Is there anything that I can do to keep snakes off my property? March 30, 2006
Question Is there anything that I can do to keep snakes off my property?
Answer As the weather warms up, our outdoor thoughts turn to flowers, vegetables, sunny days and snakes. Nature seems to always give us a yang with every ying. Yes, there are a few precautions that you can take to reduce the occurrence of snakes. However, there isn’t any way to totally keep them off your property.
Even though all four of the North American poisonous snakes are native to North Carolina, only two of them are commonly found in Harnett County - the water moccasin and copperhead. Water moccasins (or cottonmouths) are primarily found around water features like ditches, ponds, creeks, rivers, and swamps. The copperhead is the least poisonous of all the poisonous snakes, and it can be found almost anywhere. The vast majority of snakes found in Harnett County are not poisonous. It should be reassuring to know that it will be the heart attack and not the snake bite that kills you.
Rattlesnakes can be found in certain areas across North Carolina. For example, the pigmy rattler is mostly around south central counties. The diamondback rattler is primarily found in eastern counties. In western North Carolina, they have the timber rattlesnake. In eastern NC, they have the canebrake rattlesnake. Although canebrakes are larger than timber rattlers, it has recently been discovered that the timber and canebrake are the same species of rattlesnake. Easterners simply know how to grow them bigger.
There are some ways to deter snakes from lingering around your house. First, remove any debris or materials that will harbor mice or insects. Snakes also use debris as a place to hide as well as hunt. Second, get a pet. Many dogs and cats will either kill snakes or the mice that snakes feed on. Pets also serve as snake alarms. Many dogs will alert you to the presence of a snake. Lastly, keep the depth of your mulch at 3 inches or less, eliminate weeds around buildings, and keep your shrubs pruned properly.
Many folks try sulfur around the house. Sulfur products may have some deterrent effect in places where it doesn't get washed away, like under the house. In general, sulfur is not a practical deterrent. The best way to keep snakes out of the house is to plug holes where pipes, vents, and utility lines (cable tv, phone, electric lines, etc...) enter the floor or wall.
Doctors at the University of Southern California Medical Center analyzed 227 cases of venomous snakebites and found that 44 percent occurred during accidental contact, such as stepping on the animal. However, 55 percent resulted from the victims grabbing the creatures, while 28 percent of the grabbers were intoxicated. The doctors' conclusion was that the typical snakebite victim is male, under thirty, and has a blood-alcohol concentration of more than 0.1 percent at the time he is bitten. His last words were probably, “Hey ya’ll, watch this.” Moral of the story – since you can’t keep snakes off your property, leave them alone when you’ve been drinking. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call the Extension Office at 893-7533, write us at PO Box 1089, Lillington, NC 27546, or email me at gary_pierce@ncsu.edu |
