It can be a terrible experience when you are just walking around in your yard and see a snake slithering by. Most people are automatically repulsed and frightened and then run inside, without even thinking about the kind of snake that they have encountered.
First of all, it’s important to highlight that not all snakes are venomous. There are a few local breeds that can’t do you any harm, but even then, until you know what you are dealing with, it’s important to take different steps to keep snakes away from your yard and your home.
Most people are accustomed to having reptiles in their yards. Amphibious reptiles such as frogs are all too common and you might have heard their familiar “ribbit, ribbit!” sound in the yard every night.
However, you should know that this is likely to attract snakes in your yard as well. As the winter gives way to a drier and a hotter start to the year, snakes continue to follow their prey into well-irrigated areas (such as your yard).
More importantly, you should know that the yard also provides excellent cover and food for the snakes as well. Needless to say, the shrubs often become the perfect destination for snakes that want to lay eggs.
To exacerbate the problem, there are way too many companies out there that have released a litany of products that are not designed to do any good and do not repel the snakes at all.
Why Do Frogs Attract Snakes?
Before we look at different ways to deal with the problem, it is important to understand exactly what causes it. Adult amphibians tend to eat a humongous amount of insects, including locusts.
On top of that, the presence of tadpoles also alters the dynamics of a stream or the pond, which greatly reduces the presence of mosquito larvae (mosquitoes lay eggs on the water as well) as well as the algae.
This further improves sedimentation. However, as the number of frogs continues to grow in your garden, it also encourages the presence of snakes.
Snakes tend to eat large amounts of amphibians. Many snakes all over the globe tend to feed on frogs, and they also prey on them avidly.
For instance, the Asian pit viper loves to eat frogs, primarily when it’s young. The Asian Keelback is another common snake that likes to eat frogs and tadpoles.
In fact, there are many types of snakes found in Central America that love to eat the egg masses that are laid out by frogs on different overhanging streams. This is almost a given.
The cycle is pretty easy to understand. At first, you will notice a few frogs in your yard. It won’t take long before they will multiply, and you will have to hear a cacophony of sounds at night as they seek shelter and look for places where they can lay eggs.
It also won’t take long before snakes identify that your yard is a prime destination for its favorite frog. Before you know it, the entire place will be infested with snakes looking to feast on the frogs.
As the amphibian population will decline in your yard, you will also notice that the snakes will start to leave. They will automatically begin to look for appropriate food sources in other areas.
The population of both these reptiles is interconnected, so if you are able to keep the frogs away, you probably won’t have to worry as much about snakes either.
How to Keep Snakes Away
There are a number of different steps that you can take if you want to keep snakes away from your yard. Here are some simple tips to ensure that both frogs and snakes remain away from your yard and don’t cause a lot of trouble.
Mow the Grass Often
Arguably the best thing that you can do is make sure that you mow the grass on a regular basis and you keep it as short as possible. Frogs generally seek areas with tall grass because it allows them to get lots of cover and hide themselves from other predators.
Similarly, snakes seek shelter in these areas as well because of the fact that it protects them from hawks and owls. The shorter grass is also going to have another benefit: it will make the snakes much easier for you to spot.
Don’t Overwater Your Lawn
As mentioned, snakes and other reptiles such as frogs generally look for areas with a higher amount of water. Watery spots are only going to attract frogs and other amphibians such as slugs, and this is going to attract snakes in the process.
Clean Out the Trees and Shrubs
More importantly, you need to take appropriate steps to clean the trees and shrubs from your yard. It’s imperative that you clear the area on a consistent basis and prevent it from getting too cluttered.
Over the passage of time, you will notice the yard getting full of branches and things that are left on the ground. These serve as makeshift coverings for frogs and other insects, so it’s important for you to make sure that you keep the space as clean as possible.
Feed Your Pets Inside
This one is pretty obvious: avoid giving food to your pets outside your house, especially in the yard. When you feed animals outside, it attracts different kinds of rodents.
In turn, this is going to attract snakes in your area. If you have no other choice but to feed the pets outside, you should always make sure to clean the area when your cat or dog is done eating.
Also, make sure you store the food for your dog or cat in a secure metal can that has an air locking lid. This is imperative because the scent might attract other snakes.
Always Store Your Firewood or Lumber Inside
If you have a small shed where you store all of your firewood, it’s a wise idea to ensure that you keep the place tightly locked. More importantly, if you can build a small shed indoors, even better.
This is not something that you should compromise upon. Don’t leave the firewood out in the yard, as this provides ideal cover for snakes to hide in.
Always Seal Cracks in Your Foundation or Sidewalk
Snakes are incredibly agile, and they can easily identify small spots and holes in the foundation of your house. It won’t take long before they are able to find shelter in small cracks in the sidewalk or in the foundation.
More importantly, you should consider getting an energy audit done every now and then. It’s a fairly simple solution that will help you identify all kinds of cracks in your foundation and sidewalk and get them fixed before it can turn into a major problem.
Your utility bills will also decrease as a result!
All of the things mentioned above are just a few things that you should consider doing to keep snakes away from your yard. It’s important for you to make sure that you clean the yard on a consistent basis to get rid of any snakes that might be wandering about.
These are just a few things that you should know about dealing with snakes.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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