Females lay between 20-40 eggs in a clutch.
Most live-bearing snakes produce moderate numbers of young, numbering between 10 and 30. However, some species produce very large litters. Diamondback water snakes (Nerodia rhombifer) sometimes produce more than 40 young.
They then slither back into their burrows and coil around their egg clutch, keeping it warm throughout the night. After the snakelets are born, they do the same thing, keeping their 40 to 50 babies warm for about two weeks before saying sayonara.
Snakes that lay eggs have babies that hatch in late summer and fall; those that do not lay eggs hold their babies in the body and give live birth in late summer and fall.
The Red-Bellied Black Snake is the only member of the black snake family which gives birth to live young: an adaptation which has allowed this species to live in the much cooler southern climates than its close relatives.
Baby snakes tend to be independent almost immediately after birth. Some stay near their mothers initially, but adult snakes do not provide protection to their offspring. As such, young must capture their own food to survive.
Examine areas where you've seen snakes and look for holes in the ground that might indicate a nest. You shouldn't try to deal with these spots yourself, but you can make a note of them for when a pest control company arrives. Remember that snakes prefer damp, cool, and dark areas.
If you find a dry, scaly sheet of the skin or a crumpled heap somewhere close to an entrance into the walls of your home or small space areas. If you are inspecting a dusty area or crawl space, you might notice slither tracks that indicate where a snake has traveled. Snakes have a distinctive smell that is noticeable.
Vinegar: Vinegar is effective at repelling snakes near bodies of water including swimming pools. Pour white vinegar around the perimeter of any body of water for a natural snake repellent.
When it's cooler, snakes are typically out moving. Just because you see one does not mean there are more. If you see 6+ babies or adults in the same location in a short amount of time, then you have a problem.
Snakes enter a building because they're lured in by dark, damp, cool areas or in search of small animals, like rats and mice, for food. Snakes can be discouraged from entering a home in several ways. Keeping the vegetation around the house cut short can make the home less attractive to small animals and snakes.
Spotting a snake
The only way people will know whether there is a snake in their house is by seeing it, Sollenberger said. Snakes don't really have an odor and don't really make sounds so it would be impossible to smell them or hear them.
What are the typical hiding places for a snake in a house? Snakes look for a place where they feel protected, which is why it can be difficult to find a snake once one has entered your home. Snakes will hide behind the refrigerator, under the oven, under your bed, or inside cabinets.
Ammonia is a common snake repellent. Snakes hate the smell of ammonia and won't come near it. Soak rags in ammonia and place them in unsealed plastic bags. Leave the bags where you usually see snakes to keep them away.
Calcium cyanide is a good chemical for killing snakes taking refuge in burrows, while there are several gases that sometimes work in fumigating dens.
There are many scents snakes don't like including smoke, cinnamon, cloves, onions, garlic, and lime. You can use oils or sprays containing these fragrances or grow plants featuring these scents.
The newest evidence comes from a paper in Applied Animal Behavior Science, which found that dogs can smell the difference between a venomous rattlesnake and a harmless boa, but they find the smell intriguing rather than terrifying.
A: No, most breeds cannot smell reptiles. Only the breeds with the most developed sense of smell—retrievers, Blood hounds, Bassets, Beagles — are able to detect snakes merely by smell.
While it has been proven that snakes can detect menstruation, Breitweiser explained that overall, a reptile's ability to sense menstruation depends on their sense of smell.
According to experts, unfortunately, it can happen. Not only can snakes come up through the toilet, but other critters like rats, squirrels, and tree frogs can too. However, this is not a very common occurrence, so you can breathe a sigh of relief.
Snakes are most active at night and during early morning and late evening hours, the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension says. One of the most common species of snakes isn't venomous at all.
Predators. The species' known predators include birds of prey and feral cats.
Relocating snakes short distances is ineffective because they will likely find their way back to their home range. If you have one snake in your yard, that means there are others around! Removing one or more snakes often creates a false sense of security.