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Snakes in the Yard! #565206

Asked May 28, 2019, 3:57 PM EDT

Hello, I found a very large all black snake in the my garden bed; it was thicker than my wrist and more than a yard long. I left the area immediately and have since noticed several snake skins in the garden. I don't know if it was pieces from the same animal or multiple snakes are living under the deck. What can be done to remove these snakes and repel any future invaders? Thank you!

New Castle County Delaware

Expert Response

Thank you for your question. The large black snake you saw is probably a black ratsnake, scientific name Pantherophis alleghaniensis. This species is non-venomous and non-aggressive. If approached too closely, however, some individuals will strike out to defend themselves, otherwise they are content to go about their ratsnake business.

There are no snake repellents on the market that have been shown through a scientific study to consistently repel snakes. Some of the commercial repellents use sulfur as the active ingredient in the product.  The use of sulfur as a snake repellent has been recommended for decades. It does not consistently repel snakes, and it can also alter the pH of your soil, making it very difficult to grow lawns and plants. Another common active ingredient in snake repellents is naphthalene. Naphthalene is the active ingredient found in moth balls. It is toxic to humans and pets. For a fact sheet on naphthalene, see the National Pesticide Information Center at:

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/naphgen.html

There are also no scientific studies that show "sonic" devices consistently repel snakes.

Most of our larger terrestrial snakes feed primarily on rodents. The best way to reduce the chances of encountering snakes on your property is follow some basic housekeeping steps to make your property less appealing to rodents. 

  • Keep your grass cut to a reasonable height. Tall grass and weeds provide cover for rodents and places to nest.
  • Don't allow piles of materials (e.g., lumber, bricks, dead branches, leaves) to accumulate on your property. Again, these types of material provide ideal places for mice and rats to build nests and they provide cover and protection from rodents' natural predators like hawks and owls.
  • Keep storage buildings neat and orderly.
  • Don't leave pet food out at night. If you have pets and you feed them outside, put their food out during the day, but remove any uneaten food by nightfall. Also, if you store pet food or bird seed for feeders in a storage building or garage, make sure it's in air tight/rodent-proof containers.
  • Prevent rodents and snakes from gaining access to your crawlspace by ensuring crawlspace doors don't have gaps between the door and the door frame. Seal cracks in foundations and make sure any foundation vents have intact screens on them and they are firmly seated in the foundation. If you have any pipes or ducts that penetrate the foundation, make sure there are no gaps between the pipes/ducts and the foundation.

  • Snake-resistant fencing can be effective, but it is expensive, so putting it up to protect a large area is usually cost prohibitive, and it's not very aesthetically pleasing. Some people use it to protect smaller areas, like a play area for children. 
There is no method that will guarantee you will never see a snake around your house, but the steps above can certainly reduce the chances.

I hope this information helps, and thank you for contacting Ask an Expert.

Jim
Jim BurkeNC Cooperative ExtensionNatural Resources Extension Agent - Retiredjimburke.askextension@gmail.com Replied June 04, 2019, 11:22 AM EDT

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