How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard Safely and Effectively Before They Ruin Your Garden

Snakes play an important role in controlling rodents and insects, making them a crucial part of the ecosystem. However, many homeowners prefer not to have them around. Some snakes can bite, and their bites can be harmful, which is why it’s important to know how to keep them out of your yard.

The most effective way to keep snakes out of your yard involves using a combination of strategies. This includes making your yard less attractive to snakes, installing snake-proof barriers, and sealing up your home. Learn effective ways to keep snakes out of your yard and how to safely remove any that do wander in.

Maintain a Dry Yard

Ensure your yard is free of excess water. Avoid creating garden ponds, consider yard drainage solutions to eliminate standing water, and divert gutter water away from your home.

Snakes are drawn to water, which all animals need to survive. Excess water can also cause your grass and plants to grow more, creating an inviting habitat for snakes.

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Trim Grass and Foliage

Keep your grass short by mowing frequently, trim bushes away from your house, and prune the branches of low-hanging trees. Snakes rely on tall grass and dense foliage for hiding, and they’re less likely to go to exposed areas.

Remove Food From the Yard

Keep all types of food out of your yard. Feed pets indoors, remove birdseed, and avoid feeding squirrels. Any type of food left outside can attract snakes.

Remove Burrowing Areas

Snakes are attracted to small, shaded areas. By removing or disturbing these areas, you can encourage snakes to move elsewhere. Move stacked firewood away from your house and remove piles of stones. Fill large gaps between masonry structures with mortar.

Avoid Landscaping With Large Rocks

Avoid using large landscaping stones near your house or remove them if they’re already present.

While flagstones can make beautiful walkways and patios, snakes love to sunbathe on them. Large boulders are another type of rock that attracts snakes.

Avoid Using Mulch

Replace mulch with lava rock or leave the area bare. Bark mulch can provide a moist environment that attracts snakes.

Seal Foundation Cracks

Inspect your home’s foundation and the rim joist for cracks. Use concrete crack filler to seal them.

Best Filler

The best concrete crack filler is a hydraulic cement compound, which resists water and keeps snakes out.

Erect Snake-Proof Fencing

Install a snake-proof barrier around your property to prevent snakes from entering.

Use quarter-inch square metal hardware cloth or wire. It should be 48 inches high and tilted outward at a 30-degree angle. Overlap the cloth by several inches at the seams and bury it six inches into the ground.

Add Lava Rock Beds

Create a border around your house with lava rocks. While not a perfect solution, some evidence suggests snakes tend to avoid sharp rocks.

Lava rocks, commonly used for stone fire pits, are also a good xeriscaping option for dry climates.

Add Sticky Traps Inside

Place sticky glue traps along walls or in corners to catch any snakes that enter your home. The snakes will get stuck, making it hard for them to move.

To safely release the snake, take it—and the attached trap—to a suitable habitat far from your home, then pour vegetable oil over the trap to help the snake free itself.

How to Get Rid of Snakes in Your Yard

Removing snakes from your yard is more challenging than keeping them out in the first place, but here are a few methods to trap and remove them:

• Place a heating pad in a bucket and turn it on. Check the bucket frequently.
• Spray the snake with a natural solution made of one-percent cinnamon oil, clove oil, or eugenol, and one-percent sodium lauryl sulfate (a soap-like substance) in 98% water.
• Use a broom to guide any snakes you find into a high-sided garbage container and release them in the wild.
• Contact your local animal control service for professional snake removal.