What will keep snakes away

   / What will keep snakes away #1  

deere755

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central Illinois near Lake Shelbyville
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We have been finding snakes up near our foundation all summer in our land scape. This morning was the final straw for me when I found one coming up the front porch steps as I was going down. They all have been garter snakes so far. I don't want to kill them as much as I hate them I know they are good for mice and other pests. I am afraid that the next one I find will be in the house. I also saw a big black snake going in the pole barn the other day and would like to find away to keep him out of there. I know some of you will say that having him in there is a good thing, but I would have to disagree.
Is there anything I can put out that will keep them away from the house and barn? I have heard that mouth flakes will work.
 
   / What will keep snakes away #2  
My mom detests snakes and used to see more around the house than any 8 people I know, until she got a herd of cats. Now the rodents are kept down and the cats kill the smaller snakes. She hasn't seen a snake in months. Personally I'd rather have the snakes around than the cats, but that's just me.:D
 
   / What will keep snakes away #3  
Moth balls/flakes will have some deterrent effect so long as they remain potent, but only over a very limited area. It is the direct impact of the naptha in them on the snake's sense of smell that supposedly repels them....apparently it confuses their sense of smell which leaves them frightened.
 
   / What will keep snakes away
  • Thread Starter
#4  
My wife has hinted that if we had some cats that they would keep the snakes away. I am not sure that is what I am looking for. Cats are ok until I find them on my car or pickup. I think part of the problem is we put a small goldfish pond with a fountain in our landscape. It seems since we added this to our landscape the snakes have appeared. I think I will try the moth flakes and see what happens.
 
   / What will keep snakes away #5  
Morning deere755.
I had little problem w/snakes last year until friend said...mix dishing washing soap w/little bleach and spray under the steps w/pressure washer..yet to see a snake this year.
 
   / What will keep snakes away #7  
I'm of the opinion that there are no such thing as good snakes. I don't like to see them, or even know they are around. Even finding a shed skin freaks me out!!!!

I saw on the Animal Channel one time an episode of the Crocidile Hunter where he went under a house to catch a snake. He said the snake was there because food was there. Snakes need to eat, so they are where the food is. He looked around the house and found a bird feeder with seed all over the ground. That was it. The bird seed was bringing in mice. Mice are food for snakes.

I know this is common sense, but intil I saw that show, it wasn't something I'd really thought about. No mice, means no snakes!!!!

I put lots and lots of mice poison out around my home. I had allot of mice a year ago, now I don't have any. I keep putting it out and ocasionally it's eaten, but I don't see any dropings anymore, and best of all, I haven't seen a mouse this year!!!!

I also haven't seen a snake around my place and that alone is worth the price of mouse poison.

Good luck,
Eddie
 
   / What will keep snakes away #8  
Yep - no mice is a good thing. Nice thing about my area, relatively few snakes and NO poisonous snakes. We do have to work to keep mice out of the house however. Having the bird precludes having house cats. Therefore I am building mouse "feeders" so the mice only can eat the delcious food blocks I make available for them.
 
   / What will keep snakes away
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Well I haven't noticed any mice but like I said earlier we added a gold fish pond to our land scape and with that came an over abundance of toads around the foundation. Could this be the food source that is attracting them. We started seeing the snakes after the the pond was installed. If this is the cause of them I may get rid of the pond.
 
 
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