Precautionary measures
One of the best ways to keep away snakes is to not attract them to your house in the first place. Snakes can be enticed by a domestic garden because of the number of hiding places it provides. Avoid having shrubbery and tall bushes too close to your house as these are ideal places for snakes to hide and wait for prey, and it enables them to move about as they please. Make sure to mow your lawn regularly since snakes are drawn to tall grass as a hiding place and a lawn with short grass will make them uncomfortable, it renders them visible to their natural predators such as owls and hawks.
Make sure to keep all compost piles, wood piles and mulch a safe distance from your house so that snakes can’t use them as beds. Another way to keep snakes out of your yard is to eliminate the food supply. Keeping away rats, squirrels and other rodents as well as small insects will decrease your chances of ever having a snake problem.
Snake repellents
There are a number of commercial snake repellents available, as well as other remedies. It has been believed for a while that sulfur will keep snakes away, but modern theories suggest that this method is rather ineffective and will only anger the snakes.
* Moth balls; Will work as snake repellent due to containing the ingredient napthalene which is used in commercial snake repellents and is believed to irritate a snakes chemical receptors . Be warned though, moth balls can be hazardous to domestic animals and pets, and should be kept away from children.
* Essential oils; Oils such as cinnamon, cedar wood, rosemary and clove are effective against snakes. It’s recommended that you use a spray bottle or soak a towel or sheet in the oil and place in the right area.
* Electronic snake repellers; There is still some debate about how affective electronic repellers are in getting rid of snakes, but many claim that they work very well. A device or devices is installed around the area and sets off ultrasonic waves into the ground, causing the snakes to perceive the said area as dangerous and prompting them leave. Electronic repellers can also repel other pests, eliminating the snake food supply and encouraging them to hunt elsewhere.
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