Snake Question

[RuKiddingMe]

Shocked me to see so early.

Where my asphalt driveway meet the concrete of my garage floor there has been some settling separation over the last few years. On Saturday and when it was nice out and again today there has been a gardner snake coming out of the dirt in that separation area. Now I really don't care for snakes and I know it's just a matter of time before my wife sees it and I hear that blood curdling scream when see is walking around her car.

How do I get rid of this thing without me actually having to touch or interact with the snake?

[mainbutter]

A little garter snake? Just leave the little dude alone is my best advice.

Still it's perfectly reasonable to relocate a snake to some vegetation in your back yard, where it will be out of sight and out of mind, but for some ophidiophobes that can be too much interaction. It should be pretty darn easy to coax a garter snake out of your garage, just be gentle, he will likely be pretty sluggish due to the cold.

Snakes are my specialty, if you were my neighbor I'd take care of it for you, but that'd be mostly to make sure the little guy was safe and healthy

[CAMAN]

Could it possibly be a nest?

I've heard mothballs work well with snakes. Dump a bunch down the hole and let the snake or SNAKES move away.

[Ryan_V]

it could be a nest. we had that happen when I was a kid, hundreds and hundreds of them! make sure he is out and seal the crack. might balls work, but not efficiently outside. there is a product called something like " snake-a- way", basically it's ground mouth balls. might be easier to get that down the crack.

[RuKiddingMe]

Nest is my primary concern, that is a problem I just don't need... lol

Mothballs will fit perfectly in the "crack" - i had better get moving.

Thanks guys.

[CAMAN]

Probably a good idea to throw some inside the garage and around the perimeter of the house for a while so the snakes don't just relocate there.

[flyfisher03]

Quote:

Managing Unwanted Snakes

Even though snakes are beneficial to have around, you may not want

them in or around your home. While there is no fool-proof way to

prevent snakes from ever entering your yard or home, there are steps

you can take to discourage their presence. Snakes often seek shelter

in cool, damp places such as a basement or under a shed. They may

also look for overwintering spots that extend below the frost line,

which may be provided by a house foundation. To prevent snakes

from entering your home through the foundation, all openings ¼" or

larger should be sealed or covered. For holes that are hard to fill or

cover, you can try spray foam that will expand and fill in the smaller

nooks and crannies. Also, look for small holes around windows, doors,

water pipes, electrical lines, open septic pump drain tiles and other

spots that might have space allowing access into your home.

To discourage snakes from entering your yard, you should keep

grass mowed short, move wood piles and other debris away from

your house, and keep the area under bird feeders clean so as not to

attract rodents. Shrubbery should be trimmed up at the base and

not be planted directly against your house. Because snakes will bask

on blacktop driveways, you can keep them away from your house by

having a concrete apron by the garage. Snakes can also enter homes

through the garage if it is attached to the house. Keep your garage

door shut, and make sure there is a good seal between the garage

door and floor. Also, seal any holes in garage walls. Some snakes like

to lay eggs in compost heaps, so keep your compost area away from

the house and not in your garden.

Many people inquire about advertised snake repellents and home

remedies for discouraging snakes. Things like moth balls, sulfur,

naphthalene, tacky bird repellent, lime, cayenne pepper spray, and

creosote have been tested but are not effective in repelling snakes.

For people seriously afraid of snakes, you can put up a fence

designed to keep snakes out of your yard or garden. However, some

snakes are adept at climbing, so a fence is not a fool proof method.

Installing a fence is expensive, but it may help in some situations such

as when trying to keep rattlesnakes out of your garden. The fence

should be made of ¼" galvanized hardware cloth that is at least 36"

wide. The lower 4"-6" should be buried in the ground, and the above

ground portion should be slanted outward at a 30-degree angle.

Fence supports should be on the inside of the fence. If a gate is

needed, it should fit tightly and open to the inside. Keep vegetation

short on both sides of the fence. (See Resources section on page 64

for web link to fence design.)

Removing Snakes From a Building

If a snake finds its way into your home, the easiest way to try to get

it out is to use a broom and sweep it out a door or into a garbage

can that can be carried out. If you cannot reach the snake, you can

try to trap it. To trap a snake, you should first try to reduce the size

of the area in which the snake is located by closing doors, stuffing

towels under doors to seal the space between doors and the floor,

or enclose the area somehow, if possible. Next, take a box and cut a

hole in the side, flush with the bottom, and about 1˝– 2˝ square. Place

a damp rag in it. Seal the top of the box shut and note the weight. It

should feel light. Set the box near the wall. After several hours, place

a piece of cardboard over the opening and turn the box on its side. If

you hear or feel movement, you should have a snake inside. With the

hole still covered, take the box outside and away from your home.

Set the box on the ground and unseal the hole to release the snake.

Make sure you seal any holes in your home’s foundation to prevent a

snake from getting back in.

If you trap a snake in your house during winter, it cannot be released

outside because it will die. In this situation, contact a DNR Nongame

Wildlife Specialist through the DNR Information Center at 1-888-646-

6367.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/animals/reptiles_amphibians/snake_lizard_mn.pdf

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

A garden hoe just behind the head is quite effective.

[SkunkedAgain]

Maybe you need to hire Billy The Exterminator from that A&E reality tv show

[TruthWalleyes]

This thread reminds me of spiders

Click

[NoWiser]

Flame Thrower......

[delcecchi]

Just don't do like the lady in texas who poured gasoline on one and lit it. It crawled into a brushpile while still burning and ended up with the house on fire.

A Garter snake cant hurt you unless you are a frog. Just grab it and carry it out in the weeds some place. Seems a little cold for them to be up and around. Normally they hibernate somewhere they can get below frost line.