# Snake Deterrents



## Bilby (Nov 24, 2007)

... other than a mongoose, does anybody have any ideas?  

I found a snake in my backgarden this morning but by the time I got outside, it had slithered away.  Thing is I don't want it coming onto my patio and coming into the house thru the catflap.  Chances are the snake is a dugite, which is poisonous.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to see it's head which would have been a more assured way of identifying it but I only got it's tail as it slithered thru the dying nasturtiums.

Only a couple of my cats are likely to hunt it and give me a "present" (thankfully!!!) but the rest will be safe provided it doesn't get attracted to the house. So if there was a natural deterrent that I could place around the edge of my patio, I could feel relatively secure. I live near bush so they are always close to my mind but in ten years this is only the third snake I have had - one of those was dead and the other was a dying young dugite. Oh and I'm not trying to kill it. There is a snake catcher near me that I can call on (for a fee I expect) if I can locate it again but I would rather it just slithered back from whence it came.  

Your suggestions please?

AVRU - Snakes


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## TATTRAT (Nov 24, 2007)

Well, I would LOVE to be a source of info on this, but................

Snakes go, where snakes want. Like spiders, the seek warmth, all be it the bottom of your work boots or a nice hot tile on the patio. Snakes will come and go, that is what they do.

No suggestions, but as a city grows, it forces the lil critters to be where humans are.


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## Bilby (Nov 24, 2007)

Thanks Tattrat! I have a bush reserve one door down from me, so wildlife in my garden is quite common - just not live and slithering dugites!! Bit of luck it might think my garden is too busy for it and go back to the bush.  Can live in hope!


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## letscook (Nov 24, 2007)

Ewww!!!  Scared to death of snakes,  As much as I loved Steve Irwin and His commitment to nature and its anmials.  If I saw it would  end up dead.  The only problem with that is I have to get somesle to do it cause I could stand to look at it dead or alive on on TV or in a magazine. I could be a 6 inch one or a 12 ft one. each one is a goner in my book.

On the other hand, my cousin use to get alot of black snakes (Harmless) around her  in ground pool  when she lived in a wooded area.  Her husband was worst then me with them.  He heard that they wouldn't go over a course rope.  so he brought this huge thick course rope and lined the outside area of the pool and they came up to it but never came across.  He kept moving the rope little futher back after a couple of days and after awhile they found somewhere else to go.


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## Bilby (Nov 24, 2007)

Rope?  That's interesting. Could try that, only need about 5 metres.

I'm wary of snakes but not scared. To tell the truth, I was closing the curtains when I saw it slithering under the gate into the back garden and my first thought was "Ooh, look at that snake!".  A couple of moments later, I reacted!!  

I wouldn't be concerned if it was a grass snake or something harmless but dugites are poisonous and pythons can take a cat.


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## DawnT (Nov 24, 2007)

*snakes*

Bilby,  Have you ever tried diatimatious earth?(DE)  We have spotted adders here and they are poisonous also.  They are around the pool alot so my DH thought he would pour some DE around the pool and deck area.  Lo and behold... no snakes!?!  A friend( bio. teacher) later told me DE is like shattered glass to us.  So to a snake it is like it is slithering over glass!!  Good luck with your snake problem.  DawnT


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## Bilby (Nov 24, 2007)

DawnT said:


> Bilby, Have you ever tried diatimatious earth?(DE) We have spotted adders here and they are poisonous also. They are around the pool alot so my DH thought he would pour some DE around the pool and deck area. Lo and behold... no snakes!?! A friend( bio. teacher) later told me DE is like shattered glass to us. So to a snake it is like it is slithering over glass!! Good luck with your snake problem. DawnT


Thanks Dawn!  I have never even heard of it!  I have to go to the hardware store in the next few days, so I will ask about it there.


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## Hoot (Nov 24, 2007)

Short of putting up a physical barrier that would have to go a foot or so in the ground and stand a good 3 feet high, made out of a material a snake would have a hard time climbing, such as tin roofing. (which frankly would likely be quite an ugly fence), I doubt there are any deterrents that would work all of the time.
Snakes have to eat, so you should look to see if there are mice, rats, frogs and such in your garden.
Of course, removing them would be quite a chore. 
It may well be that the snake was merely passing through.
If you see what appears to be the same snake several times, you might  dispatch the snake or trap it and move it.
At the risk of offending any animal rights activists, here on the Edge of the Great Dismal Swamp, a 410 shotgun does an admirable job of dispatching the offensive critter. Be very vigilant around a poisonous snake. 
And remember they are likely more afraid of you than you are of them.
Good luck!


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## Bilby (Nov 24, 2007)

I'm a firm believer in them being more afraid of me!! I have a healthy respect for it and hope it is just passing thru. My neighbours have been clearing their property up so I am hoping it came from them and will be scared off by all the meat eating birds I have here. The cats won't scare it, just annoy it unfortunately.


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## goodgiver (Nov 24, 2007)

*snakes*

On the program Dirty Jobs Mike Rowe worked with an exterminater once and they threw moth balls under a house as a snake repellant.    Don't know if it works but its worth a try. They said that the moth balls do not harm the snakes, only repells them.


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## Bilby (Nov 24, 2007)

Now that I can do easily. Might start there - good and cheap option. Thanks!


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## pacanis (Nov 24, 2007)

I've heard they won't go across a rope, too. I think that's pretty interesting that it works. Good to know!


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## Renee Attili (Nov 24, 2007)

In the lawn and garden center of your area hardware store will carry plastic owls. place a few in low branches or railing. Snakes will avoid as well as other type pests like rodents.


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## Barbara L (Nov 24, 2007)

Also, keep your grass cut short.

Barbara


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## Bilby (Nov 24, 2007)

If the snake stays in the grass, I can live with that. Only trying to keep it out of the house.  Bush living, even in the city, has wildlife as part of the deal.  Got the real birds in the garden to help keep them at bay! Thanks for all the suggestions guys!


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## Katie H (Nov 24, 2007)

I  second Renee's suggestion.   Around here,  we place the "fake"  owls in areas we  want  to discourage  snakes.   I've also  used  mothballs.  We had a snake   show up  under the refrigerator quite a few years  ago.   I've put mothballs  there ever since.  No snakes.


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## Bilby (Nov 24, 2007)

Mothballs sound like an excellent starting point.  I have a lot of empty pots that you get when you buy herbs, so I thought I would put the mothballs in them and put along the edge of the verandah.  (The pots are just to protect the cats from eating them.)


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## Clienta (Nov 24, 2007)

My mother has an "underwater garden" (manmade pond)with lots of fish & frogs in Northern NY.  She was having a problem with snakes eating her frogs & spooking the fish.  She put out a fake owl like Renee said & it has kept the snakes away.  Good luck, I am deathly afraid of snakes.  My 2 year old has decided he loves snakes & daily says "look mommy, a snake."  So far they have been pretend snakes but we do have boas on the Island & I really hope we don't see one.


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## Bilby (Nov 25, 2007)

Think I would rather have the poisonous snakes and spiders than a boa anyday!!


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## auntdot (Nov 25, 2007)

To DawnT: Spotted adders, more commonly known as the Eastern fox snakes, are harmless snakes. Was brought up in a miniature zoo with a herpetologist brother and those snakes are innocuous. They do look a bit deadly and can be mistaken for rattlesnakes (which are certainly poisonous and are in New York) and copperheads. Copperheads are generally only found in the southeastern portion of the state.

In any event if it is a spotted adder it can do no harm.

Edited for spelling, I hate when I have to do that.


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## DawnT (Nov 25, 2007)

Thanks for the info Aunt Dot.


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