Let’s face it: snakes aren’t the most popular animal on the planet. Ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, impacts roughly one-third of all adults, and many more share a general aversion towards these misunderstood creatures. As a result, many people seek a miracle-cure that will keep all snakes away. While many entrepreneurs have attempted to capitalize on that fear, claiming to have sure-fire snake-repellents, NONE of them are effective.
I’ve heard them all… moth balls, peroxide, bleach, milk, sonic-devices, pheromones/scents/perfumes, other animals… all of it is entirely useless against snakes and typically pollute and kill everything EXCEPT your target. Snakes are like any other animal… they require food, water, shelter & security. Even “snake-fences” – a fine wire mesh with a 30-degree outward angle, frequently can’t keep out most tiny juvenile snakes who, provided their needs are being met, will happily grow to maturity on your property. Harmless ratsnakes, in particular, are well-known for being able to thwart almost any barrier.
The ONLY real way to dissuade snakes from coming on your property is to deny them their basic needs. Here’s some ways that can help…
- Remove access to potential shelters. Rock & wood piles, cracks and holes are perfect homes for snakes. You need to try to eliminate any place they can squeeze into that provides shelter and security.
- Eliminate potential prey, typically rodents. Open pet food, bird-seed, trash, compost and other potential food sources is what attracts rodents to live in close proximity to humans. Eliminate food for rodents and you eliminate food for snakes. Keep all bird-feeders, bird-houses, etc well away from your home.
- Remove all sources of open or standing water. This includes pet’s water dishes & anything that accumulates rain-water, like old tires, barrels, etc. Not only does water attract snakes, and potential snake-prey, like amphibians, it also provides a home for far more dangerous disease-spreading insects like mosquitos.
- Keep your yard clean. Keep the grass low-cut, remove stray branches & wood, and limit your recreational activities to those well-manicured areas. Snakes want to avoid exposing themselves to their own predators, so eliminating camouflage opportunities will deprive them of that sense of security.
- Keep your garden well-manicured. Trim bushes 8-12 inches above the ground to reduce climbing opportunities, and flowers spaced widely apart with as little mulch as possible to eliminate cover.
No fence is 100% “snake-proof,” but a finely meshed fence leaning outward at a 30-degree angle, extending 6″ below ground & sealed with 1/4″ hardware cloth serves as a difficult obstacle for many heavy-bodied venomous species.- For additional security, you can install 1/4-inch hardware cloth, buried at least 6 inches under all fences, sheds and other buildings to assist in reducing potential points of entry below ground.
There are also benefits to ATTRACTING snakes to your property, primarily pest control. Snakes are particularly desirable when you live outside the range of any dangerous, venomous species, like here in Nova Scotia. Our local harmless species all provide ample benefits to us, controlling home & garden pests, so having them around the property can be very beneficial! Attracting snakes involves providing those things we’ve already mentioned… shelters, security, water and potential prey. Rock and wood piles, small bodies of water are great ways of providing homes for snakes, and so long as there’s a supply of prey, they’ll take care of your pests! Even venomous snakes can be very desirable for pest control, but if you have free-roaming pets or children playing in your back yard, taking the safety precautions mentioned above will help reduce the chances of an accidental encounter.
It’s also VERY important that you’re educate yourself about what species are native to your area, so you can make informed decisions about the precautions you may want to take. Here in Nova Scotia, we have only 5 species of snakes, and all are harmless, but make sure you know the range & distribution of the various species in your region. That information is usually available on public government websites, like the Nova Scotia Museum, but you may also want to pick up a Peterson’s Field Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians for your region, which includes detailed information to help you identify your local species, their range & distribution, as well as which species are dangerous.
