4 Easy Steps to Snake-Proof your Garden

Having a large backyard with a beautiful garden is many people’s dream. The downside to having your own slice of paradise within the boundaries of your own property is the risk of some unwanted animals making their home there. Cockroaches, bees, ants and other insects can be bad enough but coming face-to-face with snakes is far worse!

Snakes inhabit virtually every continent on the planet that humans have populated and while everyone’s opinion of those scary reptiles varies from sheer terror to adoration I think there is one thing we can all agree on. Nobody wants to suffer a snake bite!

Luckily, there are some really easy to follow steps you can take to rid your yard of unwanted snakes without having to buy any products or invest any money. The 4 most effective methods are listed below:

a. Clean up the Yard

Create an open area by disposing of excess leaf litter, fallen branches and grass trimmings. Snakes like to live in areas they feel safe and being able to hide under logs or leaves will make them feel right at home. Make sure the grass is mowed and the edges are trimmed. What you should be aiming for is an environment that makes the snakes feel like they are always exposed.

Be careful about having rocks stacked up or lying around the place. The cracks and crevices between rocks are like the Holiday Inn for those slippery reptiles.

b. Remove sources of Food and Water

A lot of people like to include bird baths and fish ponds around their garden and why shouldn’t they? Bird baths attract birds that look great and create a lovely atmosphere with their chirping and warbling. Fish ponds are really neat especially with all the cool water fountains available these days. What a lot of us don’t realise is they create an excellent source of water and a hunting ground for snakes. They will be attracted to the smorgasboard of victims that are attracted to these water sources such as; frogs, birds, mice, lizards, etc.

The easiest way to fix this problem is to ensure things like bird baths are elevated away from the reach of snakes or if necessary, taken away altogether.

Removing potential food sources is also important so make sure you don’t have a problem with mice and rats. Also be careful with ground-dwelling birds and small pets like guinea pigs.

c. Patch up the House

Snakes will often try and enter a house to seek shelter or food. It is very common for people living in highly vegetated areas to find snakes living in the attic or under the house. Again, this step isn’t very hard or complicated. Simply take a walk around the house and look for holes in windows or doors (check the fly-screen). Fill any gaps in the roof where they might be able to squeeze in and get in the ceiling. If you own an older home with floor boards, make sure there are no gaps in them of loose boards. One other neat trick to remember is check the gap between the bottom of your entry door and the floor. Most doors aren’t built to touch the floor and if the gap is more than a cm or two, a snake could very easily squeeze itself in there.

d. Arm yourself with Knowledge

Knowledge and understanding is the key to keeping snakes away from the garden and home. Find out what species of snake are common in your area and pay particular attention to what venomous types may be lurking around. Learn what they eat and the kind of terrain they are most likely found. This information will give you a good idea of whether they may be found in your area.

Do this by a simple search in google or contact your local wildlife ranger/ snake catcher. You’ll find these guys and girls are normally very willing to help out and offer great information.

Aside from the steps listed above it would also be wise to do some basic first aid training in snake bites just in case…

Bio

The guys from Snakesaway offer some great advice and products to help keep snakes away from houses and yards.

Address: Cannonvale, QLD
Web: http://www.snakesaway.com.au/snake_repellent.html

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