Make Your Yard Less Attractive to Snakes

• 1
  Long grass gives snakes cover to hunt and hide.snake image by Anton Chernenko from Fotolia.com
  
  Remove possible hiding places for snakes. While snakes will travel through and soak up sun in open areas, they also seek places to hide, rest and shelter safely. Don't provide these; keep grass short, clear out heavy foliage, prune bushes and move wood piles to the edge of your yard, well away from your house.
  
  
• 2
  Many snakes prey on mice.Mouse image by pioregur from Fotolia.com
  
  Reduce snakes' natural prey. Snakes eat insects and rodents, and while you can't get rid of these kinds of pests entirely, keeping your yard clean, debris-free and well-maintained will decreased their numbers, too.
  
  
• 3
  Cats are natural predators of snakes, rodents and insects.cat image by Maciej Syrek from Fotolia.com
  
  Consider getting an outdoor cat or dog that will prey on insects, rodents and nonvenomous snakes. While you don't want to expose a pet to venomous snakes, a cat or dog such as a terrier can be a powerful ally.
  
  
• 4
  Snake-proof fencing should have no gaps or holes.Broken Fence image by Towards Ithaca from Fotolia.com
  
  Build a snake-proof fence. To be most effective, the fence should be set several inches into the ground, reinforced with very fine wire mesh, be at least 2 feet tall and slope slightly inward. Also make sure the area around the fence is clear of branches and brush that would provide another way for snakes to access your yard.
  
  
• 5
  Find out about snakes in your area.snake image by jovica antoski from Fotolia.com
  
  Do some research to identify venomous and nonvenomous snakes in your area, and consider allowing the nonvenomous snakes to stay. Not only will they help control insects, mice, rats and other animals you might regard as pests, but they eat the same food as venomous snakes---so their presence might be a strong deterrent against venomous snakes taking up residence.