Rural Southern Guys And Snakes.

[atsah]

I will be moving to central Florida soon near family, the area has many snakes. Lots of fields and pastures. The property bordering my property has cattle and lots of wild rabbits and Rattle snakes. My sister has horses, cows and dogs that have been bitten my snakes, some have died and some didn't.

I visited a few weeks ago and within three days I saw a coral and three big rattlers. I have a fenced yard for the dog as does my sister but that hasn't deterred snakes from entering the yard and biting her dogs.

What are some things that I can do to limit snakes from entering close to the house besides keeping the yard mowed and getting rid of things for them to go under like boards etc, my house is surrounded by open fields with horses and cattle in them.

 

[sandman2234]

I use a .410...
or sometimes a .22...
but always use something. Keeping them toned down helps a lot. Getting rid of their food also isn't a bad idea.
David from jax

 

[newbury]

Pave the yard.

 

[atsah]

Pave the yard.

LOL..

 

[atsah]

I use a .410...
or sometimes a .22...
but always use something. Keeping them toned down helps a lot. Getting rid of their food also isn't a bad idea.
David from jax

I will blast them, I'm mainly looking for ideas to keep them away. If that's even possible. I won't have any grain or anything like that around. I think the challenge is the 200 acre unkept field with rabbits everywhere on the other side of my driveway. Doesn't matter were you live there is always some kind of pain in the neck to deal with.

 

[RNeumann]

Pet Honey Badger? .........because YouTube told us “Honey Badger Don’t Care”

I don’t think I should post a link here because of language. But if you haven’t seen the video on YouTube have a look. It will definitely make you laugh and involves a venomous snake!

The best thing I’ve seen to reduce snakes is to reduce food and “hiding places”. Having barn cats etc helps keep the food down which helps keep the snakes away. You will also want to learn what snakes aren’t poisonous. Let them be because “living” in the area it can also help keep the poisonous ones away.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Ask the neighbors with the big fields surrounding you for permission to go on their side of the fence/property line and mow down around a 10 foot swath of grass on their side of the fence. Ask if you can keep just this 10' swath mowed down to dirt level. Stress to them that it's only 10', not going to make it any bigger in the future, and it's only to help keep snakes out of your yard. If you're nice, polite and respectful about it, they'll probably not care. Just don't take any "liberties" with this if they agree to it.

Make sure you also have a "no cover" swath on your side of the fence for another 10' if you can get it. The idea is to make a no cover corridor that the snakes will avoid crossing (mostly). Nothing is guaranteed, and you will still get a few that cross. But most snakes avoid wide open areas and want to always have cover nearby.

You can also see if anyone locally offers snake training for dogs. Some dogs it will cure them of going after snakes, and some dogs never stop. I had a buddy with a German Short Hair that never did stop, and was bit (and survived) several times after undergoing snake training.

Don't know if they're indigenous to your new area, but bull snakes will kill and eat rattlers, but are harmless to humans and animals. If it's a native snake to Florida (no idea), maybe see about buying bull snakes every year and releasing them in your area.

And I prefer a 12 ga. Aim for the head.

 

[Diggin It]

There's more of them than there are of us and they multiply a lot faster, so I don't think there's enough ammo for one to get 'em all. As far as not crossing open space .... tell that to the ones that slither across my often mowed lawns.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

What an incredibly useful post.

 

[bullbreaker]

Though it will be costly "Surround" the perimeter or your property with thick mane hair mecate rein etc . The prickly horse hair rope they don't like . no joke either . However thats not cost effective , even though it worked for Big Jake and the other two . They just used regular rope /lariets btw .

Watch where you put bird feeders . The seed fall off attracts rodents hence snakes .

I know a little about snakes livin for years on the edge of the Fla Everglades .

Turkey load/12 works wonders . If you ever encounter one that you feel can become a dangerous situation be careful fighting big venenous types with a machete espeicially if coiled . When you rear back it might get Ya !!! When useing a shoval trie to give them a load of dirt in eyes and face before "fightin them" .

I"am talking about big ones of course the little ones just step on their heads with good boots !!! :yell: