Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Snake control

I have a lot of snakes in and around the pond. Not really sure what all I have. I know of several gardner snakes, and there is a lot of black snkaes. I have removed 3 in the last month from the house, so the wife isn't too happy, the 3rd one just a few minutes ago. What can I do to get my snake situation under control?

Toolmaan,

I don't know if this really works, or if it just seems to, but . . .

CATS. Cats really seem to discourage snakes from being around. For one thing, they catch what the snakes like to eat.

FOWL. Guinea hens and peacocks both seem to think of snakes as delicacies. It's very interesting to watch chickens gather around an unfortunate snake. They will literally harass it to pieces.

So, there are a few ideas.

Ken

The only ones we kill are the ones that get too numerous. In our area, that's brown and diamond back water snakes. All others are far too scarce to do any harm to the fish. I never kill one as a kneejerk reaction. I always think about, and make a rational decision to do it. SOme snakes are good to have. For example, the crawfish snakes help control the crawfish chimneys, and the red and black mud snakes control the siren. King's favorite prey is rattlesnakes and copperheads, which aren't welcome around our pond.

I'm glad the wife and me aren't afraid of snakes. They're part and parcel to a pond... or any area where there's plenty of food. It's a sign of a healthy pond, actually.

I have 2 cats, they are basically outside cats and do help with rodent population, and they like to play with small snakes. I am sure without them I would see a lot more snakes. I may have to get another cat for the house.

I have a Jack Russell that hunts snakes like nobody's business.

Over the last 5 years, I have gone through 13 cats on my place. I haven't ever found remains, so I am guessing when the snake is faster than them they just wander off and die. The neighbors average killing between 10 and 20 snakes a year and I have yet to see one. I told the wife to stop naming them so we now have #9 and #13 outside.

No kidding???? My wife would blast a hole right through my guts with her own (weak and smallish) body to get out of our house if a snake appeared inside...

I mow pretty close to the pond's edge and between that, the geese, a few GBH's (I know, that's sacreligous) and the 12 gauge snake charmer, I hardly see any snakes in either pond anymore.

The wife also makes me mow nearly 2 acres...snakes don't really care for open grass either. Too may hawks, feral cats, possums, skunks, etc. around for them to live too long.

My cousin got a phone call at work from his wife asking him what she should do if she saw a snake. He told her to shoot it with the shotgun. She asked him if he was sure and he said yes. She hung up the phone. When get gets home from work there is an 8 inch diameter hole in the living room floor and the back half of the snake on the edge of the hole. She wouldn't touch it to take it outside. True story.

I've killed over 2 dozen cotton mouths in my pond this year. Water snakes and corn snakes are far more numerous.

I must be a good year for them. I have killed 7 in one day from around my pond.

At least 2 (confirmed) here of the poisonous type and a couple that may have been innocent but failed to halt when ordered to do so!

Well I think I have it under control in the house, haven't seen any since I posted. I bought some stuff called snake stopper, seems to be working. I have killed 2 others outside, I don't mind having them, I just don't want tons of them.

Has anyone ever ate snake??

Tastes just like Bull Frog legs!!!