Natural repellents including sulfur, clove and cinnamon oil, and vinegar may help repel snakes. Pour these substances around the perimeter of your property, any place you have noticed snake activity.
Research has shown that cinnamon oil, clove oil, and eugenol are effective snake repellents. Snakes will retreat when sprayed directly with these oils and will exit cargo or other confined spaces when these oils are introduced to the area.
Ammonia: Snakes dislike the odor of ammonia so one option is to spray it around any affected areas. Another option is to soak a rug in ammonia and place it in an unsealed bag near any areas inhabited by snakes to deter them away.
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.
Do mothballs repel snakes? Moth balls are common old-time home remedy to keep snakes away, but this old wives' tale doesn't stand the test of science. Mothballs don't repel snakes. Snakes “smell” with their tongues, so methods like mothballs that rely on odors are unlikely to deter them.
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.
They will often avoid the strong odor of Irish Spring soap, so you can try to use the soap to repel snakes.
Haul off piles of leaves, weeds, brush, grass clippings, and unwanted vegetative material. Remove trash, clutter, junk and debris. Eliminating snake hiding places also removes rodent hideouts. Fill in any rodent holes or burrows in your yard with sod plugs or soil.
Snakes are at their most active when it's cool out. They move around most in the early morning and around dusk. Snakes hunt in tall grass, weeds, and other sources of vegetation. Around your home, they'll seek out shady or dark places where they can rest and cool down.
Victor Snake-A-Way repellent is proven to repel venomous and non-venomous snakes, including garter and corn snakes, from your property. The fast-acting formula uses a unique blend of ingredients that temporarily disrupt the snakes sensory receptors, causing them to flee the area in search of fresh air.
Mothballs and Cat Litter
Yeah it sounds crazy but according to some, 10 cups of cat litter and 10 cups of mothballs mixed together in a container and allowed to sit for 48 hours just might do the trick when trying to repel snakes.
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.
Use Natural Predators
Snakes have a few natural predators that can help keep them away. Common snake predators include cats, raccoons, pigs, turkeys, guinea hens, and foxes. Keeping any of these animals around your home will help deter snakes from coming near.
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.
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.
Since it's used to keep insects away, homeowners often wonder if lime can be used to keep larger pests away, including rodents and snakes. Some people believed that the strong smell would deter these animals. No evidence has been found, however, to indicate that lime is effective to keep certain types of wildlife away.
Human hair and rags soaked in ammonia are effective at keeping snakes away.
Snake activity picks up as temperatures fall in late summer and early autumn before they go into hibernation, which can be as early as September or as late as December.
These holes can be found embedded in grass, in piles of dirt or sand, or under piles of logs or sticks. Snake hole openings are circular but can range in diameter and depth due to the snake's size. There are a few things to look out for that can help determine if there are (or were) snakes living in the hole.