How to Keep Snakes Away

Co-authored by Kevin Carrillo

Last Updated: August 10, 2021 References Approved

A snake slithering by can really ruin an otherwise beautiful afternoon outside, and discovering that a snake has somehow managed to find its way inside your home? Nobody wants that. The good news is that there are easy things you can do to keep snakes as far away from your home as possible. We’ve put together some of the best snake-proofing tips you can use to deter snakes from your yard and home. We've also included some tips that will help you avoid snakes when you’re out in nature so you don't have to worry about any unwanted reptile encounters.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Keeping Snakes Away from Your Home

1
Keep your yard free of clutter. Snakes are ambush predators, meaning they like to attack their prey from dark hiding places. As such, clutter is essentially an open invitation to snakes, giving them perfect hiding spots. Piles of leaves, compost piles, straw mulch, wood chip mulch, stacks of firewood, and piles of cut grass are all comfortable places that snakes like to hide in, so these should be removed from your yard.^{[1]
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- Instead of wood mulch, consider crushed stone. It’s not as comfortable or effective for snakes to hide in.^{[2]
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2
Avoid low-growing plants. Just like clutter, certain shrubs and other plants provide the perfect hiding spot for a neighborhood snake. Keeping your grass mowed is a good way to prevent snakes from slithering around your yard. Shrubs and packed gardens with thick plants will also attract snakes.
- If you are very concerned about a potential snake problem, remove or thin these plants out. If you want to keep these plants, however, consider transplanting them to the far side of your yard, away from the foundation of your house.^{[3]
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3
Get rid of any possible source of food. Snakes will only hang around your yard if there’s something there they can eat. Depending on the species, this could mean a problem with large insects such as cockroaches and grasshoppers, or small mammals such as mice and rats.^{[4]
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- Try laying traps or spraying repellents designed to keep these pests away from your house, and the snakes should stay away as well.
4
Patch up any holes. If you have spotted snakes in your yard and are worried about keeping them out of your house, the best thing you can do is locate and repair any holes in your property’s foundations, the garage, or screen doors. Carefully inspect these areas and if you notice any holes, no matter how small, patch them up immediately. Even holes as small as a quarter are large enough for certain types of garter snakes to squeeze through.
- Beyond allowing access into your home, any holes or cracks in your building’s foundations provide great hiding places for snakes.^{[5]
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5
Put up snake-proof fencing. The effectiveness of snake proof fencing might depend on the type of snake you have in your area and how it commonly travels, but there are specialized types of fencing that have proved effective against many types of snakes. Snake-proof fencing usually follows three broad types: plastic sheeting, steel mesh or catch net fencing. No matter the construction, these fences should be flush to the ground and angled outwards. This prevents snakes from slithering under the fence or climbing over.
- It might not be practical to fence your entire yard this way. Instead, consider fencing specific areas commonly frequented by children and pets.^{[6]
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- You should consider putting up similar snake barriers around any buildings on your property elevated off the ground. This will keep snakes from hiding underneath.
6
Create vibrations.^{[7]
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Research source} If you have spotted snakes in your garden or yard in the past, and suspect that a few might be hiding in there even now, run the lawn mower or tiller around the area before working in it. You do not want to push the mower or tiller through the area, because the idea is not to kill the snakes but simply to scare them off. The vibrations produced by these machines are usually enough to warn and frighten off many snakes, especially common garter snakes.
- Note that this won’t keep snakes away permanently, but if you need to work in a garden, this can scare off snakes long enough to let you work.
7
Lay traps. If you suspect that you already have a snake, or are worried about any snakes that might have snuck in before you took measures to repel them, you can set up mechanical traps or glue traps in your basement or garage. Before setting these traps up, though, you should contact your local animal control officer or state wildlife agency to make sure that the procedure is done safely and legally.
- Make sure not to use glue traps outside. This could inhumanely trap wildlife other than snakes.^{[8]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Staying Safe on Trails

1
Use trekking poles when hiking. These poles look very similar to ski poles, except they’re usually adjustable to adapt to the terrain. Trekking poles allow you to push tall grass and other brush out of your way, potentially scaring off any hidden snakes. As you hike, your pole hitting the ground and banging against rocks will also deter snakes. They can feel the vibrations in the ground, and will usually leave when they sense your approach.^{[9]
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- If you can’t afford or otherwise acquire a trekking pole, a ski pole will do fine.
2
Stay on cleared, popular trails. Snakes tend to hide under stones, logs and in dense foliage. Trails cleared of clutter are less likely to attract snakes. Additionally, if you stick to well travelled trails, the frequent foot traffic will already keep snakes away. They have no desire to approach humans, and if they know people frequent a particular area, they’ll tend to stay away from it.^{[10]
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3
Watch your step. Many snakes, such as the rattlesnake, are colored in a way that blends in with their environment. Keep your eyes open while on a trail; you might spot and effectively avoid a snake encounter before it happens. Be especially careful if you’re traversing rocks or fallen logs. Both of these are favorite hiding spots of various snakes. If you need to traverse these fallen objects, step up on them, then down, rather than simply stepping over. This gives you the chance to scan the area around the object, to ensure no snakes are hiding nearby.^{[11]
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- Avoid picking up stones or wood while on a trail. This might disturb any snakes hiding underneath and provoke an attack.
- If you need to lean on something while hiking, such as a rock face or a tree, pay close attention to where you place your hands.
4
Choose the time of your hike carefully. Snakes are cold-blooded, meaning they can’t regulate their body temperature the way humans can. They have to expose themselves to sunlight to warm themselves up, and hide away from sunlight to cool down. Consequently, snakes tend to be more active in warmer weather. If you’re really concerned about encountering a snake on a hike, consider planning your hike for the cooler weather of fall and winter.^{[12]
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Expert Q&A
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Question

What smell do snakes hate?

Kevin Carrillo
MMPC, Pest Control Specialist
Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.

Kevin Carrillo

MMPC, Pest Control Specialist

Expert Answer

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Generally speaking, anything with pepper or mint in it is probably going to bother snakes, deer, squirrels, and other wildlife. Most animals tend to dislike those scents, especially in concentrated doses.
Question

Should I kill a venomous snake?

Kevin Carrillo
MMPC, Pest Control Specialist
Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.

Kevin Carrillo

MMPC, Pest Control Specialist

Expert Answer

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Don't try to handle or approach a venomous snake. They can attack from much farther away than you'd expect. Always call the experts at Animal Control to come handle the snake.
Question

Do mothballs actually repel snakes?

Kevin Carrillo
MMPC, Pest Control Specialist
Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.

Kevin Carrillo

MMPC, Pest Control Specialist

Expert Answer

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No! Mothballs don't repel snakes at all. Not only that, they release harmful fumes that can be dangerous. Additionally, mothballs are a pesticide regulated by the EPA, so you have to use them according to the label.

Warnings

If you encounter a snake you think might be poisonous, you shouldn’t try to capture or kill the snake yourself. Snakes can be incredibly unpredictable when cornered, and can attack from much further away than you think. Contact professionals; they can remove the snake safely.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Kevin Carrillo
MMPC, Pest Control Specialist
Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.}

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Avoid the temptation to use chemical snake repellents. Not only are they largely ineffective, but they can be dangerous to other wildlife and children.^{[14]
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Do not use mothballs to deter snakes. Mothballs are pesticides registered by the EPA. As such, they must be used as indicated on the label. Any off-label use is a violation of Federal law. Not only are the fumes emitted by mothballs potentially toxic, they are completely ineffective against snakes.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Kevin Carrillo
MMPC, Pest Control Specialist
Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.}

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