How to keep snakes out of your garden

Just hearing the word "snake" may send shivers all through your body.

So, just imagine knowing that your property or home is infested with them.

In general, people just do not like snakes. Other pests such as spiders and ants seem okay to deal with, but a snake?

That is one scary creature. It is commonly known that snakes are scarce during the colder months as they go into brumation, but best believe you are likely to bump into one even in winter.

Where do snakes go when they disappear in the winter?

When snakes brumate in the wild, they typically go into warm places such as dens.

They will also burrow in tree stumps and caves. In areas where the habitat is not wild - our cities and suburbs - snakes are still present and require brumation.

In this case, they will seek areas to keep warm, such as crawl spaces, basements, boiler rooms, garages, open pipes, storage spaces, or even car engines to keep warm.

This creates a potential encounter for you, your family, or anyone around.

That said, if you do not like snakes and you are looking for a way to keep them out of your garden, then I have a few tips for you.

Keeping your garden clean

Snakes love to hang out in areas where they can hide until their next meal comes strolling by, and if you have thick leaves, bushes and tall plants in your garden, it is time to get rid of them.

Not only are you assisting them with catching their next meal, but you are making it easy for them to travel without being seen.

If you maintain a clean garden with low-cut grass, snakes will not feel as comfortable because they will be more open to attacks by their own predators.

Combat the climbers

If limbs from a neighbour's garden hang over your fence, snakes may use them as an entry to your place. Consider working with your neighbour to get them trimmed.

Remove sources of food

Like any animal, snakes need to eat and will not intentionally linger somewhere that provides no food.

Experts reveal that if you notice snakes in or near your house, try to identify what kind of snake it is.

That way, you can find out what it feeds on. If the snake eats mice, then you know you have a mouse problem, and if it eats large insects such as grasshoppers or cockroaches, then you know you have an insect population explosion.

When you know this you will be able to reduce the snake population by reducing their food source.

Snakes will only stay somewhere as long as there is food. Remove their food and the snakes will leave.

Calling a professional

Calling a professional wildlife control company is the safest and most reliable way to remove a snake.

It is an absolute must if the snake is venomous. A humane wildlife control company will capture the snake with special equipment and take it to a more natural habitat far away from your home.

Depending on how accessible the snake is, this can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days.