Snakes, any way to keep them away?

TinaNWonderland · #1 05/27/04, 11:13 AM

I HATE snakes. Okay, I know their will be some that say how not to kill 'em becuase they eat rats and mice, but I DO NOT want snakes around here. I have kids, dogs, puppies, and chickens that I don't want to be chewed on by any nasty ole snakes!

I can kill them when they are in the yard, but I was just wondering if there are any remedies for keeping them out of the yard to begin with? Any magic potions to sprinke in the grass, anything?

Thanks,
Tina

bgak47 · #2 05/27/04, 11:20 AM

I've heard that mothballs work, but I don't know.

Torch · #3 05/27/04, 11:37 AM

You need to learn to embrace change! Give the poor critters a chance. Besides, I don't think in your neck of the woods you have many poisonous varieties, do you? Around my parts we have Western Diamondback rattlers, cottonmouths, copperheads, and coral snakes. These I kill, the others I leave alone.

Have you hugged your snake today?

**Shrek** · #4 05/27/04, 11:42 AM

Kill em all. There is still plenty of em left. Keep the grass cut back to about 1 inch and running the mower keeps them back from my area. The occasional one that does show up gets to be one with my 12 guage in beautiful death dance.

MelissaW · #5 05/27/04, 11:46 AM

Do you really want the Magic potion? According to Cunninghams Magical Herbalism, "snakes will not venture where clover grows." (144). And, plant pink or red geraniums in the garden, "to protect the house and keep snakes away from the property." (152). If you are seeing snakes more than others, you may be a healer

. Of course, if you don't feel comfortable with practical magic, there are the old homesteader standbys. Get a terrier, or a couple of guinea hens!

heelpin · #6 05/27/04, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torch

You need to learn to embrace change! Give the poor critters a chance. Besides, I don't think in your neck of the woods you have many poisonous varieties, do you? Around my parts we have Western Diamondback rattlers, cottonmouths, copperheads, and coral snakes. These I kill, the others I leave alone.

Have you hugged your snake today?

I like snakes better than rats. Learn to identfy them and never harm a beneficial snake. I don't even kill a poisonous one now unless he's close to the house. You can live in harmony with wild critters as long as they don't feel threatened. I have a skunk living in the barn now, he don't bother me and I don't bother him, I hope its a she and has bunch of little ones, nothing prettier than a mama skunk with a bunch of little skunks taging along behind her.

moopups · #7 05/27/04, 12:47 PM

Powdered sulfur is supposed to repel snakes, get it at the feed store.

tinknal · #8 05/27/04, 01:22 PM

Get some Guineas, they hate snakes as bad as you do, and will keep them away

babyedna · #9 05/27/04, 01:28 PM

Last year we put out mothballs and also cottonballs with pure peppermint EO (mice don't like this) under the house and we had none the whole summer we just keep adding to this about every 3 months.
Edna

okgoatgal2 · #10 05/27/04, 05:20 PM

i don't like snakes either, so this has been interesting for me to read. i do leave black ones alone, but poisonous ones i kill....but i seemed to not have a problem very often w/all the free range banties i had running around

nostalgia · #11 05/27/04, 07:07 PM

We live on the Ky. border and we have rattlers and copperheads. Copperheads seem most common among the two. But we have seen rattlers in the woody areas.

Two of the best remedies for keeping snakes away are to keep your grass cut. If you let the grass grow up snakes will come. Apparently they prefer the tall grass where they can hide from preditors like owls, hawks, etc. Also set traps, bait, whatever you have to do to keep mice and rats away. If you have mice you will eventually have snakes.

I am told that mothballs is the main ingredient in snake away and other snake repellents. You can buy snake repellent at Walmart, Lowes, etc. but it is pretty expensive to use if you have lots of acreage to cover. And it has to be put down every time it rains. So that can run into alot of money. I would try the moth balls. And keeping grass cut low, and get rid of any mice or rats. Be careful using traps, repellents, and even the moth balls if you have pets or children.

I always feel comfortable when the grass is cut low, but I get so jumpy when the grass gets up. Every stick looks like a snake.

:haha:

Dances In Woods · #12 05/27/04, 08:41 PM

I can attest to Sulphur.

I have some sprinkled around my goose nesting area and had killed 2 big snakes in 1 week. But since I sprinkled that sulphur out and around the area......not another snake has been seen and no more eaten eggs. If it comes a good rain be sure to put more out, I've heard it burns their bellies and they are repelled by the smell.

Herb. · #13 05/27/04, 09:06 PM

When I was young my Grandparents had free range guineas, they were a good alarm system. My Grandpa killed the snakes with a shovel. Maybe if you got some guineas and a 20 gauge (Shrek is way over gunned, Hee Hee) and Grandpa got way too close.
When I was about three Grandpa gave me a coffee can to play with, it had a water snake in it, scared the crap outta me. Now I kill em all, even big worms.

comfortablynumb · #14 05/28/04, 02:36 AM

peacocks. they love to hunt snakes.
BUT...
if they are not dangerous snakes... why bother?
they dont attack you unless you step on them, and frankly if you step on me I may hiss and bite your ankle too.
mow the grass short and dont give them anything to hide under.

unless your gonna eat em, dont kill em.
around here we have indigo snakes, they are black and about 8 feet long, but I havent seen one since I was a kid.... yuppie snake killers. But indego snakes are not very agressive, you can even pick em up if your careful.
that is, you used to, they are rare now what with the yuppies and all.

hognose snakes will scare the bejeebes out of you, the coil up hiss and rattle their tail, but kick at em and the flip over and play dead... they have to they have tiny teeth and no fangs.
garter snakes are small but the poop on you and it STINKS.
now, copperheads and cottonmouths are nasty, but pretty secretive, and I only have seen one here, and I did see about 20 or so in an old cistren over the hill but seeing one running llose chasing women and kids?
nah...
ratsnakes and corn snakes look alot like diamondbacks or copperheads. but they like rats and mice not women and children.

they did catch a 22 foot python here not long ago, an escapee from someones collection. it ate a dog.

personally I feer the KKK goons down the road more than the snakes.

MamaWolfInWV · #15 05/28/04, 04:59 AM

Personally I use guineas, mothballs, a Jack Russell terrier, and a 12 gauge for the ocassional one that doesn't get the point and sneaks in anyway :haha: Sorry I can't stand the slivering little buggers either. More often than not I won't bother a black snake unless it is really close to my house or in the house. There is also a powder called Snake Away that you can buy just about anywhere that is supposed to be good at keeping them away.

#16 05/28/04, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgak47

I've heard that mothballs work, but I don't know.

Don't work, tried it

#17 05/28/04, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torch

You need to learn to embrace change! Give the poor critters a chance. Besides, I don't think in your neck of the woods you have many poisonous varieties, do you? Around my parts we have Western Diamondback rattlers, cottonmouths, copperheads, and coral snakes. These I kill, the others I leave alone.

Have you hugged your snake today?

Western Ky, has cottonmouths, copperheads and rattlers, and an occassional coral

Qvrfullmidwife · #18 05/28/04, 10:03 AM

Also, with kids and dogs and the like I wouldn't want mothballs lying around...my toddlers would pop one in their mouth faster than I could stop them.

JanH · #19 05/28/04, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

garter snakes are small but the poop on you and it STINKS..

*Any* snake will do this if it's scared. It's defense.

jillianjiggs · #20 05/28/04, 10:40 AM

I'd keep the grass cut back (saves you from fire risks as well), get a couple cats, a couple terriers, and you shouldn't have to much of a problem. I'd only really worry about the venomous varities. I've seen them killed with a .22 and/or a shovel. Either way works.

The terriers work so well because they obsessively hunt for mice, rats, groundhogs, snakes, you name it. They LOVE to hunt. If you don't mind a few holes in the ground, it's a great solution. (mine only will dig when I egg him on to keep hunting whatever he's smelling. otherwise he just sits there and barks for me to come out there.)