I have lived in my house for almost 9 years.  I have a wooded lot on the backside.  I have NEVER seen a snake until last year. One came up to our door. I caught it, killed it, and took it to the zoo to be identified as it looked like a small rattlesnake.  It was a Dekay's or garden snake.

This past Saturday, my neighbor whose yard backs up to our lot found a snake in her yard.  On Sunday, my neighbor who lives two doors down got a present from her cat.  The cat caught a snake then brought it inside her house and gave it to her on her bed-it was ALIVE. It was caught and now lives in snake heaven or hell, whatever.

I saw one slither across the front yard today.

I have two young daughters who play outside ALL the time. One has sense to run, the other has watched TOO MUCH Bindy the Jungle Girl and The Croc Files, so she will hunt them down and try to pick them up.

Any advice on how to get rid of snakes.  If it were innocent garden snakes I would normally leave them alone but with the kids playing outside, I am concerned.

Thanks for any advice,
Nanci

The farm supply companys have a product called Snake away. Its suspost to repell snakes. But lime does the same thing. This is going to be a bad year for snakes and insects. I wish you luck. love, Miss mary

Hi Nanci,
My MIL swears by mothballs.. she puts them everywhere in the yard around her flowers that a snake can hide. I found a snake in my yard 2 years ago.. we also have a large wooded area behind our property.. I keep them under my screened in patio.. havent saw any since.
Love ya,
Michele

I am with Michelle on this one. Mothballs repel snakes. I don't know why..but they do. I lived on Green Mountain for years. Grandaddy swore by the mothballs. He put them out around the house perimeter and under the house. I never found a snake in my yard after that.
Try it..and keep a close eye on the girls!!

I agree with the mothball suggestion. When I was growing up, our house had fields on 3 sides of the yard. Harmless or not, we didn't want snakes and mothballs seemed to do the trick.

my two cents.....mothballs......yes the work....works to drive squirrels out of your attic too!

Hi Nanci,

Long absent OH member checkin' in... Hope you're doing well!

When I was eleven, and had just moved to the country in WV, my daddy came to me one day with his hands clasped together.  He said, "Tami, I have something for you, put your hands out."  I could see a tiny flicker of tail peaking out, and reached out, assuming it was a baby mouse or something like that.  Instead, he dropped a baby garter snake into my hands.  I was fascinated (and this was long before the days of Bindi!).  I kept the snake for a few weeks, but soon realized that I just wasn't up to catching enough bugs to keep him well-fed, so I let him go.  In the process, I learned not to be afraid of wildlife.  Cautious, yes!  My dad taught me what to look for to identify dangerous snakes, and I have a healthy appreciation for being super careful until I know what I'm dealing with. 

So, based on my experience I'd recommend two things:  First, please don't kill a snake unless you know there's a good chance that it's poisonous.  They really do have a place in our environment, and they're undoubtedly more afraid of you than you are of them.  Instread, grab a broom and swish 'em away.  Garden shops (and maybe hardware stores) carry products marketed to keep snakes away, but make sure you check them to see how they might impact other wildlife or pets!  Second, look up native snakes and teach your kids what to avoid.  Here's a good link (scroll to the bottom for the venomous snakes). 

http://dcnr.state.al.us/watchable-wildlife/what/Reptiles/Sna kes/

Tami

TAMI!!!
It is so good to "see" you here!  I missed seeing you at the Obesity Walk dinner but saw your presentation! You remain an inspiration! How are the spinning classes?

I garden and I know the DeKay's snake is helpful in eating grubs, slugs, and other bugs. It seems to be the prominate visitor around here.  According to the study I read last night, naphthalene doesn't kill snakes it just aggrevates the Jacobinson's nerve near the snakes tongue sensor and makes it want to "go away".  

I appreciate the link.  It will help with teaching us about what to look for and look OUT for! I have decided that in our next girl scout meeting, I am going to teach snake safety and snake first aid.   I agree with Ms. Mary, I think this spring is going to be terrible for snakes sightings.  Maybe I can prepare the girls (and myself) for the obvious.

When I got my first apartment, I had a small pet corn snake. I named her Tina (aka Serpentina).  She ate small feeder fish. I was never afraid of her but I had friends *****fused to come in my apartment unless she was secured in her aquarium. I finally gave her to Ed's pet store since I was never home to care for her.

Take care of yourself!  Are you still active in the support meetings?  It is difficult to get to them sometimes but I really would like to go. Maybe I will see you there!

Nanci

Awesome idea for Girl Scouts!  You might even want to consider taking them to the Wildlife Resource Center at Oak Mountain, if you haven't done that already.  I think that was my group's favorite field trip. 

I haven't been active over the last few months.  I had a challenging summer and fall, but things are turning around.  I missed that Obesity Walk dinner because my Mom died two weeks earlier, and right after that, during the first week of October (the week of the dinner), I develolped what the docs eventually diagnosed as Colitis (or Chrons).  After gallbladder surgery in December, the digestive issues have faded, and without the $600 per month meds prescribed by the GI doc!  So, I have to assume that my sick gallbladder was causing my issues. 

With my various life challenges, and reaching for too much comfort food, my weight's up about 15 lbs.  I realized that I've got to get back to giving and receiving support, which I think is so critical to long-term weight management.  So, I applied to become an OH Support Group Leader.  I've been accepted and trained, and now just need the group!  I've approached One Nineteen, where I work as a fitness instructor, to see if I can hold meetings in their conference room.  One reason that I'm back on OH is because I know this Alabama group will be incredibly valuable in preparing my resource manual for the new group. 

All my best,

Tami

Tami- Count me in!!!  I love Veronica Patterson at STVE but it is very difficult to get to there on Sat. mornings.  I live in Alabaster.  119 is closer and I have relatives who live in the area who could watch the girls while I am in support group.
Keep me updated, please!

Nanci

ps- Hope you feeling better. I am so sorry about the loss of your mother.