How to scare away snakes from a summer cottage - all known methods

Due to climate change, environmental deterioration and human activity, reptiles are increasingly forced to leave their usual habitats. Meeting a snake near a summer house or in a garden is a fairly common occurrence today, and many summer residents want to find the most effective way to get rid of snakes on their property. This question is especially relevant if the dacha is located next to a river, lake, forest or abandoned area.

Snakes and vipers are becoming more and more frequent guests of front gardens and vegetable gardens

Reasons for the appearance of snakes in summer cottages

Recently, humans have been constantly invading the natural habitat of flora and fauna: new areas are being developed, causing the breakdown of familiar ecosystems. This causes wild animals to constantly invade living spaces. There is food nearby that does not need to be obtained. Snakes feed on rodents and insects, and bird eggs. Any farmstead abounds in all of these. If its owners do not care about controlling the number of rodents, if there is a chicken coop or dovecote on the territory, you can expect an invasion of uninvited guests.

Snakes love to live in compost pits, piles of dumped garbage, and bushes of overgrown bushes. When areas are abandoned, ideal conditions are created for their reproduction. If the owners regularly clean their territory, mow the tall grass, and monitor the condition of the bushes, the snakes will have nowhere to hide from the rays of the scorching sun. They are very afraid of them. The constant noise and vibrations created by the lawn mower will scare away reptiles.

Heaps of garbage on the site are the best shelter for snakes Source ogurcy-v-teplice.com

Another source of potential danger is the close proximity to undeveloped territory (forest, steppe field, owners of abandoned cottages). Here you need to know thoroughly how to deal with snakes in your summer cottage, what means are best to use for this. Such a housing arrangement promises a lot of trouble, which is why it is so important to be fully prepared at all times.

It is rare, but it also happens, when snakes are brought onto a site along with construction materials. It is difficult for owners of plots near which new horizons are being developed. In this case, the reptiles escape by moving from the dangerous zone to quieter places, farther from the construction site. When deciding how to remove snakes from your summer cottage, it is important to find out what they are most afraid of. This will help you navigate and choose the most suitable product.

The hedgehog is the main enemy of snakes Source petlike.me

The main enemy of creeping creatures is hedgehogs. By feeding them, you don’t have to worry about reptile bites. In ancient times in Hungary, villagers placed bowls of beer or wine around the perimeter of their plots. It turns out that hedgehogs love such drinks even more than milk. An animal, being under the influence, turns into a real predator, capable of tirelessly fighting creeping reptiles. Whether it's a myth or true, it's hard to say until you try it.

Scientists have long figured out what exactly snakes are afraid of. Most of all, it turns out, they are repelled by strong odors (both chemical and natural), as well as loud noise. That is why, if lawn mowers or generators are running frequently, there is no need to be afraid of intrusion. The best remedy for snakes in the area is loud music, loud human voices. Hang bells on tree branches; with any wind blowing, they will begin to create a chime that will definitely scare away snakes from the inhabited area.

Bells singing in the wind will scare away snakes Source i-exc.ccm2.net

They also hunt snakes and domestic animals. Cats and dogs are capable of killing a reptile, but only if they have great strength and large body mass. Before allowing such competitions, it is necessary to weigh and realistically assess the strengths of the two sides. A small pet, accustomed to living on a soft cushion, cannot be pitted against a large poisonous viper.

What to do if bitten by a snake - first aid

A snake will never be the first to attack you; it will hiss in advance and try to crawl to the side. But if you step on it or accidentally touch it, it will make a lightning-fast attack and bite. Sometimes people do not notice the moment of the bite, only a moment later they see the snake crawling away from them. Most often, bites occur on the arms or legs. Bites to the neck and head are life-threatening.

Viper venom contains a cytotoxin that attacks the nervous system. Other poisonous substances cause blood clotting disorders and contribute to tissue death.

Bite symptoms

Two small puncture wounds remain on the skin where the snake bit. If the bite is from the side or the viper has one poison-conducting tooth, one puncture remains.

Immediately after the bite, intensely increasing severe pain is noted. Immediately the skin in this area turns red and swells. The swelling spreads quickly upward from the wound. Symptoms of general intoxication do not appear immediately, about half an hour after the bite. Weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting gradually develop. Tachycardia, shortness of breath, a state of lethargy develop, blood pressure drops, and the temperature may rise. Possible fainting. In the first three days, blisters and hemorrhages in the skin and mucous membranes appear on the skin.

In severe cases, there is excitement followed by lethargy, heart rhythm is disturbed, breathing is difficult, and bleeding occurs. And as complications, seizures, changes in liver and kidney functions. The development of complications depends

• from the site of the bite,
• the size of a reptile
• height and weight of the victim,
• state of health at the time of the bite of the victim.

Consequences of a snake bite

Deaths from viper bites are rare, no more often than from bee stings. However, being its victim is quite unpleasant and painful. Moreover, if the poison immediately enters the bloodstream, the symptoms develop very quickly, and the consequences in this case are more serious.

First aid not provided on time can subsequently cause complications from the cardiovascular system and other organs.

How to give first aid

• First of all, calm down or reassure the victim - everything has already happened;
• Squeeze the blood out of the wound; along with it, the poison that has not yet been absorbed may come out. Sucking poison from a wound with your mouth is a rather controversial action. However, if there are no wounds in the oral cavity, then no later than 10–15 minutes after the bite, the blood along with the remaining poison is sucked out from the wound and spat out. Even if a small amount of poison enters the stomach, it is neutralized under the influence of hydrochloric acid.
• Treat the wound with any disinfectant except vodka and alcohol;
• To prevent the poison from spreading further through the circulatory system, try to move less. For this purpose, lay the victim down, limit any movements in the limb;
• If possible, to slow down the absorption of the poison, place any cold object on the wound;
• Give the victim more of any warm liquid;
• Get the victim out of the forest as quickly as possible, or call an ambulance right away. Introducing anti-snake serum as early as possible will help avoid serious complications, and recovery will be faster

Good luck to you and stay healthy!

More effective ways to fight

Not everyone knows how to drive snakes away from their summer cottage, so many people prefer to involve special services to solve this problem. But calling a herpetologist to your home every time to catch one snake is expensive. Such a visit is not always able to get rid of creeping reptiles once and for all: if you catch one, the next snake may crawl out of the forest in a day, two, or a week. Professional cleaning of the site and surrounding area helps. Such work is expensive, but the investment is fully repaid with peace of mind for the health of family members.

Herpetologists are specialists who can help in the fight against snakes Source pixanews.com

See also: Catalog of popular plots in the Moscow region for the construction of a country house

Manufacturers of repellent devices can tell you how to protect your area from snakes. There are different models on sale, but they all have the same effect: the devices produce noise, vibration or ultrasound. They are installed in places where evil spirits can possibly settle (near compost pits, dumped boards, garbage heaps).

Finding a suitable device will not be difficult if you know who exactly to scare away. For example, a viper is not afraid of ultrasound, but it crawls away when it feels strong vibrations on its way. In order to use repellent devices, you need to know what type of snake lives in your neighborhood and what model of the device is suitable for achieving your goals.

Repellent devices in the fight against creeping creatures Source images.kz.prom.st

Necessary Precautions

If you suspect the presence of scaly insects on the territory of your garden plot and in the process of combating them, you should strictly adhere to the safety rules:

• wear high rubber shoes and watch where you step;
• do not try to catch reptiles yourself;
• do not pick up snake slithers or dead reptiles with your bare hands - their smell lingers on the skin for a long time and can lure their relatives;
• make more noise when walking, allowing the snake to crawl out of the way;
• Do not tease the snake - do not poke it with a stick, do not throw stones, etc.

Homemade fencing and special traps

Physical pressure is most effective in the fight against cold-blooded reptiles. The easiest way to protect yourself from unwanted intrusion is to build a fence around the perimeter of the site. The best way to create it is a mesh woven from galvanized steel. The cell size should not exceed 6 mm. The snake will not be able to crawl if the height of the fence is more than 80 cm. To prevent the formation of accessible cracks, it is advisable to bury the lower part of the fence in the ground to a depth of 15 cm.

The posts for tensioning the mesh should be located on the inside of the fence. Then the snake will not be able to use the pillars to overcome the obstacle that has grown in front of it. Any fence must have a gate. They are the most vulnerable point of the fence. It is important to ensure that they are constantly closed, that their design does not have any gaps, and that there are no foreign objects on the outside. You need to constantly mow the grass around the perimeter of the fence.

Mesh fence is the best means of protection Source getfencingunlimited.com

See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in the sale of land plots

Anyone who is closely familiar with the habits of animals knows how to deal with snakes on the site using homemade traps. Among them there are models that do not kill crawling creatures, but only deprive them of the ability to move. You can make one of them yourself by buying double-sided adhesive paper at a hardware store and taking a piece of plywood or straight board.

One side of the paper is glued to a solid base, and the trap is installed along the place where the reptile was spotted. She, crawling along the beaten path again, will definitely stick. This method of capture is suitable for those who are not afraid of close contact with vipers. After all, you will have to come into contact with a live snake and take it outside the site. It can be released by pouring vegetable oil on the body. How the freed animal will react, the common man does not know. Therefore, this method of struggle is not suitable for everyone.

Velcro for catching snakes Source www.americanpestsupplies.com

Ready-made traps are available for sale. They are usually large in size. Sold as rugs or runners. With their help you can catch not only snakes, but also rats. To do this, you need to roll the base into a tube and put the bait inside. An animal that gets inside will definitely get stuck.

The Catchmaster 402 Baited Rat, Mouse and Snake Glue Traps Professional Strength is made from cardboard and very tacky glue. It is only suitable for catching small reptiles whose weight does not exceed 2 kg. It is useless to place it at random; first you need to observe and find out the main paths of movement of the object. One large grasshopper will do as bait.

Ready-made traps from the manufacturer Source e3.365dm.com

Another trap, “Humane Snake Trap by Snake Trap,” looks more solid. Its base is made of plastic. Inside it is a firmly attached adhesive tape. The device has a closed shape, so a cat or dog will not climb inside it. This is an advantage. The disadvantage is the high price. Many buyers note that buying several of these traps will be a little expensive; it’s easier to scatter cheap sticky tapes designed for catching mice around the area. It will be possible to kill two birds with one stone: catch the reptile and save money.

Snake habits

In order to avoid encountering a snake and attracting it to your site, you need to know their habits. In terms of habits, reptiles are similar to humans.

1. When there is prolonged heat, snakes seek shelter in cool places, in the shade, where the temperature is lower. In such cases, they can be found under bushes, among the tops of tall plants, and in the grass. It is possible that they can crawl into a house, basement, or barn.
2. After long cool days with prolonged rains, the reptiles crawl out to bask in the sun.
3. Snakes have very powerful senses. So if you kill a snake on your property, the killed snake must be taken away from the place where it was killed. Moreover, collect the soil in this place and also take it away from the site. And wash the murder weapon well with soap. There is a substance in the blood of a killed snake that resembles the smell of a snake during mating. Without doing this, you can get in return more than one viper crawling to this place.

Chemicals

Already understanding what snakes are afraid of in their summer cottage, it is not difficult to find poisons developed specifically for cold-blooded reptiles. This method of struggle has its pros and cons. Repellents are commercially available. There is a wide range of them, which makes it difficult to choose a specific product. You need to solve the problem by carefully studying the instructions for each drug.

Chemical repellents effective in fighting snakes Source vrednet.ru

So, for example, “Dr. T's 4-Pound Nature Products Snake Repelling Granules only repel rattlesnakes; it is useless against other species. The composition of the mixture is extremely simple. It contains 7% naphthalene and 28% sulfur. One sachet is enough to cultivate two hectares of land. The manufacturer is silent that the expected result can be achieved if the product hits the snake’s sensitive receptors directly. Simply put, it must manage to crawl through the scattered granules. This means that they must be dispersed very tightly.

Any, even the slightest rain can completely neutralize the chemical, so you have to treat the area again and again. Experts do not recommend scattering powder granules near discovered snake holes. This will cause the reptile to be locked up and not leave the house until he dies. Dog owners admit that this chemical cannot harm pets, but if children taste it, they will certainly be poisoned. Therefore, this must be taken into account when choosing this method of fighting snakes.

Products from manufacturers to repel snakes Source i.ebayimg.com

Rules of conduct when meeting a snake

Try to remain calm when you see snakes. Treat her the same way you would treat a cow or a bird. Don't panic, don't scream, don't wave your arms or make sudden movements. Snakes don't like to be disturbed. Therefore, when you see a snake, follow the rules.

• Better stop, give her way, let her crawl;
• If you encounter a snake on the path, stop, do not turn your back to it and do not move away from it abruptly. Just very slowly, without rushing, calmly move back from her, without making sudden movements. The viper has very poor eyesight, but it is very sensitive to movement. If you make sudden movements, she will definitely bite;
• When you see a snake in the water, remain calm, although this is quite difficult to do. In water the snake never bites;
• Do not catch small snakes, they have even more poison and it is more poisonous;
• When working on the site or going into the forest, wear rubber boots that will protect you from accidental contact.

Video description

The video tells how to drive snakes away from your summer cottage:

It scatters over the area, has an unpleasant, persistent odor, and is washed off by rain. Anyone who is looking for an answer to the question of how to drive snakes away from a summer cottage can use folk remedies of this type. But if the pellets get into the mouth of a pet or child, it will end badly. Therefore, aggressive preparations can be used where the site is still being developed and undergoing landscaping.

The rest can be advised to plant garlic along the fence, scatter mustard powder around the perimeter of the site, scatter mothballs and sulfur balls near the compost heap or in a destroyed bird's nest, install iron pinwheels on the ground (their blades will spin in the wind, transmit vibrations and scare away creeping guests).

The most common species of snakes in the middle zone

• Already;
• copperhead;
• Poloz;
• Viper.

The copperhead and snake are not poisonous, but their bite is still painful. Snakes love to eat frogs.

But a viper bite, if first aid measures are not taken, can lead to death. Vipers are most dangerous in the spring. During the spring months they are very active and aggressive.

The viper comes in different colors - from brown with zigzags to completely black. Snakes, snakes, and copperheads, which are not poisonous, are often mistaken for vipers. The only thing that is easily recognizable is that it has yellow spots on the sides of its head.

How to catch a viper in the country

To catch a snake at your dacha, and then remove it from the site, you can use such means as glue traps and cages.

The best option is a glue trap. It is larger in size than a rodent trap. This trap is made simply: from glue and cardboard. Such traps do not kill the snake, but simply deprive it of the ability to move for a short time.

Both glue traps and cages can be made independently or purchased in stores.

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