garter snakes

[fishinchicks]

How do you get rid of garter snakes? They seem to be more plentiful this year for some reason. We have a pretty large yard, on a farm, so they should have plenty of running room away from the house, but nooooo. They have to be where we can see them. (insert shudder here)

Don't tell me that they are harmless and all that stuff. We have 4 females living on this farm, and you don't want to see the hysterics! My hubby isn't particularly fond of them, either, but at least he can stomach taking the hoe after them.

[Eric Wettschreck]

The hoe works well, so does a big mean dog, but the big mean dog will get slobber mouth.

Shovel?? Rake???

I have a lot of them this year too. Fear not they will be gone soon once things cool off.

[The Grebe]

Geeze, thats easy...get em all some of those little electric collars, have hubby put them around their little necks and when they get in your way, give em a jolt! Problem solved!

[fishinchicks]

We do have a dog... a yellow lab female who is also afraid of snakes.

You guys are so....helpful?

[Ryan_V]

I used to do pest control and i'll tell you the same thing I told people that called me about snakes.....YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN!! I hate those vile little creatures with a passion and will run at the site of one!! I can kill then with a rake/hoe/etc, but would rather run the other way shuddering!!

[Eric Wettschreck]

I can bring my fat black lab to your place for like a week or so. She loves to eat snakes.

She farts a lot and sleeps in the bed, but if you wanna get rid of your snakes it's a small price to pay.

[Abrams]

Keep them around they are very beneficial.

Would you rather have a snake around or a field mouse?

[fishinchicks]

I live in a 100+ year old farmhouse, which my husband grew up in. He used to get paid a nickel for every mouse he caught. I've raised the stakes a little. Needless to say, I've learned how to deal with the occational mouse.

Snakes, on the other hand, are another story. As far as I know, they mostly eat frogs and earthworms. I haven't heard about them eating mice. I guess they are pretty thick this year. I was talking to another domestic goddess this morning, and she did away with two adults in one pass with the lawnmower. Didn't like the sound of the snakes hitting the blades, though.

[Eric Wettschreck]

They eat a lot of the box elder bugs that are all over the place too.

So, I'm assuming you don't want to borrow the fat dog???

[fishinchicks]

Not really, unless she comes with Bean-O. I guess I didn't realize that snakes could make you so gassy.

I really don't think hubby would want another female on the place. He feels quite outnumbered the way it is.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I think breathing makes her gassy.

Hubby can handle it. She's actually quite butch. Plus, she's been fixed so he won't have that chick stuff to deal with.

She's a heck of a snake eater. But like I said she farts a lot, and sticks her nose where you don't want it, and sleeps in the bed, snores too. Worth it to get rid of the snakes.

[fishinchicks]

I already have someone who farts a lot, sleeps in my bed, snores, and I have to clean up after.

I'll just have him go after the snakes with the hoe. Maybe I'll have to put a bounty on the snakes. Works for mice.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Or, tell a neighbor kid you'll give him a buck for every snake he lops in half. If the kid is over 21 buy him a box of beer and tell him "Seasons open, buddy!!!"

[Jackpine Rob]

I've had a few get in the house, coming in through cracks in the foundation in the fall.

Mrs. Jackpine was most unhappy!!

I had told the kids to leave the snakes alone - thinking they were beneficial and part of nature, blah blah blah. Mrs. Jackpine overruled me, and promptly posted a bounty of $1/snake (dead only!) for any captured in our yard.

I was finally able to track down the holes they were using and block them off. The cracks were so narrow that I couldn't imagine how the beasts slithered through, but the flour I placed on the concrete floor provided perfect tracking back to the entrance. Unfortunately, the tracks in flour showed me 2 snakes had come in, and I only found one in that closet.... Took Jackpine Jr. and I several hours, but we finally located the fugitive serpent beneath the couch in the family room.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I have a couple hanging out in my basement.

Mrs Jackpine and Mrs boilerguy must know each other cuz she's not diggin it at all.

They honestly don't bother me and I have a LOT less spider webs in the basement than I used to. I rarely see them and when I do I wanna high five the little fellers for getting rid of the spiders.

[BobT]

I hear you there, boilerguy. I can take snakes a whole lot easier than spiders. Don't know why but those eight-leggers give me the creeps.

Bob

[fishinchicks]

All's you need for the spiders is a big shoe for the habitable parts of your house, and a can of spider killer for the dark recesses of the basement, assuming you are willing to go into the dark recesses. I send hubby in for that.

I like using Ortho ant and spider killer.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Couple of snakes work best.

It's kind of like when the combines hit the fields and the mice migrate from the field to the house. Sure, you can put down poisen and traps, but a mean ole farm cat works best.

[fishinchicks]

Sadly, all our cats have succombed to the evil automobile. They have all become road kill. The dangers of living on a tar road, I guess. That's why we hire the Plunkett's guy. He doesn't get run over by cars. He just shows up and replaces the bait in the bait stations.

The mice started moving in before the combines had a chance to start rolling this year. Hopefully next week I will get to start my seasonal job as a heavy equipment operator. Look out field mice! A big tractor can smash one of those little buggers pretty good! Kind of like a big shoe on a spider.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Go get em!!!!!!!!! When you're done and if you're looking for a side job come on down. Plenty of em here too.

[fishinchicks]

So today, my hubby's cousin, who we farm with, asks me what to do if your kid gets bitten by a mouse. They are not just moving into the houses - they are also moving into the combine cabs! His 5 year old was riding along for awhile during beaning today, and he spotted the mouse. After a short chase (this isn't a big cab, mind you), he comes up with it, holding it by the tail. He just says "hey, look dad!" when the mouse lunges and grabs a finger tip. Fortunately, it didn't really break the skin, but it freaked out the dad pretty well. I'm not sure if they are going to tell his mom about this one, or not.

[Eric Wettschreck]

There are a few things mom doesn't need to know about. That's one of them.