There are snakes in my garden. What to do?
By ruthsm
@ruthsm (222)
Thailand
August 1, 2010 5:45am CST
I've seen 8 snakes already, and they don't look the same so I'm sure there are more than one. In my country, we make sure we kill the snake for safety reason. Here in my host country, most people don't kill anything with life. So I guess they are shooing away snakes into my yard. But I have children to protect! We've seen 2 inside the house. One night when it was raining outside, my 10 year old girl stepped on a snake while she was washing dishes in the kitchen. Thank God she wasn't bitten. The snake just crawl under the sink cupboard and never seen since then.
I have a cat. I heard it can help scaring away snakes. but she's a gentle cat so I'm not sure she can fight with a snake. she can't even kill a cockroach! Very domesticated.
Today I went to ask advice from my local friend. She said, "oh you're lucky to have them because that means you're going to have more money. Snakes are good luck so welcome them like friends."
What's your opinion about having snakes in the house or garden?
4 people like this
19 responses
@sjlskl (3382)
• Singapore
1 Aug 10
Your girl is very lucky not to have been bitten. Maybe you can try putting sulphur powder around the house. Snakes are believed to be afraid of sulphur. As for your cat, she is lucky as well. If the snake happens to be a python and a hungry one, well.....
@ruthsm (222)
• Thailand
4 Aug 10
Thanks for your concern.
Thesids, I appreciate your kindness of helping me not worry some more.
sjlkl, yes, you're right. Gardening nowadays has become less enjoyable because snakes may appear anytime without any warning. I have a picture o one in coiling among the leaves and it's hard to spot the snake without looking closely. Yikes! But we have been careful of not letting them come into the house. Thanks for the your contribution to our discussion. Blessings!
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
2 Aug 10
that is what ran me out of florida. my whole yard kept being full of snakes and they came on the porch couple times. my little dog would chase them and i was concerned with our safety. so, my son talked me into moving here with him and now i regret it. its all the fault of the dam snakes i did put moth balls all around and it keeps them away until they melt. problem is moth balls are toxic to people and pets.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
2 Aug 10
btw, ive heard that farmers here sometimes get pigs. they will kill snakes but i wasnt allowed to have a pig
@syankee525 (6261)
• United States
1 Aug 10
one thing is moth balls, or go to the store not sure if they would have this or not stuff called snake away. or get a fake owl to put around your house should help too
@bloggeroo (2167)
• Philippines
1 Aug 10
You can use garlic to drive away the snakes. They hate the smell of garlic which they smell through their tongue.
Anyway, just put crushed garlic in places you suspect are hiding snakes so they'll leave. And you may want to leave them there until you're sure they're gone.
@kennzsniper (170)
• Philippines
1 Aug 10
It sounds to me like your domicile is a snake friendly habitat.
Think if it this way, why would a snake be there in the first place?
Most often that not snake are there due to they are comfortable with the habitat.
If you want to get rid of the snakes but not kill them, you can start be checking one the possible places where they can stay and get rid of them.
Cut tall grass, often they hid in them. Ensure that you get rid of rats. Rats are a major source of food for most snakes.
If you are in the country or a farm, make sure to elevate your livestock.
cheers.
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
3 Aug 10
Hi ruthsm, I believe snake would attack people only when its life is facing the risk to be hurt or killed or being attacked. And all living things have their respective equal right to survive in this planet. It's so fortunate that your young girl was safe from the attack of the snake though she stepped on it accidentally.
Earlier my husband did see snake crawled across our court yard several times years ago. Might be there were wild bushes surrounding a vacant house behind our house which was abandoned for quite some time. I believe it was a nice and safe shelter for the snakes as well as big lizard, etc. Snakes are no longer crawling across our house compound after the old ratty house and huge bushes were cleared thoroughly few years back
Have a nice day
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
10 Aug 10
I notice that when people are suggesting you kill the snakes it has a nasty feel to the suggestion. I know this is people's fear talking but I believe it's wrong to kill things out of hand. The snakes have been driven into your home for a number of reasons...budgies and rabbits while they are your pets, they are a food source to snakes. Snakes getting into your house would not happen if your house was properly secure.
If you don't want snakes, snake proof your house. You need to discourage them, not invite them in then kill them.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
1 Aug 10
I don't think it is kind to kill snakes. They are living animals. It is interesting that in the country you are living in the local people believe snakes mean you are going to have more money. Some snakes are harmless and other snakes can be dangerous. If I lived in a country which had snakes in my home and garden I would get the snakes moved to the countryside. I read an account written by a British nanny that had worked in the outback in Australia. She encouraged loud footprints to make the snakes move out of the children's paths. I am really glad the snake didn't bite your daughter.
@ruthsm (222)
• Thailand
4 Aug 10
Yes, it is interesting to know how the local people here view snakes as good luck. And it's even more interesting to know how myLotters have different ideas about snakes.
Back in my home country, some tribal groups in the mountains wear anklets with tiny bells so that they create noise when they walk up in the mountains and that scare snakes away.
thanks for your input in this discussion. I appreciate your contribution. Blessings!
@ybong007 (6643)
• Philippines
3 Aug 10
I hate snakes. I love to see them on discovery channel when they're on the wild but not in my backyard. If you are not allowed to kill snakes then all you need is a cat. our previous house was filled with snakes, it's because we live near lots of bamboos and there were several times that i see snake skin in our basement. There was even a time that i have to run out from the restroom because i saw a snake in the ceiling. And there was a time that i saw my cat playing with a snake right in our kitchen.
@allknowing (137379)
• India
1 Aug 10
I too get snakes in my garden occasionally but my pet alerts us no sooner she sees one. She does not go anywhere near them but from her bark we know that she has spotted a snake. We than chase it away. We never kill snakes.
@ruthsm (222)
• Thailand
4 Aug 10
It's good that your dog can guard you from snakes. I love gardening but I don't enjoy it whenever I think of snakes. I was alarmed one time when a snake came near my face while I was inspecting my orchids.
thanks for joining the discussion. i appreciate your input here.
@rhodzptc (1317)
• Philippines
2 Aug 10
I want to believe those superstitious belief because just a while ago I came across two big snakes on the road while walking with my fiance the snakes were in different places the other one is about 4 feet long while the other one is about 2 feet. I hope those superstitious belief are for real because when I got home and supposed to be sleeping I dusted my bed first and found out that there another snakes it was around 4-5 inches long it seems like a new hatch I'm so scared so I called the dog to show it the dog bite it and eat the snakes. So I guess that is the answer to your questions get a dog maybe one or two it wold help you to kill those snakes.
@ruth98 (106)
• Philippines
3 Aug 10
Hi, It's good your daughter was not beaten. We have snakes too in our garden, and we had to pull all of our green plant creepers that can camouflage the snakes. Sometimes we have big and sometimes small ones. Get a cat, a male one. Our male cat kill the small snakes that come to our garden. My hubby thought, one night, of what our cat was playing with, he thought it was a string, but it was moving, so he went to inspect closely and found out that our cat already chewed on to the snakes head but of course it's body is still moving.
Really sorry to say, But in our country, we have to kill the snake that get to our garden, because if we don't it come back and might bite us. Hospital here is to far away and no antidote. So, though it may seem cruel, but we have to protect ourselves from them cause they are very dangerous. I almost stepped on one of the snakes inside our kitchen. How it got there? We don't know. A very small gap in the door can let them in. Just be careful, make a noise when you walk so hate snake knows you are there. They don't really want to be in contact with us anyway. And call your animal office there, if the snakes are protected. take care
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
2 Aug 10
Snakes eat insects that eat your garden. Make friends with them and enjoy a bug-less garden full of nutritious veggies. Snakes are usually harmless, and if they are poisonous they are more afraid of you than you are of them. Find out what species they are before you get all excited and scared. You may find that none of them will bite!
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
1 Aug 10
Hey ruthsm,
Read your problem and was wondering if killing snakes was a solution! But many have objected to this (trying to be PETA Volunteers hehehe) but not getting them removed is not going to be safe either.
Here is what I think you should do - Hire the services of a Snake Charmer or People/Organizations who might be in your locality to catch the snakes and take them away with them.
But that is going to take some time. In the meantime for security purposes do this-
1. Avoid using the garden and keep an eye on your kid daughter as she is pretty young to defend herself against snakes or things like those.
2. Put a line of Bleaching Powder (it can be easily obtained from chemist's shops) at every opening that you have in your house towards your garden. The snakes will not cross this line and cone inside. (I saw this on Discovery some years back and even my neighbor uses this method when they have snakes in the rainy season)
These are not permanent solutions so you have to either kill the snakes or get someone to have them captured.
Stay Safe
@ANIME123 (2466)
• United States
2 Aug 10
Eeek snakes really they are so creepy I do not like them I fear them because I'm always scared to get bit by them. I don't know if the snakes in your garden are harmless or not, but either way if I saw snakes in my garden I would freak and call my dad because he is not scared of anything. In fact I always call my dad when I see a spider, other bugs, or reptiles because I feel safe when my daddy comes. Still I hope you get rid of those snakes in your garden soon, good luck.
@christiana81 (717)
• Romania
1 Aug 10
You must find if the sanakes are dangerous. If are call a profesional team to kill them!
@anmay007 (15)
• Vietnam
1 Aug 10
Simply, the snake find food for them to live and stay in your house. That is all. It is not relate to money or luck. Some snake have poison, some of them are not. The best way is catching them by tool and throughing it out of your house. May be they can hurt your baby.