Snakes love my tractor!

[A72777]

I keep my tractor covered by a tarp in the woods of my hunting property. Over the years, I've seen several snake skins woven around implements and the tractor itself. This year, I've had two cases of king snakes being in the tractor when I've uncovered it. The first was a very large king snake (behind the instrument cluster) that I convinced to leave. Yesterday, another slightly smaller king was just under the seat when I uncovered the tractor. He worked his way behind a panel under the seat near the transmission. After trying to dislodge him, I just gave up and started mowing. After about an hour, it dropped to the ground and into the bush hog blades. The tractor is usually kept in deep woods to protect it from two-legged snakes. Any ideas on how to make the tractor less attractive to the real thing? Thanks!

 

[JRobyn]

You are actually VERY blessed. The tarp-covered tractor is a wonderful environment for mice. Mice that will gleefully chew through all your wiring. The reason that the snakes have moved in is that they LOVE to eat the mice. It sounds like you have a perfect natural balance of just enough snakes to keep the mouse population at near zero. King snakes and Rat snakes are the very BEST. Non-poisonous and will bother very little except the mice. Now if you start to raise chickens, they can be a problem!

 

[jaxs]

I agree with JR but wanted to advise easy clean seat cover or keeping a spare cover on hand.

 

[LindenBruce]

I could use some King Snakes. Haven't seen a rattler in like four years around my house, but I could always use more Kings. Give them my address and maybe they will move down the hill to my place (LOL). They are a very beneficial species, so please try not to hurt them. B.

 

[JRobyn]

King snakes will even eat other snakes, venomous or not.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Neighbor lady called me one night to come kill some snakes by her garage. When I got there, I found two king snakes all entwined behind a sheet of floor plate that was leaned against the wall (breeding I suspect). I caught them and put them both in a 5 gallon bucket and carried them down the road 1/4 mile or so and put them out in the road ditch.
Man do they stink when they are bothered. I had to soap up several times to get the stink off my hands.

 

[Tigershark]

I hate snakes but I let the King snakes live because they eat the bad ones. I have seen some sort of snake repellant pellets you can buy at Rural King or TS but I would probably get some mouse repellant as well if you remove the snakes those bastards are going to get in and really do some damage on your tractor.

 

[jaxs]

+1 on giving king and rat snakes(aka chicken snake around here) a pass and let them do what they do best,eat rats and mice. I also recommend owl boxes around the place unless you have hollow trees. If you break up owl pellets they are full of skulls as proof they catch lots of rats and mice.

 

[PILOON]

While on the topic of snakes---------
Back then I was very into flying , bird nests under the aircraft cowling was a constant problem.
To deter birds nesting we found that a toy store rubber snake left on the aircraft cowling did the trick.

So snakes are not all that bad!

 

[opie1988]

 

[A72777]

Yep, that's how I found the first 5+ footer behind my instrument panel. I had pulled it to fix some chewed wires. I will let non-poisonous snakes go but I really don't like riding with them. Ignorance is bliss - I realize that I've probably used the tractor several times with snakes aboard that I never saw. Guess a thorough preflight is in order, from now on, is the best prevention. Thanks for the replies.

 

[FTG-05]

You are actually VERY blessed. The tarp-covered tractor is a wonderful environment for mice. Mice that will gleefully chew through all your wiring. The reason that the snakes have moved in is that they LOVE to eat the mice. It sounds like you have a perfect natural balance of just enough snakes to keep the mouse population at near zero. King snakes and Rat snakes are the very BEST. Non-poisonous and will bother very little except the mice. Now if you start to raise chickens, they can be a problem!

Snakes will eat and repel mice very nicely - until it gets below about 55 degrees or so. Then the snakes become INOP and won't eat. This could be up to 6 months out of the year. But since we can't tell where the OP lives (hint, hint!), we don't know how long it will be.

People talk about snakes eating mice and rats, but they are very inefficient, far less than mice reproduction rates. The only way for the rates the stay close is to have lots of snakes. But then the whole winter thing comes along, so much for mice and rats reduction, ain't happenin'!

 

[rd_macgregor]

Snakes will eat and repel mice very nicely - until it gets below about 55 degrees or so. Then the snakes become INOP and won't eat. This could be up to 6 months out of the year. But since we can't tell where the OP lives (hint, hint!), we don't know how long it will be.

... But then the whole winter thing comes along, so much for mice and rats reduction, ain't happenin'!

Maybe he needs some sort of mustelid living in his tractor to control the mice all year?

 

[Thomas]

Snakes very rarely problem,but those nasty @ss paper wasp can be if tractor sets week or so.

 

[jaxs]

Snakes will eat and repel mice very nicely - until it gets below about 55 degrees or so. Then the snakes become INOP and won't eat. This could be up to 6 months out of the year.

Exactly,and that's why I say you should provide owls a place to nest. Owls appear to migrate to Tx during winter and nest into spring. I've had a pair just outside my yard for years. I believe that box is attractive because mice are easy pickings while dashing out of woods and across mowed areas. Boxes deeper in woods might be occupied while others might remain vacant. A few years ago my grandsons reported that a horse had been in their tower blind. When I went with them to witness what the flying horse left behind,I found owl pellets. Owls had appearantly made the blind home since the season closed tear before.

 

[JRobyn]

While on the topic of snakes---------
Back then I was very into flying , bird nests under the aircraft cowling was a constant problem.
To deter birds nesting we found that a toy store rubber snake left on the aircraft cowling did the trick.

A few years ago Harbor Freight had GIGANTIC blow-up plastic snakes on one of their "clearance" tables for $.99 each. We bought 5 of them to put out by the garden. Only a few of them had leaks. Not sure about scaring away any pests, but we frightened a few people.