Imagining coming to meet a snake in your house or waking up to a snake on your bed? How terrible can that be? Snakes are creepy creatures who cannot only gain entrance into your yard but also your house.
Whether poisonous, non-poisonous, dangerous or non-dangerous (is this even possible?), keeping snakes away from the house is the ideal thing to do. Wondering what the best ways to get rid of snakes are?
Here, we have outlined ten effective tips that will help in repelling snakes from your house. Let’s get right into it.
Effective Tips To Repel Snakes From Your House
1. Tidy Your Lawn Regularly
Your lawn is going to have debris and leaves scattered on the floor that will attract rodents (find rodent repellents here) and other types of pests. Considering that these pests are great meal choices for snakes, it is important to clean and tidy your lawn regularly. Leaves, roots, branches, lawn debris, fallen fruits, etc. should be cleared from your lawn as often as possible. Wood piles should also be kept far away from your home.
2. Keep the Grasses Short and Trimmed
Tall grasses, trees, and shrubs can serve as a great cover for reptiles especially snakes. Ensure that the grasses around your houses are cut very short. Also, trees and shrubs in and around your property should be trimmed and long branches should be cut. According to Field Ecology, an ideal space of 24 – 36” space under the trees and shrubs will help to keep snakes away from your house.
3. Set Up a Perch Pole
You can also employ the help of natural snake predators such as eagles, hawks, owls, etc. to get rid of snakes. To do this, you will need to set up a perch pole in an open area that will attract these natural snake predators.
4. Feed Your Pets Inside the House
Pet feed is capable of attracting insects and pests who are looking to get their share of the meal. So when next you feed your pets, consider feeding them inside the house. However, if you must feed them outside, thoroughly clean the space immediately after their meal.
5. Patch Up Cracks and Crevices
Regularly inspect your house for cracks, crevices, holes or any other access that snakes can pass through. Cover them up to keep snakes away from your house.
6. Avoid Over Watering Your Lawn
It is important to water your lawn, however, constant watering can create a comfortable habitat for prey species such as worms and frogs which may attract snakes. Limit watering your lawn to a minimum. Check your garden hose and sprout thoroughly to ensure that there are no leaks that can flood the lawn. Also, avoid keeping garden ponds as that is a great habitation for insects and subsequently snakes.
7. Landscaping
No doubt, landscaping your lawn can make it very beautiful and attractive. However, they provide a comfortable habitat for insects and other invertebrates. To avoid this, get rid of the large rocks, straw mulches, and whatever material that encourages snake habitation on your lawn. If you must landscape your lawn, use sharp mulches such as Pine cones, eggshells, gravels, etc that make it difficult for snakes to move around.
8. Solar Snake Repellent
Using solar snake repellent is also a good choice when considering getting rid of snakes. It is a very harmless, affordable, and easy to use snake vibration repellent. When carefully installed, it sends vibrations in all directions in the ground. Any nearby snake will pick the vibrations from this solar powered snake repeller, making them very uncomfortable and, causing them to slither away
9. Plant Snake Repellent Plants
There are numerous natural homemade snake repellent plants available in the market, in your kitchen and even in your garden, which can be used to keep snakes away from your house. Examples of these plants include:
- West Indian LemonGrass
- Mugwort
- Tulbaghia Violacea
10. Consider Fencing
Fencing the yard is a good alternative to getting rid of snakes. The fence sticks should be buried into the ground and a thick cloth, steel mesh, or catch net should be used to cover the fence. The fabric must be at least 38 inches deep and should be buried at least six feet deep into the ground. However, because of the technicality of the procedure, you should only consider using it when you have tried other ways and failed at keeping snakes away from your house.
Here is an additional tip to influence snake deterrent around your house
11. Use Homemade Snake Repellent
There are many natural snake repellents available that can be made from the comfort of your home. They contain snake killer products that can keep snakes away from your house for a very long time. Some examples include:
- Salt and garlic snake repellent
- Garlic and onion snake repellent
- Cinnamon and clove oil snake repellent
- Lime snake repellent
- White vinegar
Consider using any of these tips to get rid of the snakes and watch them keep away from your home. However, always ensure to seek professional help when dealing with snake bites.
Jennifer Mornard is the owner of a backyard farm in Calaveras County. She keeps her garden pest-free by using organic and inorganic methods and keeping it clean. She also tests pest control products to keep snakes, gophers, and other pests away.
Jennifer has worked and study reptiles around the globe including Africa, Asia, Australia and in the open prairies, grasslands deserts in USA. It is her mission to provide a solution for reptiles, manly snakes, and human beings to co-exist. Her goal is to educate people so they can prevent the unpleasant experience of snakes and humans crossing paths in people homes and properties.