Statistics show that a large percentage of all bites takes place near
the home and more than a few of these are inflicted upon small children
playing in their yards. Therefore, let us consider first the possible
presence of poisonous snakes around the home and some precautions that
can be taken to keep them away.
Each year Texas zoos receive calls from distressed home owners within
city limits who have discovered rattlesnakes or copperheads under their
houses or beneath trash piles on their property. These people ask for
assistance in the removal of the snakes or for advice which may prevent
similar future invasions. The trespassing snake often can be disposed of
quickly, but the removal of one snake does not always solve the problem.
Something must be done to discourage other snakes from taking residence
on the grounds.
The steps to be taken are simple; chief among them is the removal of all
rubbish. Rock piles, trash piles, stacked lumber, tree stumps and other
forms of debris near or under houses often harbor rats and mice which
form the principal food of most snakes. In addition, this trash
furnishes cover for the reptiles and offers them protection from enemies
and bad weather. Therefore, if all rubbish is removed from the premises,
the food and shelter which attract snakes are largely eliminated and the
snakes are forced to seek a more suitable environment. Dense, low
growing plants may also supply cover for snakes.
Finally, the removal of rubbish and dense vegetation enables the
homeowner to easily see and destroy poisonous snakes that may be
present. In settled areas, however, where poisonous snakes are
particularly abundant and present a serious problem, it may be necessary
to take further protective measures.
Dr. C. M. Bogert of the American Museum of Natural History has suggested
the use of a quarter-inch mesh wire fence to keep snakes off residential
property. This yard-high, snake-proof fence is placed around the house
in much the same manner as an ordinary picket fence, except that the
bottom must be set about six inches into the ground to prevent snakes
forcing their way beneath it. In addition, all gates must be provided
with close-fitting sills on the bottoms and sides to insure a completely
tight enclosure.
Experiments with fences of this kind were made to determine their
effectiveness and to seek possible improvements in their construction,
with the result that one important change was made. Copperheads and
small rattlesnakes could not get over the vertically-straight fence, but
a six-foot rattlesnake used in the experiment was able to climb over it.
When the same fence was tilted outward at a 30-degree angle, not even
the largest snake was able to reach the top. Although such fences are
expensive and difficult to keep in good repair, they may be desirable
under some circumstances.
A less costly method of keeping snakes away from residential property
has been proposed by the manufacturers of a new chemical that allegedly
repels and kills snakes. The product, a granular material with a civet
musk odor, is reported by its distributors to kill a snake less than two
feet in length if it is exposed longer than 20 seconds. Preliminary
tests made at the Houston Zoo indicate that, in spite of claims to the
contrary, the material had little effect on the snakes used. Each of
more than a dozen different specimens, including examples of all the
local poisonous kinds, unhesitatingly crawled through a wide barrier of
the repellent that was poured on the ground. In some instances, the
snake’s tongue contacted the granules, but none of the test reptiles
showed any ill effects from exposure to the chemical. While these crude
tests are certainly not conclusive, it would seem advisable to use
commercial repellents with some reservations until they can be proved
effective. Meanwhile, we can still prevent most snake bites by observing
a few simple safe practices.