Snake deterrent- help!

[MossRoad]

Came across a Green Mojave. Look how well they are camouflaged with the soil.

What soil? In Indiana, that's rocks! :laughing:

Pretty good camo job on that snake. :thumbsup:

 

[Pettrix]

What soil? In Indiana, that's rocks! :laughing:

Pretty good camo job on that snake. :thumbsup:

That's true. Soil in Arizona = rocks in other states.

They do blend very well. When you see the photo it's hard to spot the rattler. Without the light source, they would be completely indistinguishable with the ground.

 

[stuckmotor]

I'd recommend a mongoose but I'm pretty sure they're banned from the USA. Something about them not confining their diet to snakes and eating every critter they can.

 

[Pettrix]

I'd recommend a mongoose but I'm pretty sure they're banned from the USA. Something about them not confining their diet to snakes and eating every critter they can.

Haha

Introducing foreign animal species always leads to a bigger disaster in the end.

We do have badgers out here. They might take on a rattler. Best defense against rattlers out here are hawks and bull/rat snakes. A bull snake will actually attack a rattler and eat it. Another rattler predator is the Road Runner, they will take on a rattler and eat it.

 

[Panik]

Any ideas, repellant that works, or other solutions? A quick Google search revealed that many of the 'solutions' are nothing more than snake oil, (pun intended) and don't actually work. I walked around the house with a can of spray foam and filled any gap I could find...

There aren't any repellents that have been proven to work. Or at least none there are none that are not horribly toxic. I work professionally with snakes as well as other wildlife and all of the reading and everything that I've been taught leans towards sealing up obvious cracks on both the inside and outside of the house being one of the most effective deterrents. As well general yard maintenance tends to help - keeping up with mowing, removing brush from right up against the house, and removing piles of material that may be laying around that might otherwise serve as a den space. Metal panels in the grass, and rock stacks are especially attractive because because reptiles are ectotherms and those materials readily absorb and radiate heat.

Not saying you have a messy yard by any means, just trying to provide some common strategies for reducing the attractiveness of your yard to snakes. Someone else suggested yard cats. While they will hunt and kill small snakes, the problem is that they are indiscriminate hunters and will also go after native birds as well as shrews, voles and moles. That being said it sounds like the issue is less about the presence of the snake and more about your wife's reaction to the snake in house. If that is the case and you have cats that do go outside, you may want to play up the idea that cats will kill small snakes and that the snake in the basement was likely a rare occurrence. Your mileage may vary on that argument. I've have had varying degrees of success with similar arguments with my wife. :thumbsup:

 

[check]

And a very deadly snake, too!

 

[Pettrix]

I agree with the other poster. Keep your yard clean, cut or remove the grass and any debris. Snakes are camouflaged because when exposed predators will attack (hawks). So they like to remain covered in grass and cover. Also avoid morning and dusk because that's when they are most active.

 

[Pettrix]

And a very deadly snake, too!

Yes, Green Mojaves carry two toxins instead of the typical one toxin rattlers carry like the Diamondback.

Anything poisonous in Toronto? Brown Recluse or Black Widows?

 

[check]

Yes, Green Mojaves carry two toxins instead of the typical one toxin rattlers carry like the Diamondback. Anything poisonous in Toronto? Brown Recluse or Black Widows?

Nope. Just lots and LOTS of Racoons!

 

[check]

Yes, Green Mojaves carry two toxins instead of the typical one toxin rattlers carry like the Diamondback. Anything poisonous in Toronto? Brown Recluse or Black Widows?

We do have Massasauga Rattlers in the Province of Ontario, but they are very rare, small, aggressive, and not very deadly. In fact, there have been only two fatalities in the history of Ontario, and none in the last 50 years or so. I have never seen one.

Pretty safe all around from everything – except cars!