I’m already seeing numerous snakes on my property.
Last summer - our first of ownership of this land - saw 10-15 copperhead/cottonmouth kills. Some of
Which were near my sidewalk.
Just today I had a fight to the death with a harmless but determined to strike me garter snake
Got an infant en route and other small Kids.
What can I do other than get a bird of prey?
Last edited by Duke; 03-24-2019 at 07:16 PM.
From what I've heard, chickens might work.
Kingsnakes are another option, if you can find, catch, and release a few on your property.
"You win 100% of the fights you avoid. If you're not there when it happens, you don't lose." - William Aprill
"I've owned a guitar for 31 years and that sure hasn't made me a musician, let alone an expert. It's made me a guy who owns a guitar."- BBI
Got any local populations of king snakes that you could gently re-locate onto the property?
I live quite near the Cahaba River in Birmingham, AL, on a little feeder creek. I’ve lived directly on the Cahaba twice before, within a few miles of my current location, and I can assure you that it has a healthy copperhead population.
In > 10 years I haven’t seen a single copperhead here. I have seen quite a few kingsnakes, an occasional garter snake (I find that they are generally irritable and bitey but harmless) and occasional tiny ringnecks. Kingsnakes are constrictors and will kill and eat copperheads.
My wife saw a hawk eating a snake a week or so ago - probably one of my treasured kingsnakes.
Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Doodie Project?
Chickens will attract snakes, scratch that, rodents are attracted to chicken feed and partially digested feed in scat. A couple outdoor cats will keep snakes away, but that comes with it’s own issues.
Reducing habitat and rodents will go a long way in keeping snakes away. Keep the grass short, get rid of low shade providing vegetation, get rid of brush piles, seal up the exterior walls, and get rid rodent food sources.
Last edited by txdpd; 03-24-2019 at 07:54 PM.
Whether you think you can or you can't, you're probably right.
You need Roadrunners!
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
The best anti-anything-in-my-yard are feral cats who know who feed them.
You have to be ambivalent with their lifecycle though, because you'll "consume" them.
Concur with the suggestions of @txdpd - reduce their habitat and food sources. Copperheads very much like dark, shady crevices, and leaf litter for living and for reproducing. Cotton mouths are also fond of similar environments. Get rid of the rats and you'll reduce your snake population considerably.
Side benefit of reducing snake habitats you reduce mosquito breeding habitats too.
I hate feral cats, for their propensity to destroy everything, but if you have a rat problem, they'll clear it out something quick. Downside, once they've used up the rat population, they will destroy every bird and lizard in the area.
Last edited by RevolverRob; 03-24-2019 at 08:11 PM.
Meep! Meep! I love seeing Roadrunners and King Snakes on my property. We had a big King in a bush in my front yard. I know rattlers are around but I don’t seem them very often.Originally Posted by GJM
Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.
The local snake population here usually peaks right after the chipmunk population peaks - reduce the food supply and they will move along on their own accord. Do you have a water source? Tasty fish, frogs, etc.
Sometimes we see some mating activity in the spring - i have a king snake mating video from my backyard around somewhere.
Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Doodie Project?
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