Snakes are something that I will never want to see in or around my home. Even if I know that most species of snakes are non-venomous, but still the very sight of snakes give me goosebumps. And, I am sure this is the case with most of us. Most snakes have nothing to do with humans and that, they come out in the open in search of their food but while doing that, they at times come in or around your household and scare the hell out of you. Actually, they themselves get scared and in defense, they often attack humans which at times get deadly. Therefore, to avoid such situations, you can use snake repellents to repel them out of your home and gardens. And if you are not sure how then continue reading this post. As today I am sharing some easy and interesting tips on how to keep snakes out of your house and garden easily. So, if you are scared to face snakes and never want to see them in and around your home just like me, then this is the post worth reading.
The conflict between the humans and the snakes is quite ancient with sometimes us becoming the victim while at other times, it is the snake. In short, we and the snakes can never live together in one space. So it is always preferable to avoid such conflicting situations. And, in order to do that, you can always take the help of the natural remedies that acts like a good snake repellents.
How to Keep Snakes Out of Your House and Garden Easily
Of course,
there are many commercial chemical-based products available in the market to
kill snakes but I always prefer to use techniques that will keep them away from
your home and not things that can take their lives. After all, they attack you
only if they are threatened by you and in most cases, they are non-venomous.
So, why kill innocent, instead use the tricks so that they do not even come
near your home and garden.
Another more
important reason why I do not like the commercial products is because they are
chemicals which can also have harmful side effects on humans. Starting from
allergies to breathing troubles to long term health complications, there can be
several adverse outcomes if you are exposed to such chemicals. So, it is better
to avoid them and use the natural hacks to keep snakes away from your home and
garden.
Here’s how to keep snakes out of your home and garden
Your home is
the safest place on Earth but with snakes around, your existence will not be
safe. Even if they are non-venomous, the very fear of them getting near your
home or even entering inside your home can take the peace out of your life. So,
if you often spot snakes in and around your home and garden, then here’s how you
can keep snakes out of your home and garden easily.
Start by cleaning the yard
The first
thing that I am going to recommend you is to keep your garden as clean and
uncluttered as possible. This is very much needed because a dirty garden full
of tall grasses, stacks of junk, brush piles etc. will become the natural
habitat for the mice, rats and other insects which fall in the list of favorite
foods for the big snakes. So, if you want to eliminate the fear of snakes
coming in or around your house and garden, then make sure to keep it clean and
organized. The garden has to be well organized with no junks out there and
trees and bushes properly pruned. Also, if your garden is unclean and messy, it
will be hard for you to spot the snakes and then you may accidentally come
close to it and end up being attacked.
Moreover, besides the problem of snakes, it is nice to see a good well-maintained garden in front/back of the home. So, please do take a little effort and utilize your gardening skills. However, if you are bad in gardening and wondering how you can get things done easily, then here’s a detailed post on garden maintenance that you may like to check.
Get rid of the pests
Common pests can invite snakes to your garden and may be home and hence it is seriously important to get rid of pests to keep snakes away. Apart from being unhygienic, pests can easily invite snakes inside your garden and home. So, make sure that you keep your home very clean and use the natural disinfectants and other tricks to keep your home pest free.
And, if none of your
natural means are working in favor of you, please do not hesitate to call pest
exterminators for help. Well, you might have to spend a few bucks for pest
control, but I think it is far better than living in a home with pests and snakes
around.
Get rid of damp and wet areas
Snakes love to stay in
cool and damp places so it is very essential for you to keep your home and the
areas surrounding it dry. The inside of the home you can control the
temperature by turning on your air conditioner time to time and then by sealing
all the water leaks. As far as the places around your home are concerned, you
need to be careful with them.
It is advisable that
you do proper investigation of your home and if you see drainage issues, fix
them fast. Then trim the shrubs, removes all of the remains of the last years
leaves and also see to it that there are no sources of standing water like slow
draining flower pots, bird baths etc. In short, you will have to eliminate all
water sources and allow entry of sunlight in order to keep the surrounding area
dry and that may help in keeping snakes away from your house and garden.
Seal entry points
Make sure that all of
the entry points are sealed in order to not let the snakes enter into your
home. This is really important and it is advisable that you check your home
properly and do that ASAP. Snakes are really good in fitting themselves
perfectly into tight spots so you need to seal even the smallest holes and
cracks.
Also, check for all of
the drains and the vents in the kitchen, bathroom, HVAC etc. and cover them
with screens otherwise they could become the potential entry points for the
snakes.
Mulch up with sharp materials
If there are specific
areas where you want to avoid the entry of the snakes like flower beds,
vegetable garden etc., then you can get it done by mulching up all of the sharp
materials like rocks chips, pine cones, rose bush clippings, egg shells etc.
This is because these items will make it very uncomfortable for the snakes to
slither over and hence, they will avoid going that way.
Use naphthalene
Naphthalene is a good
snake repellant that can help you to keep snakes away from your home and garden
easily. Place them at important places in and around your home from where the
snakes might enter. You may even keep them in a porch. This method is very
effective for preventing the entry of snakes in the garden and home.
However, the only
problem with this is that the smell of the naphthalene is quite pungent and
will linger around for a long time. If you are OK with that, then go for it.
Garlic/Onion is worth trying
Most of us use garlic
and onions on a daily basis and so I am sure you can easily use them as snake
repellants. The reason why they are so effective is because the mixture of
garlic and onion generates sulfonic acid which makes the humans cry but for the
snakes, it is something which completely puts them off. So, you can definitely
give is a try and it’ll help you to keep snakes away from your house and
garden.
You can make garlic
repellant as well by mixing it with the rock salt and then using it to mark the
perimeter around your home making it very difficult and unfavorable for the
snakes to cross the boundary. You may even spray garlic oil in areas and make
the environment around your home unfavorable for the snakes to create a
habitat.
Use vinegar
Vinegar is another important
ingredient in your home because not only does it help in keeping your home
clean but it is also one of the recommended ingredients that can help you to keep
the snakes out of your home. All you need to do is to pour some white vinegar
around your home and also around your pool area. This will work because the body
of the snakes usually absorbs liquids, so they will find it really hard to
slither over the vinegar.
Lime mixture
You can make a natural
snake repellant using lime mixed with peppermint or hot pepper and then pour it
into the perimeter around your complex. Snakes hate the smell and the fumes
causes itchiness on their skin, so they will not try to come near your home.
Cinnamon and clove oil
The next remedy to keep
snakes away from your house and garden is to use a blend of the cinnamon and
the clove oil. This trick has been in use for quite a long time to repel snakes
as when it is sprayed on a snake, it immediately flees. So, for the benefits,
you can take a spray bottle and pour a mixture of cinnamon and clove oil in it
and then spray the mixture in all the nooks and the corners of your home.
Although it is a short-term solution, but it usually work well and hence you
may like to try this remedy to keep snakes away from house and garden.
Snake repellant plants
There are some plants
which repel the snakes, so you can definitely consider planting them in your
garden. These plants will not kill the snakes but will definitely create an
unfavorable and uncomfortable environment for them which will automatically
make them shift to some other place.
Listed below are a few
of such plants.
West
Indian Lemon grass- This plant is helpful for repelling the snakes because it
has a citrus scent which the snakes absolutely hate. So, plant it in your
garden. There is not much to do in maintaining it. You just have to water it
time to time.
Tulbaghia
Violacea- If you live in hot climate, then it is easy for you to go for this
plant as it survives in hot temperatures. Snakes do not like the smell of it so
you can easily keep it inside your home or out in the yard to get rid of the
snakes. Moreover, this plant is quite useful in curing cold and coughs so
keeping it is doubly advantageous for you.
Mugwort-
Often known as the wormwood due to its wooden roots, this plant makes the
snakes very uncomfortable so you can definitely take the help of it.
Over to you
Snakes are not at all
welcomed inside or around your home. After all they pose a lot of threat not
just for you but for the pet birds and chickens as well. So, you should try out
ways to avoid the entry of them near your home. Obviously market based products
are available but they themselves are harmful for your health, so it is best to
try out other ways that are natural and safer.
I have already given
some easy to apply tips on how to keep snakes out of your home and garden. I am
sure these remedies will work in repelling snakes from your home and garden and
you will be able to avoid frequent encounters with the snake around your home.
I have myself used some
of these hacks and trust me, they work. Now, it is your turn to try and see the
results for yourself. Do let me know your feedbacks regarding it after using
them and if you know any other natural tricks or hacks to keep snakes out of home,
then do let us know by commenting below.
And finally, if you
liked this post, please share it with others so that others also get to know
about the methods to drive snakes away from their homes.
Until then, stay safe and do not let the snakes come inside or around your home.
