Why Do You Have Snakes in Your Yard and How to Protect the Evil From Them
People tend to have strong opinions about snakes – usually they either find them fascinating (in some cases enough to keep one as a pet) or absolutely terrifying and repulsive, to the point of (severe) chills, just by looking at a photograph of one. of them. … Feelings aside, for some people with courtyards, snakes are reality.
Of course, in different missions there are different types of snakes. Some are harmless and provide free pest control. Others are poisonous and you probably won’t want to run around the house. Here’s a quick overview of why you see snakes in your backyard and how to keep potentially harmful snakes away from them.
Find out what type of snake you are dealing with
Snakes are fast and cunning, making them difficult to identify. So how do you distinguish between harmless and potentially poisonous? If you yourself are not an expert in the field of snakes, it is better to leave it to the professionals.
If you can photograph the snake from a safe distance , do so and then contact your state wildlife agency. Someone will help you identify the snake and provide further instructions on what to do next. But please don’t get too close to the snake and definitely don’t try to pick it up or touch it.
Why are snakes attracted to your yard
According to the snake fighting guide on ThisOldHouse.com , snakes are usually found in your yard looking for food and / or shelter. Some of their favorite foods include:
- Rats
- mice
- Birthmarks
- Fishes
- Frogs
- Small farm animals
- Slugs
- Snails
- Grasshoppers
So if you have any of these animals or other critters in, around, or near your property, they might be what brings all the snakes into your yard. You can also provide shelter for snakes, including:
- Thick brush
- Dense piles of compost or leaves
- Areas of water
- Broken gutters
- Firewood containers
How to keep potentially dangerous snakes out of your yard
If, after consulting your local wildlife agency, you find that snakes hanging in your yard pose some threat – and not just harmless species that are part of your local ecosystem and food chain – here are a few ways to keep them from slippage on your property, courtesy of the editors of ThisOldHouse.com :
Stop giving them asylum
Snakes also have predators, and they like to hide from them in warm, sheltered places such as hose piles, outdoor sheltered areas, storage areas, and the locations listed above. Remove, block or take other measures to remove their hiding places.
Get rid of standing water
Some snake species nest near standing water, so if you have areas with poor drainage where water tends to collect, find a way to remove them. Standing water doesn’t have to be outdoors, so check for coiled hoses in your garden too.
Feed your pets inside
Your dog can enjoy dining outdoors, but do not leave food outside when he is not eating it. Their food attracts rodents and insects, which then become food for snakes.