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No-Fail Ways To Keep Snakes Out Of Your Yard
By DEIRDRE MUNDORF
Keep Grass Short
Longer grass gives snakes cover to hide from hawks, owls, and other predators. Cut it short when you mow your grass so there won’t be anywhere for snakes to hide.
Short grass also makes snakes easier to see. Mow more than once a week during the warmer months, and less frequently when the weather is really hot or cold.
Feeding The Birds
As birds peck at seeds in a bird feeder, bits of seed may drop to the ground and attract rodents, which snakes hunt. To mitigate this, adjust your bird feeding.
Deep clean your bird feeders to deter rodents who are attracted to them, and only fill the feeders halfway to limit seed scatterings in your yard when birds stop by to eat.
Don’t Store Wood
Piles of wood, such as logs for the fireplace or wooden building materials, make an ideal hiding place where a snake can stay warm, cozy, and hide from predators.
To avoid this, properly dispose of wood scraps and tree trimmings. Add an additional line of defense by storing wood on elevated panels and cover it with a tarp.
Limit Excess Water
Damp grass, puddles from rainstorms, bird baths, containers of stagnant water, fountains, ponds, and other excess water can encourage snakes to stay in your yard.
Be sure not to overwater your lawn, inspect your yard for stagnant water, turn buckets collecting water upside down, and turn off fountains when snakes are around.
Landscaping
Any bushes or trees close to your house can offer snakes a secret oasis where they can stay unspotted. Trim them back to create an opening against the house.
Cut the base of the bushes so they’re several inches or feet off the ground. You can also remove some of these shrubs altogether or to a different location in the yard.