Post date: Mar 29, 2020 10:52:51 PM
The Season and the Snake
It is the season when weather warms up, and snakes that have been hibernating will get out to feed, find a girl, and make babies.
Here are 10 tips to help you. Do not panic, they aren’t out to get you as you are not their prey.
1. Understand their habitat. They need a thick cover and a place to hide. Keep your yard clear of piles of leaves, sticks and plant debris. Neatly crush and compost leaves inside a wire bin. Dispose sticks outside or convert to ash. Compost plant debris. Crush and compact stuff lying around, and bin it to decay.
2. Do not rip black landscape cloth or cardboard without caution. The warmth makes it a habitat for all animals including snakes, that can hide below it.
3. If you have ivy ground cover, you have a snake habitat already.
Keep off that area and teach children to stay away. Do not grow an ivy patch in the middle of your yard. Clear it if you don’t care for it much.
4. Snakes hear every little vibration and noise at the ground level. If you make it a habit to walk around your yard, and ensure clear walking paths, they will know your territory. They won’t cross paths.
5. Tiny brown snakes that hatch by mid spring, don’t even grow bigger and they have no history of biting anyone. But they will eat snails and slugs in your yard. Be thankful and let them be. They will live under stones and small leaf piles.
6. Clear your beds of leaves and mulch. Enable your soil to breathe and warm up. Your spring garden must be clean, clear and free of debris.
7. Do not put your hands or legs in places you can’t see. Make it a habit. Always use a rake to clear under bushes, trees and large plants.
8. If you see a snake, walk away. Do not kill or disturb. They will mostly come out for the sun and the warmth. Expectant mothers need even more warmth.
9. Do not throw food and scraps, bird feed and seeds in the yard. Cover and compost all food waste. Rats, moles and other animals will come for such food and snakes will follow them.
10. Spring cleaning is a ritual for ensuring the yards do not have debris and habitats for breeding snakes. Clear before Spring arrives.
Sighting a snake sends a shiver done most spines. Including mine, though I try to be brave. Larger animals coming to your yard can be managed only by managing habitats and territories. Mark yours, walk and make it known you are around, and that silent undisturbed zone of your yard, you want to let it lie.