Any Help on getting rid of snakes??? UGH

[Chicken.Lytle]

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I agree with much of what you said, but there are two items I would like you to clarify.

Snakes do not remember food sources? Really? Is there some evidence of that? I can see how more primitive critters might live that way, but I am surprised to hear that snakes do not have memory.

Copperheads are not a threat? Why not? They are known to strike humans and they have venom. Not something I want in my yard, but again, I would like to know more about this and other ways of dealing with copperheads.

If snakes were not eating my eggs, I would be more amenable to having them around. But egg stealers, copperheads, and cottonmouths are not welcome on the parts of my property that I traverse, regardless of how many rats they eat.

 

[brownegger]

Well, I would not say that snakes have no memory at all. They can be conditioned in captivity obviously, Note "conditioned" and not "trained". They can with often repeated actions become conditioned to act a certain way with varying stimuli. When feeding our large constrictors or any snake for that matter, it is important to not handle their prey items directly before handling the snakes to feed. The snake does not realize that you are the one who feeds it, it just smells food and will strike at something that smells like food. So as far as anything more than primitive memory for survival, no a snake has no memory and instead reacts on instinct. There are some exceptions where snakes have been attacked by something like a dog and years down the road become very defensive when they smell a dog. I personally believe that most of a snakes actions are based on very primitive survival instincts and in reality have little use for memory in their natural settings.

Copperheads and cottonmouths both have a habit of being a little cantankerous when cornered, surprised, or stepped on! If they're around, be aware of where they might hang out and give them berth. They really aren't all that hard to avoid in most places...trust me! In all cases, these snakes fear you and will gladly run if given the opportunity. I have little experience with cottonmouths and I have heard many stories about them, sorting out the truth is always in the works! Copperheads will however stand their ground if they feel they have no other option and definitely will strike if provoked. Their venom is of low toxicity in the spectrum of venom types, more painful than deadly! I have not encountered an egg eating copperhead yet and I was quite surprised to see them in a trap with eggs in the other thread. They are classed as pit vipers meaning they have heat sensing pits to view their surroundings and feed. A cold egg would be of little interest to them for this reason. I believe, what actually happened is the OP in that thread stated he had place the traps "along" a wall. In that case the snake would have naturally traveled into the trap while moving along the walls.

I observe my chickens A LOT! I enjoy watching them and have had several occasions to watch them when a snake (2 of them copperheads) crawled through the yard. The chickens give them a wide berth and seem to have a natural wariness of them. Sometimes they will alert that a threat is around other times, they just walk around them with a bit of curiosity! A copperhead is an ambush predator and has zero ability to run down a chick/chicken and eat it. Equally, a sharp eyed chicken is unlikely to fumble into one! I can imagine they would enter a coop if able with the intent of a chick dinner at night don't get me wrong. They would not attack an adult chicken with intent of eating it. As far as cottonmouths go though, unless your coop is built directly next to a waterway, you probably are very unlikely to have problems with them. Though even if it was built in a pond, I wouldn't expect too many issues, your chickens would probably be more likely to drown in it than succumb to snakebite! Even my dog has a fear of snakes and knows to steer clear!

We as people tend to react rather than think, I have been just as guilty over the years as anyone. So I am not claiming perfection or hierarchy over anyone who chooses to do things their own way...because I did too! Even though I tolerate the snakes around my place, I still get a rush of fear when I know I was really close to a poisonous snake working in the yard. Then I take a second and realize, nothing happened, breath, leave the snake on it's way, and move on! It's all about respect and appreciation for all things, the snakes, like the birds, the bees, and everything else out there are part of an intricate web of life and everything has a role to play. It has taken me many years to realize that I am the interloper, not them. Take a seat, observe, respect and enjoy! If you just can't handle seeing them or knowing they're around, trap and relocate SHORT distances. Native snakes and reptiles only! I hope this answers some questions and I will be glad to answer anything else I can. I am always learning every day myself!

 

[Bengalcats1]

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I didn't say they were getting my chickens or Know I have chickens....they are Freaking me out and there is one thing on earth that scares the Cr@p out of me and that is a snake....no matter What kind it is, a snake is a snake in my eyes. I want to deter them and make my property unappealing to a snake, and Ive read that a lot of people have snakes that eat their eggs and chicks, last year I had babies disappear and never real knew who got them but did suspect snakes....All I want is to be able to walk out in my yard and not see one of those blasted things

 

[Bengalcats1]

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And trust me, Yes copperheads are Dangerous and poisonous, I have tiny chihuahuas who also like to run around my yard and having worked in an animal emergency clinic I know that one bite can Kill a chihuahua, so yes they are a danger to any pets and people alike

 

[Yetti]

you need pigs. pigs eat snakes. don't know if they are immune to the poisons of them, but I know up here they clean them out well.

I went and found this for you.
http://www.blurtit.com/q2129246.html

I live in rural San Diego (Jamul) and we had pigs for 30 years and did not have one rattlesnake on our property. Our neighbors did. We got rid of our pig and had our first rattlesnake this year. I think the pigs scare rattlesnakes or eat them

I'd say that a good enough reason to get some.​