There are fewer things that might be creepier than a snake playing hide-and-seek on your property, especially a couple of feet long black one. Although most of them are non-poisonous and inoffensive to humans, allowing them on your premises is simply a no-no.
Very few black snakes are aggressive and poisonous. Still, do I want one living on my property, especially a large and fatty black one? Absolutely not! Unfortunately, there isn’t any stop sign that you can place outside your property to prevent black snakes from intruding.
You aren’t the only one wondering how to get rid of such black snakes. A huge population of us is uninterested in a snake-human encounter. We have a couple of solutions to help you prevent these scary creatures from showing up unannounced in your house.
Well, no signboard literally says STOP to snakes, but some techniques can teach you how to get rid of black snakes. You can liberate yourself from snake trouble only if you know what attractions are drawing it to your place in the first place. I am sharing my months of hard work with you to guide you on how you can expel snakes from your property without killing them. These strategies work as a proverbial stop sign for snakes, deterring them from visiting your residence. So, let’s begin.
Ready? So, dive in.
Table of Contents
Some Facts about Black Snakes
Black snakes are found on every continent. They are termed “black snakes” due to the colour of their skin. Only a handful of them are poisonous.
Black rate snake — also known as a black pilot snake, the western rat snake or simply black snake — of species Colubridae is non-poisonous. It is common in central North America. They are usually 4 feet long but can grow to a disturbing 6 – 8 feet in length.
They are shy and prefer to eat rats, mice, lizards, frogs, bird eggs and small mammals.
However, when threatened, they might get snappy and attack.
An interesting fact is that they rattle their tail, fooling the attacker into believing that it’s a venomous rattler.
What Attracts a Snake to Your House?
Snakes are least interested in human company. If they show up on your doorstep every once in a while, then definitely your house contains something they find irresistible.
If a black snake or any other snake is frequently intruding into your property, then there must be something or things to its liking. The most common things that draw snakes, including black ones, to your place are as follows.
Here are some of the things that bring snakes to your house or yard.
- Most species of snakes love to eat rats, mice, moles, frogs, bird eggs or small mammals. Thus, where there’s food, there will be snakes.
- Snakes like to settle in houses where there are holes, gaps/cracks in foundations, walls, vents, drain holes. These are some of the favourite residing spots of snakes.
- Woodpiles, scrap piles, rock piles, heaps of fallen leaves, compost piles, overgrown grass, shrubbery or weeds also offer snakes refuge. Dense shrubbery also attracts rodents, giving a strong reason to snakes to visit the premises.
- Water puddles or birdbaths in the garden attract reptiles. Excessive moisture around the house attracts species that snakes love to feed on.
- Hen coops and birdhouses attract snakes like moths to a flame because of the eggs.
How to Get Rid of a Black Snake?
You can get rid of a black snake the same way you would deter other species of snakes. Here are some techniques that I have learnt from animal experts and experienced peers.
There are some tricks that can allow you to minimize snake intrusion, including black snakes. Before we start, know that contacting a professional exterminator or pest control company is the safest way to get rid of all kinds of snakes.
Professional Help
Before you try any DIY techniques, you should know that seeking professional help – an exterminator or employee of a local pest control company – is the safest way to get rid of all species of snakes. It will neither put you at risk nor the snake.
Eliminate Their Food Supply
Snakes, like every living being, need food to survive. All the experts I have consulted believe that targeting food sources is the most effective technique for getting rid of snakes, including the creepy black ones. You should shoo amphibians, rodents, slugs, moles and insects from your house to keep snakes away.
Feed your pets indoors and keep their food in airtight canisters because vermin and snakes both come after that. Never forget to pick the leftover and littered food for the same reason.
Furthermore, keep your garbage cans covered.
Erase Potential Hiding Spots
Cracks in foundations, walls, vents, drain holes and holes in a yard provide favourable shelter to snakes. These places offer them safety from predators. Survey your premises every once in a while for possible snake hideouts. Make repairs to erase all these cracks and crevices that provide shelter to snakes.
Snakes can crawl through the tiniest spaces. Make sure there aren’t any crawl spaces under the doors or windows. Gaps in vents and drains are other vulnerable spots. Cover them with screens to keep snakes out.
Rearrange the Landscape
Landscaping rocks and dense shrubbery enhance the aesthetic appeal of your house. The downside is that they also offer perfect harborage to snakes. Furthermore, tall grass and unruly shrubbery are also favourites of rodents and insects. Again, food sources of snakes. Rearrange your landscape in a manner that makes it lose appeal for snakes.
Remove Piles of Things from Outdoors
You might locate a snake under mounds of fallen leaves, compost, firewood, rocks and other such piles of scrap. These heaps allow snakes to take cover and strike at the last moment, not giving you a chance to defend yourself or attack the culprit. They also decrease the beauty of your outdoors. Keep your space tidy and organised to reduce snake intrusion.
Remove Wet Areas
Snakes love to linger in moist and cool areas. Standing water also attract rodents and pests. Do whatever you can to dry puddles of standing water from the premises, including birdbaths. Also, address leaky faucets and drainage issues for the same reasons.
Protect Outdoor Pets
Snakes view bunnies, bird eggs and hen eggs as convenient meals. Secure your rabbit hutch, chicken coop and birdhouse, if you’ve any, against predators like snakes.
Moreover, feed your pets indoors and keep pet food out of snakes’ reach, probably in airtight jars.
Use Snake Repellents
You can take help from snake repellents, either natural or chemical, to force the serpents to flee. Regular use of sonic or odour-based repellents prevents them from coming back. While using chemical repellents, make sure the product is environment-friendly.
According to wildlife experts and pest control companies, using ground cover like snake repelling plants is also an effective strategy against snakes. Furthermore, snake repellent plants are another good strategy for deterring snakes. A barrier of these prevents snakes from venturing into your territory.
Plants like Marigold, West Indian Lemongrass, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, Garlic and Onion, Indian Snakeroot and Mugwort are famous for their snake-deterring quality. You can also sprinkle an abundant amount of essential oil, such as peppermint, eugenol, cinnamon and clove oils, around the possible snake entrances to keep them away.
Snake Traps
You can also use snake traps to capture the culprits and remove them from the premises, like glue traps, and snake cages near places where you sense snake activity to trap the intruder. Next, transport the trapped invader to a safe habitat. This strategy can help you get rid of the peace-destroyer without any bloodshed.
Snake-proof Fencing
Another reliable and least aggressive method is snake-proof fencing. So, consider snake-proof fencing all around the outdoors. It is one of the most reliable methods to keep snakes out.
I read interviews of a few people who have installed snake-proof fencing around their buildings; they have had fewer snake confrontations since then.
You should erect snake-proof fencing around the premises to stop all types of snakes, including black snakes, from crossing your boundary.
You can also spread hard-to-crawl-over materials. People sprinkle cone pines, rose bush clippings, egg shells and rock chips around the areas from where snakes can intrude. It is painful for snakes to crawl over these materials. Thus, they decide to avoid your property.
Conclusion
Snakes, including the black snakes, decide to step onto your property when they find it suitable for living. If your place has their favourite resting areas and food supplies, it is harder to keep them away.
I have shared the data I gathered over the months to educate you on how you can get rid of black snakes.
The majority of black snakes are passive and non-venomous. But, their sheer size makes them terrifying intruders. They venture into your building when it offers them suitable living conditions.
The guide we shared above will help you focus on the facts that make your house vulnerable to snakes. You can survey your property to eliminate all these elements to get rid of snakes.
These methods are time-consuming but effective. So, make the necessary changes to free yourself from the snake problem.
