enticing lure, especially to young humans-so we have continued to encounter 6 to 8 of these each year-not counting the babys which have occasionally been caught on a fishing line.To my way of seeing things not all of the snakes that are in this part of the country are worth the suffering one child goes through after being bitten by one.We have encountered 5 or 6 King snakes since we have been here-but then it could be the same one returning for an occasional visit and since we no longer try to keep chickens or other fowl, a chicken snake may crawl safely by or any other non ven snake .We have a herd of deer, we for the most part gladly contend with -they are safe here and we are covered up with squirrels-we lose a constant battle with them each year for the apples and grapes and any other fruits or nut they find desirous.so in most aspects we are willing to share the space and bounty of Mother nature with her other children.We even feed the birds and give them extra rations durning winter.Dh encountered the first copper head of the season last week it was only about 8 inches long so of course it wasnt a counter-so look out you folks in up to zone seven their back.Did I mention a person can only be given antivenamon once in their life time,besides which it is not commonly used today as it can cause health problems including heart ailments.

Someone mentioned using DE. That's what we use in our swimming pool. Do you just sprinkle it along the fenceline and around the perimeter of your house and garage? What effect does it have on snakes? And has anyone used Snake Away that I saw at Home Depot?

Personally I don't know one snake from another so I guess I better start reading up on them before we move so I can properly identify them. My dogs are very curious and I'm so afraid they'll find one and get too close - not necessarily my Pom (who runs from a shadow) but my Chow/Sammy will. I don't know what to do for them if they get bit?

susanb...you're right. the chow's a natural for getting into trouble- and a samoyed cross just makes it brave as well as curious. learning to ID the snakes in your area is critical- as well as venomous vs. non-venomous bite patterns, so you can make that split-second decision to bundle someone into the car and get them to the doctor-

I've lived in diamondback country all my life, stepped on a baby one summer out walking in the rain, had my dad find one curled up in the master bath one rainy day- seen maybe two others hiking or creeking.

on the other hand, my poor husband, who is TERRIFIED of snakes- seems to attract ambushes. if I take point- not a snake will we see. if he does- heck, he actually got chased by one- he was in its way, apparantly. but the more he's learned about them, the less likely he is to freak over a racer- or panic if it's a cranky one.

"As for water mox-they are very territorial and will lie total claim to your creek"

what an ignorant statement to make. snakes have probably been using the creek for thousands of years and then you buy a house from a real estate agent and the thoughtless snakes are laying claiming to YOUR creek? like they're supposed to know? did you build the creek after you moved in?

"and are aggressive-at all times"

that is a wrong. do some research about water mocassins on the web insead of disseminating false info.

I do live near a pond in Florida & do not want to get close enough to tell if it is a good snake or a bad snake. I saw a snake today (about 24 in long) in the yard right were I was needing to clean out my overgrown zinnias. We bought a shed & the neighborhood association made us bury the skids so now I am suspecting the snake is living in the gap under the shed and the ground. So all you people who want the snake to live, what can I put in the hole so he chooses another home? If he decides to make my yard a permanent home, he will be killed. So I am trying to give him a chance, so help me out.

I am moving to an area where copperheads and corals are seen frequently. I'm not worried about my self but am worried about my dog and cats. Any thoughts???

I live in southeast coastal Georgia(rivers and ocean about 15 miles away)..We have seen Water Moccasins, Copperheads, Rat snakes, and (up to 6 foot!) Diamondback Rattlers in our very heavily populated neighborhood ...After seeing a Cottonmouth this past sunny Saturday, laying gleefully on a neighbor's driveway (no water in sight!) I felt compelled to go and buy some sulphur.. Now I am reading these posts and wondering if I just wasted my money...I am thinking:
If I spread it on the perimeter of my yard, I may trap some unwanted snakes INSIDE my yard, as I have no way of knowing if there are some out there right now! I am horrified of snakes and most probably will die instantly just walking up on one (not even being bitten) .. My family LOVES wild birds and presently have a Peahen taking up residence in our yard... So, CATS are a NO NO.. Someone please tell me if they have tried sulphur to areas where other NICE animals (like my Peahen & other birds) may be living and what the outcome was..Could anyone hardly stand the smell of it so close to your house??!!! I want to spread that stuff all over my yard!!
THanks!

I can't say that I really care who was here first, me or the snake, I just know that we both can't homestead the same plot, they scare the living crap out of me when I run upon one and I'm usually not around long enough to identify exactly what kind it is, I do have a Jack Russell terrier and she hates snakes more than I do so she usually takes care of the problem.

Keep the non poisnous snakes alive and you will reduce the venomous ones with food competition. I even seen a black snake strangle a copperhead. I recently had a dog die from a copperhead bite in December in VA...venomous snake threats can occur when you least expect it.

Wayne: Not all of the hunting deaths are firearms related. And your statistics are questionable... 30 deaths according to the www.tpwd.state.tx.us. But yes I agree PEOPLE are more dangerous than snakes...so are deer&hwys. Not sure of your point, changes nothing here. Venomous snakes can be killers. I had several dogs bitten...harmless snakes live, poisonous ones at my home will die.

Most people get bit by poisonous snakes when trying to kill or otherwise harass them.

If you have small children and poisonous snakes around, having a pond that draws them in might not be a good idea.

Keeping grass mowed is a good idea. Teaching your children to respect nature and not to pick up or try to pick up snakes is another good idea.

Every time you kill one you are taking a chance at getting bit and another will just move into it's territory.

mice and rats have caused far more harm to people than snakes ever have or will.

Send them to me! I adore garter snakes. I would build little homes for snakes and frogs and lizards if only they would come live in my garden. I daresay my eight cats would get a few of them, and if they crawled off the neighbors would get them, but I'd be happy to have them. They're quite beautiful, and they're harmless, and they eat big nasty bugs, what's not to like? :-)

We have water mox,cottonmouths, copperheads, coral and more,,
i have had 7 foot snakes lung and chase me over 400 feet to the house from the creek. i have had them in the garage , 5 foot black mean and ugly ,, LUNGING, leaping into the air tryin to attack me ,, had them drop out of trees intio my boat,,, had them chase me from under houses, have seen them eat a large house cat,,,,
MY OPINION,, a good snbake is a DEAD snake !!!!

OK, but those are not garter snakes. A garter snake is a good snake when it's alive.

tj

Garter snakes are harmless and good to have around, don't kill them.

That said here's my story with garter snakes. I'm one of those people that hyperventilates and has near panic attacks when I see a snake, so I'm not fond of them. We've had some old wood and brush piles around for a long time, before we moved here. These were apparently garter snake winter habitat. In the spring we would have big slithering balls of snakes, and hundreds of them in the yard all summer. One day I got fed up with all the snakes and set at tearing apart all the piles. I paid my boys, (who have been catching those snakes all their lives !) 25c per snake to catch them (always with gloves!) and put them in a garbage can with a LID on it. I didn't want to kill the snakes just because I don't like them and I would never teach my kids that either. Every day we hauled those garbage cans out to a far away field and let them go.

At 25c per snake my 2 kids made $20 and $25 that summer. I was so relieved not to have snakes lurking in all the shadows. Then winter came and I learned why getting rid of all those snakes wasn't the answer to a vermin free life. MICE!!! Now we had mice everywhere! At least the snakes were off doing there own quiet thing and not chewing on things in my garage and house.

The lesson learned here is to find blance with the living things and we'll all be better off.

Everyone is afraid of Coral Snakes. I have never heard of anyone dying from a coral snake bite except one woman that kept one as a pet. One night she rolled on top of it while sleeping and it bit her and she died. Coral snakes have very small mouths with very tiny teeth and have to actually chew on something to get their venom into it. Besides there is a snake that looks exactly like a coral snake that is a beneficial snake. I don't like snakes of any kind, but I just try to stay away from them, except rattle snakes and I would kill it if I could if it is on my property. I have skinks all over the place and they scare the wits out of me when they race through my flower beds and peek out of knot holes in tree, but I wouldn't try to kill them.

EEEEK!!!!! (Runs to bathroom, locks door and stands in shower w/door closed....still screaming....)

After seeing 6-8 small (5-6 in) grayish black snakes last year from June through November, and another 3-4 this year and most recently one on my deck that was so skinny and that inched forward like a worm. Upon inspection by my husband he said it was a snake and killed it. He said is was a copperhead. We also found about a 2.5ft skin on the deck as well. I immediately called an Animal Extractor to come out and look under the deck as it about a foot off the ground that is enclosed on each end we can not see under it and have seen a few come up through the cracks in the planks. They came out and saw one immediately during the inspection. They then said they would "spray." Which I thought was weird for snakes, but the technician explained that the spray they were going to use had capsicum, a high powered pepper in it and it would burn them and remain in the ground for up to two years to repel them in the future...which then made sense.
They suited up, put on face masks and goggles and then sprayed the equivalent of Police issued, high concentration pepper spray and also squirted a red liquid. They started at one end of the deck and worked toward the other to push the snakes toward the other end so they could see what was coming out and address it.

They saw two moccasins come out slithering very fast to get away from the pepper spray right away and he said if there were more they would come out probably through the night.

This company is so confident of this treatment that they offer a one year warranty to back it. If I see any more snakes under or around my deck for a whole year they will come back out and retreat free of charge.

Hope this information helps others!!
I know pepper spray is available at most Army Surplus or Police Supply stores. However, please use the protective clothing and alert people down wind of what you are doing. The vapor is strong!

Absolutely do not kill non-poisonous snakes. They eat the critters you don't want around.

Here's a two foot garter in my outdoor lumber pile. Really quite elegant, don't ya think?

And always remember, look but never touch.

{{gwi:291825}}

We should ask the government to protect us by implanting "invisible fence" chips in all the snakes so they can live in their environment without encroaching into ours.

That's a joke. A snake has no business outside someone's front door, or within 20 feet of where anyone might walk barefoot with a reasonable expectation of safety and comfort. Snake huggers leave your address and we'll send ours to your yard.

I have found that having outside cats around, do help to keep snakes out of our yard. I had two outside once and was sitting on my front porch one day. I watched a huge black snake crawl out onto the road and slithered down the other side of the road until it passed our house and went into the neighbor's yard. Once our cats were gone, there were black snakes here and there almost everytime my husband mowed. One time, my husband had just finished mowing and he came into the house and started boiling water. When I asked him what he was doing, he told me that the black snake in the yard was following him around so he was going to throw hot water on it because he had never seen one do that sort of thing before. Sure enough, when I looked out of the window that snake was trying to stand up and was looking around for my husband. He went out and threw the hot water and the snake finally did slink off. I have come upon black snakes before and they seemed as scared of me as I was of it. So we would both run in opposite directions. But this one snake seemed to be stalking my husband. I have never seen anything like it.

KILL'EM DON'T LISTEN TO ANY OF THESE PEOPLE! IF THEY WANT TO SAVE THEM THATS THEIR FAULT.
BUT YOU KILL THEM IF YOU NEED TO, THINK ABOUT YOUR FAMILY TO HELL WITH WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK.
IT'S YOUR LIFE AND YOUR HOUSE AND FAMILY THAT ARE AT RISK NOT THEIRS.
:)

There is a famous Bollywood movie 'Showlay' translate as 'Flame' in which villain punished one of the hero by cutting his both arms. When tied turned... hero appeared in front of the villain and said "I am here to take revenge" villain said how you can take revenge you don't have your arms?... and laughed... Hero responded "Gubber Singh (name of the villain) Snakes are not killed by arms... they are smashed by the legs"
Moral of the story is, snake must be killed especially when they are invading your privacy. FYI there is no law in the US that suggests that building home on a legitimate property is evasion of snake or any other animal!

hmm, interesting thread. Im curious about the sonic thing... seems like a lot of money to spend on an iffy... Im vegan, I do not eat wear or use animals in any form if I can help it. But when it comes to snakes, especially poisoneous snakes....... all bets are off and chances are that I will be able to kill them.

I grew up around Texas diamondbacks and the best controls I've found are siamese and burmese cats. They've been bred to keep the cobras away for thousands of generations. My first siamese was addicted to rattlers taking one every couple of days and delt with the rodents also. She was never bitten and was still an active hunter at 19 years old when a Chevy got her. RIP Wan

We live in eastern west virginia and have a lot of different kinds of snakes. I was always taught the only good snake is a dead one, even before moving to the mountains. My nephew killed a three foot timber rattler the other day, but it was in their goat cage. We usually don't kill them unless they are poisonous or threatening us or our animals.

A woman that I sell at the local farmers market with was telling us how the rattle snakes in Texas will rattle when you get anywhere close to them, but the ones here don't rattle at all until they are about to strike. My neice was the one that spotted the snake in the goat cage and had to warn my brother in law cause he was about to step on it. The snake never even rattled and they are lucky she spotted it.

Ever since that happened I have been on high alert for snakes. They scare me so much, any snake at all. We are really far from a hospital (like 45 - hour), so I never want to take the chance of getting bitten. What would be a good option to keep snakes out of our fenced in area in the yard, where we have dogs and a 7 month year old who likes to play outside? Something that isn't the spray "snake guard" or whatever. It says it only lasts 30 days and is like $50 for a quart.

Garter snakes are quite beneficial since they eat insects and small rodents. They have no teeth so they cannot hurt you. Many people encourge then to live in their gardens. I have many living in my garden and my wife is afraid of them, so I got her a rod to pick them up and move them out of the way. In return, they eat insects and give me a laugh when they startle me.

Garter snakes are quite beneficial since they eat insects and small rodents. They have no teeth so they cannot hurt you. Many people encourge then to live in their gardens. I have many living in my garden and my wife is afraid of them, so I got her a rod to pick them up and move them out of the way. We have a handshake agreement; in return, they eat insects and give me a laugh when they startle me. Oh, they don't have hands; okay a head nod agreement.

This post was edited by CharlieBoring on Tue, May 28, 13 at 13:18

The easiest and most humane way to control and remove snakes are to lay out duct tape...sticky side up, many pieces where you suspect the snake is. The snake will wrap itself in the tape. Pouring vegetable oil over the tape and snake will release the snake. I caught one this way in my basement, picked it up with a shovel, took it to the woods and poured vegetable oil all over it. Went back later and the snake was gone. I hope this helps and will prevent the "good" snakes from being needlessly destroyed.