Rattlesnake(s) Under the Shipping Container

[ustmd]

Okay, I made a mistake.

We got a 40' shipping container two years ago for hay storage and it has worked great. In my eagerness, I made a big mistake: I put it directly on the ground.

As we are in rural (or sub-rural) Texas, I know many of you can see where this is going. I have at least one 3-4' rattlesnake in residence under the shipping container (he and I had an encounter today). The snake is moving in and out of the holes on the bottom railings for the forklift spears.

Blocking these holes up with some hardware cloth looks easy enough, but I don't want to seal the snake(s) underneath, as I am sure once it starved, it would get rather ripe.

Anyone have any suggestions for driving the snake(s) out?

 

[aczlan]

plug up 2 of the holes (on one side) with something that will keep air in, put a bug bomb in the third (then plug it) and leave the forth open.
Then you can fumigate the bugs and evict the snake at the same time.

Aaron Z

 

[Mousefield]

Guess I am lucky that we don't have any poisonous snakes on our island that is 12,076 square miles, just lots of bears and cougars. Just glad I don't have to deal with your situation. If it's more the smell of a dead snake could you plug the holes with some large rocks or cement blocks. Would the snake(s) not just dry up with out smelling? Perhaps you could flood the underneath of the container with water to drive them out. Wish you luck and stay safe.

 

[nickel plate]

Without photos I can only say to use a piece of 20' rebar with a greased rag acting as a piston, similar to cleaning a shotgun but have the shotgun on the other side waiting for the snake to emerge.

 

[zman007007]

I don"t know if its true, but I heard somewhere that snakes don"t like mothballs. who knows? zman

 

[Damifino]

I know years ago, my Brother and I would hunt rattlesnakes , in the colder months we would find gopher turtle holes and shove gas soaked rag in hole.

If there was a rattler in there, it would come out within a few minutes waiting to meet Mr 12 gauge.

 

[Willl]

How 'bout building some kind of one way door on those forklift pockets ?

 

[RobertBrown]

In Florida, our eastern diamond backs den in gopher holes (Gopher Tortise). The trick to getting the snake out is pouring a little gas down a tube in the back of the gopher hole. The snake comes right out. I don't know if it would be a good idea in this case but if you knew aproximately where he was and could coral him where he only had one exit, gas will do the trick if you are willing to take the gamble with a volitile liquid.
Youre going to have to block it off anyway to prevent this from happening again, just leave an exit and depending on how big your storage container is a cup or 2 of beach or gas poured through a small hole in the floor might do it. When you see him leave, shut the door.

 

[dstig1]

How 'bout building some kind of one way door on those forklift pockets ?

Now that sounds like a killer idea. Something you could tack on with magnets so it is quick and easy to place them, and then come back in a couple weeks and cover them up. Probably should be made of something that lets light in, so they know where to go out still. Wire mesh or plexi or something.

But frankly the smell of one dead snake can't be that bad or last that long...Maybe just seal it up?

 

[Sandlot]

If you can get your hands on the equipment, lift one end. Have a 12 gauge at the ready and blast them. #9 shot will work and not damage the bottom of the container unless you point right at it. That is the only way of making sure you don't have a nest of little ones. Once you have cleared underneath the container and sat it back down, you will need to pour a footing around the container. Rabbits and such will just dig holes under it and more snakes will move back in.

 

[LittleBlueTractor]

Okay, I made a mistake.

We got a 40' shipping container two years ago for hay storage and it has worked great. In my eagerness, I made a big mistake: I put it directly on the ground.

I guess I'm a little dense, but what do you feel you should have done differently that would have prevented snakes from residing under your container? I have a 40' sitting on a couple of RR ties instead of directly on the ground, but it's likely lots of critters are living beneath it. Haven't noticed any snakes but the dogs always act like something is living under there. I assumed it was probably rats.

 

[Gary Fowler]

At least your varmit is not deadly. I work in West Africa and around here the thing to watch out for is the Black Mamba. We have found a couple under containers and pallets in our warehouse area. They are so deadly that without anti-venin you are dead in less than 20 minutes. We actually had to set up an anti-venin storage facility at our site because the hospital ride could take more than 20 minutes. So far we have been lucky on bites except mosquitos. One of our Texas brethern came down with Malaria even though he was taking the anti-malaria pills.
Back to the problem, moth balls are cheap. Try the old remedy by throwing several handfulls under the container. If nothing else, maybe you will kill a few moths.

 

[scesnick]

I second the Mothball idea. My Grandfather always said they hated the smell.

Or, you could give this a whirl. http://www.snakeremovaltrap.com/
It is illegal to kill a rattlesnake in my state. I have no idea what you are supposed to do with this box after catching the snake. I guess I would call the DNR to come get it since they don't want you shooting it. I know I'm not touching it !!! I hate snakes.

 

[Skyco]

At least your varmit is not deadly. I work in West Africa and around here the thing to watch out for is the Black Mamba. .

Oh yeah it is, not as deadly as the Black mamba certainly, but Rattlesnakes kill an average of 6 people a year in the US.

I worry more about my dogs encountering a ratlesnake or copperhead, besides the pain and aggravation I understand the antivenin is very expensive.

And wow, never knew it was illegal to kill a rattlesnake in some places, guess I'd be violator if I come across one on my land

 

[The Dougster]

As several have mentioned, use a small amount of gasoline. Snake hunters insert a small tube in their dens. It doesn't take much. Give it a try.

 

[forgeblast]

I have also heard about the mothball trick. i have spread it over some rockwalls, and under my lean to in the barn and havnt had any in there. Im not sure if it gets rid of the snakes or snake "food"

 

[Reg]

I don"t know if its true, but I heard somewhere that snakes don"t like mothballs. who knows? zman

I do know FOR SURE that skunks dislike mothballs.
My dog sensed something under a pressure treated plywood board that I had on the ground for stacking firewood on.
I lifted the corner of it around mid day (they're nocturnal) and saw a whole lot of black and white fur bodies nestled under there. I dropped that lid REAL quick.

Mothballs around the edge, then a half dozen everywhere around the house, garage, trailers, sheds, every likely spot I could think they would re-locate to.
Haven't seen 'em since, so I guess the neighbors dealt with it (-:

 

[ruralruss]

Now that sounds like a killer idea. Something you could tack on with magnets so it is quick and easy to place them, and then come back in a couple weeks and cover them up. Probably should be made of something that lets light in, so they know where to go out still. Wire mesh or plexi or something.

But frankly the smell of one dead snake can't be that bad or last that long...Maybe just seal it up?

Oh you would be surprised how bad a dead rattlesnake smells!

 

[jlsmith]

Mothballs will work i have used them myself it will also help with other rodants. After you get rid of the snake they make a powder called snake away which works great also.

 

[ustmd]

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions, but please keep them coming.

I took a better look at the container this morning. Previous, I had thought that the channels for the forklifts were metal on all 4 sides (like a tube) which would have made pushing the snake our easy. Unfortunately, the channels are open on the bottom, so I am betting "soon to be" (which is the name I have given the snake), is moving under the container and is not just in the channel.

I am going to tray blocking up 3 of the four holes, and putting in a crate or so of moth balls (the wife is not crazy about gasoline under her $8/bale hay). I am going to see if I can work up some type of 1 way door for the one open hole, so me and Mr. 12 guage don't have to stand there all day.

I will keep eveyone posted and perhaps a few pics if there is anything good.

-TMD