Of all pests to have in your home or yard, snakes have to be the worst. They’re scaly, have no legs, and are extremely intimidating and scary-looking. Those aspects make you wonder how in the world some people have them as pets, right? Nonetheless, if you’re someone who doesn’t find snakes appealing as pets, then the last thing you want is to find them in your home or yard.
The unfortunate aspect about snakes, especially as a Tennessee resident, is the fact that there are 34 native species of snakes in Tennessee. The good news (if you can even imagine) is that according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, out of the species in the state, only four are venomous. Those four venomous species include:
- The Copperhead
- Western Cottonmouth
- Timber Rattlesnake
- The Pygmy Rattlesnake
While you definitely don’t want to find any of the venomous snakes in or around your home, you don’t want to find any of the non-venomous snakes in or around your home either.
One of the key factors to preventing snakes from entering your yard or property is to first determine what could possibly attract them. What many fail to realize is that there are several features and attributes of your home and yard that attract these scaly creatures without you knowing it. A few attractors of snakes include the following:
- Mice/rats
- Leaf piles
- Bird baths
- Landscaping rocks
- Cracks or gaps in your home’s foundation
- Tall grass/shrubbery
If any of these attractors are currently part of your home’s yard or exterior, addressing these issues will lower the likelihood of attracting any of the Tennessee snake species to your home or yard. Your sense of relief is that addressing the issues listed above is a fairly easy fix and will undoubtedly eradicate any snake problems you’re having. Here’s what you need to do.
Get Rid of Mice Around Your Home
If you thought having a mice problem was an issue, wait until they start attracting snakes to your property– then you have a real problem on your hands! To get rid of snakes around your property, you’re first going to have to eliminate your mice or rat problem. Things like mousetraps work well if you have a few mice here and there. Mice also like to burrow holes underground to hide from their enemies, so if you start to notice holes in your yard, you can try covering and sealing up those holes with rocks or bricks to force them to find another place to live, other than your yard.
Of course, if you have a mouse or rat infestation going on in or around your home, the safest and most effective way to rid your property of them is with professional pest removal services.
Keep a Tidy Yard
Keeping a tidy yard includes eliminating leaf piles and trimming tall grass and shrubbery. If you’ve never done yard work or don’t do it too often, understand that it’s not a “one and done” type of task; it requires regular work, especially if you want to not only eliminate a potential mouse or rat infestation but to also get rid of snakes. If you’re not the yardwork type, hiring a professional landscaper will be one of the best investments you’ll ever make in your efforts to get rid of snakes. A professional landscaper will not only make your yard look great but it will also get rid of potential hiding places for snakes as well.
Keep Landscaping Rocks Away From Your Home
Landscaping rocks are most definitely an aesthetically pleasing visual for many homes, but if they’re up against your home, they’ll not only provide aesthetic appeal but also be appealing to snakes to hide inside. There’s nothing wrong with landscaping rocks, but you just want to make sure they are far away enough from your home; If they’re too close, snakes may be tempted to make their way inside your home while hiding out in the rocks.
Raise Your Birdbaths or Get Rid of Them
Unfortunately, water is a major attractor of many species of snakes (birds are an attractor as well). Therefore, when you eliminate water sources in your yard, you’re also eliminating the likelihood of snakes entering your yard. Birdbaths keep snakes cool and hydrated. If you don’t want to get rid of your birdbath, consider either raising it or moving it away further from your home. Your other option is to look at hanging birdbaths– this makes their water source not as easily accessible, which is better than making no efforts at all.
Fill Holes, Gaps, or Cracks in Your Home’s Foundation
Even the tiniest crack or gap in your home’s foundation gives all kinds of pests access inside your home, and the bigger cracks and gaps give snakes access. By sealing these openings, you’re eliminating their access, and that’s what you want. Experts state that snakes can get inside holes the size of a pencil!
What Will You Do About Snakes on Your Property?
Even with all these measures in place and your best efforts, there’s a chance you may not be able to fully get rid of snakes in your home or yard. Once you come to this realization, that’s when it’s time to contact snake specialists about snake removal.
At Complete Animal Removal, we understand the stress and frustration that comes with unwanted visitors to your home and yard, especially snakes, which is why we have specialists expertly trained to handle such nuisances. To start your snake removal services, call Complete Animal Removal today.