Is there such a thing as an effective snake repellent?

[rwsmith]

King cobras

When I lived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in a house fairly near a rubber plantation, I had a problem with black cobras coming into the yard. They seemed to particularly like the driveway. These are of course poisonous but not agressive like the king cobra. The Indian guard I had refused to kill them because he explained to me that they may be reincarnated relatives of his.

Two things about King Cobras. When they are confronted they stand up. Also they can grow up to 18 feet long. I wonder what it feels like to have a mammoth king cobra rear up at you from the grass? That is probably the world's best laxative.

 

[Delos]

High frequency mice repellers

If you have mice you will have snakes. There are plug in sonic high frequency anti-mouse squealers you can buy - but some pets can hear them. Not good to have something that drives your dog, cat, or kids pet gerbil nuts, but they work. At least put one in your garage and basement.

Snakes smell with their tongue. When you see a snake flicking its tongue it is sniffing for a mouse. If it is comming down a trail flicking it's tongue it is usually following a mouse. If it cannot follow the mouse into a house or campground it will wait beside the trail that it smells the mouse using. People and our pets often use the same trails the mice use. They use them at night and we use them in the daytime. Snakes wait beside trails because that’s part of their job description.

Some people use live mouse traps and dump the mice somewhere remote. Not good because that area will get infested with snakes. Mice are so light and their hair has so much air resistance they can be dropped off high buildings and walk away. Which means you can catapult them over several fences. But they will multiply and be back.

Some places like Florida have large snakes that were exotic pets but got dumped. When dogs and cats begin to disappear look carefully under your house or porch.

Owls, cats and I believe skunks keep the mice down. And with snakes not going anywhere that has no mice, cats and such rid the area of snakes. I believe snakes only eat about a mouse a week. Which means mice can out produce snakes for awhile until you get numerous snakes. Cats and owls eat every day. Never let your kid shoot an owl. In most places it is illegal I believe. Very illegal to shoot an owl or hawk in North Dakota farm country.

Unfortunately cats, owls, and hawks eat baby rabbits.

 

[roarindan]

What I'm currently using is ......SNOW!!!!!

 

[MH8675309]

Ive found lead to be effective

 

[Maddmax]

If so what is it and where can I get it? I will be moving to a new house on a little over a half acre lot that borders the woods in a secluded subdivision (a sugar cane field is on the other side of the woods). I have been warned by the neighbors to be aware of cottonmouth snakes that sometimes get into the yards in the area. I have a three year old boy who, for reasons beyond my comprehension, is unafraid of snakes. I will be doing everything I can think of to keep the snakes away while at the same time try to teach my boy that he can't go near snakes (at least until he's old enough to know which ones are which). I have heard things like put a lime barrier down along the fence line, but I'm unsure if that works or is just a wives tale. Of course I will keep the grass cut low and avoid creating areas to make them feel at home, but I need all the info I can get.

You need a Mongoose. They hate snakes and can kill a Cobra.

 

[Straightshooter2]

I have only two phobias that I'm aware of. I don't like heights and if you are within my escape route from a snake, I will hurt you to get you out of the way! I don't care if they are venomous or not, I DO NOT LIKE SNAKES. I'm sure this was caused by my mother who would would get up and leave the room if a snake was shown on TV. For the people who like snakes, good for you. As for me, I keep my Blackhawk .357 loaded with CCI snake shot and it has "notches" for two copperheads in my mother's yard. She owns the lot behind the house which is wooded and there is a drainage ditch that runs between the house and that other lot. Lots of ivy back there and seems to be prime copperhead breeding area. I did see a copperhead last year on the steps beside the house that come from the backyard up to the front yard. Apparently he made a tactical retreat while I was retrieving said Blackhawk and was gone when I got back. When it comes to snakes in the yard, my Blackhawk and I are, like the Coast Guard, Semper Paratus.

C(Ophidiophobic)W

 

[Delos]

Snakes?

I know nothing about cottonmouths and copperheads? I assume they eat mice like most other snakes. Get rid of mice.

Dog barking looking up at a tree sometimes indicates a mountain lion is in the tree. Dog barking looking down often indicates a snake in the grass. In most places you only shoot the snakes with the rattles.

Mice tunnel in and follow the inside walls. Snakes follow were mice go. The mice wait for you to go to sleep, then walk along floor following the base of the walls. If your summer home is a log cabin with a dirt floor it may seem cunning to put a lantern by a visible part of log wall and wait a an hour after everyone else is asleep.

Unfortunately shooting the mouse or snake inside log cabin at night might wake up wife and she might not be favorably impressed by the sudden noise.

Sub sonic cartridges are easier on dogs ears but indoors dog might shake awhile after hearing the shot.

Mouse traps are best even in log cabins.

Maybe take cat with flea collar to cabin a week ahead of time. Food, water, and cat box. Unless there are dead mice inside which might indicate bubonic plague or hanta virus in California Sierra Nevada Mountains.

 

[medxam]

My late wife was so frightened of snakes that it would have been impossible to get her out of her locked bedroom to help me with the boiling water treatment! A water snake once got into our house. I hated to kill it but if I had not, I would still be living in a motel! My wife would even turn off the TV if they showed a picture of any kind of snake!

A friend of mine wife's saw one go down the HVAC register in their home. They stayed at the Holiday Inn for an extended period of time. My barber was picking cucumbers in his garden when a Copperhead bit him on the hand at the base of a finger. Despite the best of medical care, he lost the finger.

Once a cute little black snake got in my green house. I really wanted to let him go, but once my wife had seen him, she vowed that she would never enter the greenhouse again unless she saw his dead body. Since I depended on her to mist my orchids while I was at work, he had to go to snake heaven!

medxam

 

[medxam]

Speaking of spiders, my soon to be 46 year old daughter (2 daughters and 2 1/2 grand children), who is rarely afraid of the Devil himself, has a pathologic fear of spiders. She will hold snakes and all sorts of other creatures, but spiders are her downfall! Over the years she has used up every can of spray aerosol that I own (hair spray, WD-40, insect and wasp killer and even spray paint) to get these little buggers. Once in a pet store, she wet her pants when she saw a tarantula in a cage.

I have never understood her phobia! All you have to do is step on them and they are in spider heaven!

medxam

 

[MK]

It's kinda weird.. I was expecting to see poisonous snakes out the
kazoo at my dirt patch up in OK. But in the 6 years since I started
going there, I still have not seen one. Nada.. But I've seen several
non poisonous.
I'm thinking that surely they are there.. Somewhere.. Gotta be..
The habitat is perfect for copperheads and rattlers, and I know there
are cottonmouths down at the lake..
But so far, they have been very tactical, and have managed to totally
avoid me. Maybe I'm livin right.. I dunno.. :/
Maybe they don't like the smell of the numerous red cedar/juniper
trees around there.
Maybe I just need to be there more. I dunno.. But I guess I shouldn't
be complaining.

But watch.. now that I say this, I'll probably see three of em next time
I'm there. I always wear snake protectors when I'm mowing, or
prowling around in the brush.

I *hate* cottonmouths, and I think they are usually the most
aggressive. We've had them climb up the back of our boat at night
looking for mayhem. I've had one little $@#% chew a hole in the metal
fish basket I was using, and fill a big catfish with so many holes, I had
to throw it away. The snake was hanging off the basket when I pulled
it up to dump a fish. Hate them nasty things..

Copperheads are what I should be seeing the most of at my place, with
maybe a few rattlers thrown in.
I don't mess with any of the good snakes, but any bad one I see on my
property is going to develop lead poisoning. I don't want to step on it
somewhere in the future.

 

[MK]

Once in a pet store, she wet her pants when she saw a tarantula in a cage.
I have never understood her phobia! All you have to do is step on them and they are in spider heaven!
medxam

I also hate spiders.. Can't stand em.. But.. I actually like
Tarantulas.. Those are the only ones I don't squash if I see one.
All others are generally toast.. Ditto for the scorpions.
Maybe it's like the snakes.. I know they are there, but seem to avoid
them..
I also knew Tarantulas should also be there, but never saw one until
a couple of years ago. And then saw two different ones on the same
trip. I didn't mess with em.. I told em, as long as you earn your keep,
and run off any interlopers, I'll let you hang out. lol..
I did shoot them with my camera..
It's the black widows and brown recluse spiders that I can't stand.
Really nasty wounds if they get you.

 

[LittleCooner]

OP- You have a 3 year old son and he does not have a dog? Shame on you, and now your are moving to a large yard. Come on, it's time that boy had his first dog, and yes its the best way to keep the snakes out of the yard. This has to be an outside dog. Does not count to have a lap dog that stays in the house. Small dog, big bark, loves the boy, boy loves the dog. Snakes will hate the place along with the mice if its the correct dog. We need to see pictures of the new dog, and by the way, if you do not hand load, pick up some shot cartridges for that favorite S & W. It will make big Browne points with Mom on the first Cottonmouth that upsets the new dog. It's a win, win for everyone. O, and yes, name the new dog "Snakekiller", shortened to "Killer", just like old Jerry Lee.

 

[BigCityChief]

An effective snake repellent is called a shotgun.

 

[RonJ]

The last copperhead I saw was promptly dispatched with my power mower! I couldn't find anything left of him.

 

[Comrad]

Saint Patrick

 

[3strokes]

He's NORMAL!!
Children learn from their environment. He's had nothing to prejudice him against those cold legless critters. As a former three year old who has grown up without a fear of snakes, I attribute it to my parents who were sensible about them. I also learned by 6 what was venomous and what was not. I would worry more about an unsupervised three year old outside being snatched by a member of our species.



Cottonmouths live in an aquatic/semiaquatic environment. You don't mention creeks, ponds or swamps in your neighborhood. And if there was a close examination made of the snakes killed by the neighbors, most if not all would be nonvenomous. If I were you, I'd get a bunch of king snakes and turn them loose. They not only eat rodents but also other snakes, reducing your threat risk. Of course you have to educate your neighbors as to the benefits of having them in residence.

I was going to say, in jest, "Bigger snakes" but your correct suggestion trumps my jest.

 

[sebastian shaw]

Yes it is. It's a very good way to forget about snakes. It has specific smell and it drives snakes crazy - causes disorientation and they run away. For the further looks take a look at snake repellent reviews Take care !

 

[Tyrod]

I would guess marijuana would keep cottonmouths away. Imagine when a water moccasin actually gets cottonmouth.

Snakes don't usually gather around large ungulates. I've found horses to be most effective. Snakes don't like to be stepped on by large animals. Climbing snakes don't seem to be bothered by horses, but the red or yellow rat snakes I see climbing around the rafters of my barn sure seem to keep the rat population in check.

 

[ditrina]

ZOMBIE SNAKE THREAD..

**8 YEARS OLD.. the OP's child is now 11 years old..**

We're done