Is a Garden Snake Dangerous?

“Help! There are snakes in my garden!”

Friend and former Hubber, Fay Paxton panicked when she spotted four snakes on her property.

“I couldn't sleep”, she exclaimed. “ I keep wondering...are they in the shed,... the trees?...what if one gets in the house?”

I had just published a Hub on Organic Ant Control, so Fay, thinking I might know a thing or two about organic snake control, e-mailed me.

“If you find something, PLEASE let me know ....that's your next Hub!”

Never being one to shirk a challenge and owing to the fact that losing Fay to snakebite would be a horrendous disservice to the HubPages community and the sane world, I decided to write this Hub.

I'm a city girl who has learned to live in the near-city suburbs; trading sidewalks for somewhat starrier nights, bus fumes for barbecues and traffic meters for mall parking. As a green-minded citizen of mother earth, I also realize that living here is a privilege and that many mammals, birds and yes, even reptiles have been displaced from their natural habitats because of man's penchant for urban sprawl. I still gasp when I see a snake, but I've learned not to scream, nor to be fearful, nor to associate all snakes with the devil; in fact, I've learned to say, “Hi there little friend”, even if he or she isn't very little.

Frankly speaking, there are no “bad” snakes just as there are no “evil” animals on our planet (although some homo-sapiens are still under scrutiny). There are venomous snakes that pose a significant danger to humans should the snake be surprised or disturbed, but the fact remains, out of approximately 120 species of snakes in North America, only four of them are venomous. They are the Rattlesnake, the Water Moccasin (Cottonmouth), the Copperhead, and the Coral Snake.

Snakes can be tricky to identify, but you should know that all of North America’s venomous serpents except for the coral snake have vertical pupils, so if you spot a snake with “cats” eyes, it's a good idea to keep away. Coral snakes have round pupils and they  have colors similar to some milk snakes and scarlet kingsnakes.  Farmers have a saying when it comes to identifying coral snakes, “Red next to yellow, kill a fellow. Red next to black, venom lack.” I'd still call a professional if I saw a red, yellow and black striped snake.

The truth, is that unless you are a herpetologist there's no simple way to identify a venomous snake. The best way to check whether a snake is venomous is to compare the snake in your garden to photos of venomous snakes in your area. Just Google “venomous snakes of (your state).” You can also call your local County Extension Office. My divider bar below displays pictures of North America's venomous snakes.

Australia is the only continent that has more poisonous than nonpoisonous snakes. If you live there, you probably know more about snakes than I do, but hopefully you'll still find this snake primer valuable, or at the least entertaining.

If you live in North America and run across a snake while gardening or taking out the garbage, or doing anything else around your home, don't panic; chances are your reptilian visitor is harmless. In any case, a snake is more interested in taking a bite out of a nice fat rodent than he is in biting you. Unless you keep pet mice or hamsters as pets, it is highly unlikely you smell like dinner to a snake.

People who live within areas inhabited by many poisonous snakes certainly have good reason to fear them, but again, if you live in North America, or Ireland (where they claim there are no snakes), don't be swayed by bad publicity and cultural indoctrination.

Snakes have received a lot of negative press since the beginning of time, particularly in the west. Stories originating from the Abrahamic religions as well as Nordic, Greek and Germanic mythology associate the image of a snake with evil or vengefulness yet in many cultures and religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, African Mythology and Native American cultures the symbolism associated with snakes is benign and positive .

The symbol of medicine, the rod of Asclepius, depicting a snake-entwined staff endures today and is commonly used by the medical profession. Speaking of medicine, snakes may prove to be good medicine. Venom proteins are being tested for a host of promising new drugs designed for many neurological disorders and diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma and certain pain disorders.

Experts agree. The absolute best way to keeps snakes away from your home is to make the area less snake-friendly. Snakes love wood piles, junk piles, tall grass, and thick ground cover plants. Not only do snakes hide in these areas, they make a fine home for rodents, grasshoppers, and frogs, a/k/a snake food. You should also trim up shrubbery that reaches the ground as snakes hide in low bushes. Get rid of any containers that collect rainwater as well.

Every year I uncover a snake or two under the cinder block edging I use to border my raised garden beds. Snakes are cold-blooded creatures and they warm themselves by hiding around rocks warmed by the sun. Actually, there is more cost and effort for me to replace the block edging than it is for me to learn to live with the few snakes that share my garden.

Snakes also like warm bricks and concrete. I very recently had a client that encountered a rather large snake happily napping on her front steps. Although he was coiled up, he never lashed out at her like you see in the movies. Most snakes don't exhibit that kind of behavior unless they are surprised or threatened.

We had an outdoor cat at our first house and I never saw a snake. Although I was never presented with a “gift” garden snake, I'm sure Kitty discouraged a few from getting too close to the house.

Cats as well as Terrier dogs keep the mice away and it is the mice that attracts those snakes.

Of course, if you have identified the snakes on your property as being venomous, your pet is at risk of getting hurt. In that case, other methods for keeping snakes away from your house are in order.

A Herpetologist is someone who has studied the branch of zoology that deals with reptiles and amphibians. Many are also trained to remove snakes from your premises. They will never kill a “harmless” snake as doing so would only make room for venomous snakes who have the same diet as non-venomous snakes.

There are many products on the market designed for killing , repelling and trapping snakes. Animal control professionals claim they are not always effective and perhaps that is why they manage to stay in business. Although I believe there are better solutions to a snake problem, they are worth a try and you can order them here from my Amazon links. I choose to only list the “green” variety. Products such as "Snake Away", contain naphthalene and sulphur - a hazardous poison. In addition to being harmful to people, pets and the environment, the smell is so offensive, you could learn to love snakes in a heartbeat.

Liquid Fence Snake Repellent is supposed to be “100% natural” and bio-friendly because it does not contain naphthalene. It smells more “botanical” than some of the other natural products on the market and it comes in both liquid and granular form. Liquid Fence works by confusing the snake's sense of smell and taste. If the snake can't sense the environment around him, he leaves the area.

There is also a device that makes ultra high frequency noises, keeping both mice and snakes at bay. Supposedly humans can't hear the high pitched noise, but it may get the neighborhood dogs howling. You can buy it at stopsnakes.com

Rodents that attract snakes include – mice, rats, squirrels, moles, gophers and chipmunks. Depending on the snake, they are also known to eat crickets and grasshoppers, centipedes, ants, termites, crabs, toads, crayfish and spiders.

If you see a snake, try stamping your feet. (Don't stamp on the snake). Screaming does no good since your shrieks of terror will literally fall on deaf ears. Snakes may not have ears, but they do sense vibrations and the stamping will cause them to retreat.

If you live in colder climates, hold off raking your leaves until the first frost so you don't give a snake any sudden surprises (or give yourself heart failure). Snakes love to hide under fallen Autumn leaves.

Here is a tip from Mother Earth News:

If the snake is on the ground, lay a square-sided garbage can on its side, and use a long, stiff broom to sweep it into the opening. Then quickly stand the garbage can upright and clamp down the lid. (This strategy will work for almost any snake, including venomous species.)

NOTE: Do not provoke or attempt to catch or handle any snake that you cannot properly identify - it may be a venomous snake. If you are bitten by a venomous snake, you should immediately get medical attention at a hospital.

It's rare that a snake makes it into your home although I have read scary stories of snakes emerging from toilets (heavens!); one truly funny story about an uninvited green garden snake and numerous tales of snakes hiding out in damp cellars.

It's always a good idea to caulk any openings on the inside and outside of your home (especially the basement) to prevent snakes from entering the house.

Different types of snakes have different temperaments just like dogs, cats, and people. Snake fanciers recommend one species over another for those considering caring for a pet snake. Check out this video if only to consider the possibility that practically all snakes are beautiful and harmless; even friendly...(at least in North America).

I remember taking my pet Indian Ringneck Parakeet to the exotic pet vet. There was a woman in the waiting room disconsolately stroking an enormous python that was draped around her neck. “Oscar seems terribly depressed”, she lamented, “He's usually so playful and cheery”. I later learned that he was simply going through a “phase”....mid-life crisis, no doubt.

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