How To Get Rid of Snakes Quickly and Permanently

Written by Paul in Other Pest Animals

Snakes are fascinating creatures, but having snakes on your property can be scary, especially if you have children or pets. Fortunately, there are several effective methods for getting rid of snakes quickly and permanently.

First, you can find and eliminate all snake food and water sources, especially rodents. Then, you should clean your yard to remove all snake hiding places. Next, if the snakes don’t leave, you may need to hire a wildlife professional to trap them. Finally, you can prevent snakes from returning by sealing entrances to your home, installing fences, or using repellant scents and plants.

Over my years as a pest control professional, I’ve helped many folks get rid of snakes. Read the rest of this article for my best tips that you can try on your own.

You might also be interested in reading these two related articles “How To Get Rid of Bats In Your Home & Yard Quickly” and “How To Get Rid of Raccoons Permanently and Quickly“.

Eliminate Snake Food Sources

Snakes need to eat, and they only hang around places with plenty of food. Therefore, figuring out what they’re eating and eliminating that food source will get rid of them.

Fortunately, snakes like to eat other pests, so you can kill two birds with one stone when you eliminate their food source. Some of the most common menu items for snakes are:

Once a snake’s food is gone, it will leave to find other sustenance.

Eliminate Water Sources

Like all animals, snakes need water, and some even live in the water. This makes eliminating water sources a critical part of getting rid of snakes.

Start by checking your property for leaking pipes or hoses and areas with poor drainage. Fix these issues, and snakes won’t want to come to your property anymore.

Also, eliminating water sources keeps pests away from your home. With nothing to drink and nothing to eat, snakes won’t have any reason to stay on your property.

Keep Your Yard Clean and Tidy

Snakes are attracted to cluttered areas where they can hide and find shelter, such as piles of leaves or wood stacks. That’s why keeping your yard clean and tidy is one of the most effective ways to keep snakes away from your property. 

Make sure to trim your bushes and trees regularly, keep your lawn well-maintained, and remove any debris or rubbish from your yard. This will help to reduce the places where snakes can hide and make it less likely they’ll enter.

Snakes don’t want to be near humans and need places to hide from you. If you don’t give them places to feel safe, they’re sure to leave you alone.

What Smell Do Snakes Hate?

Snakes have a strong sense of smell, and you might try using scents they hate to scare them away and deter them from returning. Some odors snakes may not like that you can try using to get rid of them are:

  • Clove Oil
  • Cinnamon
  • Vinegar
  • Citrus Oil
  • Smoke
  • Peppermint Oil
  • Garlic Oil
  • Ammonia

Try any mixture of these ingredients you have access to and see which one the snakes hate the most. A method of using liquid scents is to make a spray by mixing them with water, then coating areas where you have seen snakes.

You may have to apply the scents daily to make them strong enough to bother the snakes. Also, there is no guarantee these smells will repel snakes, but it’s worth a try.

How To Trap Snakes

Trapping snakes is dangerous, and only experienced professionals should handle them. If possible, hire a snake removal service for this risky task.

In case you have no other choice than trapping yourself, plan where you can release the snake so that it won’t bother other people. Then, follow these steps to trap snakes:

  1. Identify the type of snake you’re dealing with. This will help you determine the appropriate trap and safety precautions needed.
  2. Choose a suitable trap. There are several trap designs available such as glue, funnel, and box traps. Choose the one that’s best for the snake species you’re trapping.
  3. Set up the trap in the best location. Snakes usually move along walls, so place it along a wall or in a path where you’ve seen a snake.
  4. Bait the trap. The bait used will depend on the species of snake. Common bait options include rodents or eggs.
  5. Check the trap regularly. If you leave the trap unchecked, the trapped snake may suffer from dehydration and stress, or even die. Check it once or several times per day.
  6. Transport the snake. After you’ve trapped the snake, it’s important to safely take it away from your property. Use a sturdy container with air holes and a tight-fitting lid to move the snake.
  7. Release the snake. Release the snake into a suitable habitat far away from human habitation.

Again, snakes are dangerous and you shouldn’t get near them if you don’t have to. Only trap them if you have no other option.

Seal Entry Points

Snakes can enter your home through tiny openings, so closing all potential entry points is critical to keeping them away. They might try to get into your crawlspace, attic, walls, or ceiling to find shelter or food.

If snakes are already inside your home, you need to remove them before sealing the entry points. After that, you can focus on sealing several spots around your home, including:

  • Cracks in your foundation
  • Gaps around doors and windows 
  • Holes in your roof or under eaves
  • Openings where plumbing or electrical wires enter your home

Overall, sealing up these entry points makes it nearly impossible for snakes to enter your home. This will give you peace of mind that at least your house is free from slithering reptiles.

Create a Snake-Proof Fence

Creating a snake-proof barrier around your property is another effective way to keep snakes away. You can use various materials, such as mesh or hardware cloth, to create a fence around your yard. 

Make sure the fence is at least three feet high and extends at least six inches below ground level. This will help to prevent snakes from burrowing underneath.

Also, if snakes are a concern in a particular area, like where you keep chickens, you could focus your barrier efforts there. This would help you cut down on costs and building time.

Plants To Keep Snakes Away Naturally

There’s no scientific evidence that plants keep snakes away, but anecdotal reports say that they can help. Keeping certain species in your garden could repel snakes, including:

  • Onions – many critters avoid this bulb, hopefully snakes too. 
  • King of Bitters – in India and Sri Lanka they plant this herb in thick rows to keep snakes away from children’s play areas. 
  • Snake Plant – snakes don’t like to crawl through this West African species because of its sharp-edged leaves. 
  • Marigold – many people use this flowering plant to keep pests away, and it might work for snakes also. 
  • Garlic – this flavorful veggie has a pungent odor that snakes might not like. 
  • White Snakeroot – this plant has a chemical that’s toxic to snakes that they avoid. 
  • Barrel Cactus – this round, stout and spiky cactus is to sharp for snakes to crawl past.

It’s important to note that while these plants may help to repel snakes, they shouldn’t be relied on as the sole method for keeping them away. You’ll need to stay vigilant and take action if snakes return.

Do Snake Repellants Work?

You can find many snake repellants on store shelves. Unfortunately, none of them have been scientifically proven to work.

For the most part, if a snake wants to slither through repellant, it will. In the end, these products are most likely to be a waste of your time and money.

Should I Kill Snakes?

You shouldn’t kill snakes unless they threaten your immediate safety. First, snakes are critical to the ecosystem because of the role they play in controlling pests. Rodent populations can quickly spiral out of control without snakes around to eat them.

Second, most snake species are harmless to humans and only bite when threatened or provoked. Killing a snake out of fear not only harms innocent wildlife, but also puts you at greater risk of being bitten.

Lastly, many species of snakes are protected by law, and killing them can result in fines or even criminal charges. Overall, it’s best to find a non-lethal way of repelling snakes and excluding them from your property.

How Dangerous Are Snake Bites?

While snake bites are a traumatic experience, it’s important to keep in mind that fatalities from them are relatively rare in the USA. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are only five deaths from venomous snake bites in the US each year.

Additionally, many species of snakes found in the USA are non-venomous, and even venomous species will only bite in self-defense. Taking proper precautions, such as keeping ten feet away, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding handling snakes, lowers the risk of being bitten.

Furthermore, medical treatment for snake bites is generally effective and readily available. Antivenom and other medicines mitigate snake venom’s effects and prevent serious harm or death.

Paul

Hi! My name is Paul. Yes that is me there in the picture! I spent most of my career owning and operating a large pest control company in Washington State. My main focus was on staying up to date with all of the best methods so that we could be the most effective pest control company in our markets. We developed the reputation of getting better results than all of our competitors. The purpose of this website is to impart all of that knowledge to those who want to know how to get rid of their own pests as effectively as the best professionals out there. I give you the benefit of my experience and tell you the best methods and treatments to do the job right the first time. Thank you for visiting us. We hope it will benefit you!

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