How To Keep Snakes Away
Snakes are a crucial part of the ecosystem. They control the population of several pests such as cockroaches, mice, lizards and rats. Depending on the season, you’ll find snakes coming into our homes in search of food and better places to stay. However, most of the species are venomous and can be dangerous for both pets and humans. But keeping them out of your home and yard is no easy task.
Here are tips on how to effectively keep snakes away once and for all:
Seal Gaps under Doors
You need to check for any opening into the house to deter snake intrusion. Snakes can get into your house through the smallest holes or openings, so youneed to seal them completely. Check for openings where utility pipes enter the house. We advise the use of the weather stripping to seal up any visible holes. Apart from keeping snakes away, you will also prevent warm air from escaping during the cold season and vice versa. Also, ensure that there are no cracks in the foundation of your house.
Check Your Yard
Just like most native animals, snakes are always looking for better shelter and food. In most cases, these reptiles will be looking for cooler or warmer, dark places depending on the season. If you have long grass and thick landscaping, then you need to clear it up since it provides perfect shelter for rodents and insects which are snakes’ favourite food. Keep your yard free of clutter. Remove any piles of leaves, wood chip mulch, stacks of firewood and compost piles.
Get Rid Of Any Possible Source of Food
Snakes will only hang around your place if they can find something to eat. Depending on the species of snake in your area, you need to eradicate certain pests that provide food to these reptiles. Some of the pests that you need to get rid of include grasshoppers, cockroaches and small mammals such as rats and mice. You can lay traps or spray repellents designed to keep the pests away including the snakes.
Put Up Snake-Proof Fencing
This is another method that will work well in repelling snakes away from the house. But this will be effective depending on the type of the snakes you have in your area and how they commonly travel. You can go for specialised types of fences that can work against all kinds of snakes. You can go for plastic sheeting, catch net fencing or steel mesh. Just make sure that the fence is flush to the ground and angled outwards.
Lay Traps
If you suspect that snakes are already in your house and using repellent may not work, you can set mechanical or glue traps. But make sure that the wildlife agency has licensed you for safety and legality.
Feed Pets Inside
Avoid feeding your pets outside since it can attract rodents and insects thus providing food for snakes. If feeding them outside is necessary, make sure that uneaten food is cleaned up right away.
If you encounter snakes in your property, here’s what you need to do.
Reference:
https://www.fieldecology.com/blog/snakes-away
http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Snakes-Away