Bizarrely aggressive garter snake

[DonyaQuick]

I have a large garter snake that has taken up residence under my house's front step. I have tried to deter it via cayenne pepper around gaps, which only works until it rains, then it's back. It's getting more and more aggressive and today darted out and started attacking my boot - wouldn't leave me alone. I had hold of a chicken at the time so my hands were occupied and I couldn't do anything except step on it and get a really good look to make sure it really was a garter snake (it is...no fangs, everything else looks right), and then kick it to the moon so I could put the chicken back without it harassing me. The ground was very soft so I doubt stepping on it did much and I'm sure it will be back. Soon I will have chicks needing to go out so this snake has to go one way or another but catching it has already proven tricky. I have never had one of these snakes act like this.

I have seen there are snake repellent balls and stuff; has anyone used those, and are they safe to use around chickens/dogs?

 

[Rose_adamaj]

I have a large garter snake that has taken up residence under my house's front step. I have tried to deter it via cayenne pepper around gaps, which only works until it rains, then it's back. It's getting more and more aggressive and today darted out and started attacking my boot - wouldn't leave me alone. I had hold of a chicken at the time so my hands were occupied and I couldn't do anything except step on it and get a really good look to make sure it really was a garter snake (it is...no fangs, everything else looks right), and then kick it to the moon so I could put the chicken back without it harassing me. The ground was very soft so I doubt stepping on it did much and I'm sure it will be back. Soon I will have chicks needing to go out so this snake has to go one way or another but catching it has already proven tricky. I have never had one of these snakes act like this.

I have seen there are snake repellent balls and stuff; has anyone used those, and are they safe to use around chickens/dogs?

I have used snake repellent and it worked. It needs reapplied after rain. I don’t use it anywhere near my chickens!!!
Can you get a picture of the snake?
I think somewhere on BYC is information about making a snake trap. Here’s my crude attempt at explaining it.
Two, two liter bottles. Cut tops off approximately three inches from top. Cut bottom off one of the remaining bottoms. Might need both bottoms, idk. Take top, attach to open bottom part with lid pointing in. Attach other top to other end of bottom with top pointing in. It looks like a minnow trap if you know what that is. Attach using your method of choice. I like duct tape & masking tape.
Put bait in your trap & wait for snake to go in.
Hopefully someone will see this and give you the link. Best of luck!

 

[Rose_adamaj]

I have used snake repellent and it worked. It needs reapplied after rain. I don’t use it anywhere near my chickens!!!
Can you get a picture of the snake?
I think somewhere on BYC is information about making a snake trap. Here’s my crude attempt at explaining it.
Two, two liter bottles. Cut tops off approximately three inches from top. Cut bottom off one of the remaining bottoms. Might need both bottoms, idk. Take top, attach to open bottom part with lid pointing in. Attach other top to other end of bottom with top pointing in. It looks like a minnow trap if you know what that is. Attach using your method of choice. I like duct tape & masking tape.
Put bait in your trap & wait for snake to go in.
Hopefully someone will see this and give you the link. Best of luck!

I don’t know enough to figure out how to post what someone else said.
I did a search of BYC for snake traps. One person said YouTube has good videos.

 

[Awaytome]

While stepping on your snake might not have harmed it, that kick to the moon could have broken it's spine, in which case you won't have to worry about it bothering your chickens again!

One of my dogs once stepped on a diamondback rattlesnake while she was running down a wash in the desert. My dog was so fast I don't think the snake saw her coming. Broke the snake's spine and left it paralyzed. Poor thing couldn't do any more than flick its tongue so we put it out of its misery.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

I have never had one of these snakes act like this.

I haven't seen a garter snake try to bite since I was a boy, and only once then.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Just grab it and whack its head off. Easy peasy.

 

[DonyaQuick]

While stepping on your snake might not have harmed it, that kick to the moon could have broken it's spine, in which case you won't have to worry about it bothering your chickens again!

One of my dogs once stepped on a diamondback rattlesnake while she was running down a wash in the desert. My dog was so fast I don't think the snake saw her coming. Broke the snake's spine and left it paralyzed. Poor thing couldn't do any more than flick its tongue so we put it out of its misery.

If I accidentally did it in with the kick it would honestly be for the best. There's just something really off about that snake for it to be acting like that. I didn't see where it landed unfortunately so hard to check on what happened to it. I'll just have to wait for the next time it rains and washes away my cayenne and then make sure I have my tall boots on again when I go out in case it's still around.

I haven't seen a garter snake try to bite since I was a boy, and only once then.

That's why I had a good inspection of it while stood on it; was finding it hard to believe it was actually a garter but I'm pretty good with snake IDs and it definitely is. I've had rat snakes get aggressive when cornered or surprised but even those didn't strike unless prodded. Never had a snake of any sort deliberately dart out at me - even venomous snakes I've run into in other regions have preferred to run away first.

I tried to grab it once in the pats with gloves but couldn't get a good hold on it. Part of the problem is I don't want to grab it bare handed if it's going to be a biter; even non-venomous snake bites can bleed a lot and/or get nasty later due to infection or allergic reactions and this one is big enough it would break the skin. I've had no trouble grabbing smaller garters around my coop before but did it bare handed for better dexterity because I wasn't worried about them biting or even breaking the skin if they did.

I have used snake repellent and it worked. It needs reapplied after rain. I don’t use it anywhere near my chickens!!!
Can you get a picture of the snake?
I think somewhere on BYC is information about making a snake trap. Here’s my crude attempt at explaining it.
Two, two liter bottles. Cut tops off approximately three inches from top. Cut bottom off one of the remaining bottoms. Might need both bottoms, idk. Take top, attach to open bottom part with lid pointing in. Attach other top to other end of bottom with top pointing in. It looks like a minnow trap if you know what that is. Attach using your method of choice. I like duct tape & masking tape.
Put bait in your trap & wait for snake to go in.
Hopefully someone will see this and give you the link. Best of luck!

Ah yep I know that sort of trap design - used something similar with predatory marine worms in an aquarium once (with small bottle instead of the big ones). Not sure what I could bait a snake trap with though...will have to look that up since I thought they mostly go off of heat and movement rather than scent. I'm currently trying to trap a mouse that's being a pest in my house, so maybe I can just use that once I nab it if they go for scent too. With my luck though I might come down in the morning to find the resident skunk with half a pop bottle stuck on its head.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

That's why I had a good inspection of it while stood on it; was finding it hard to believe it was actually a garter but I'm pretty good with snake IDs and it definitely is.

Wasn't doubting you for a second, just acknowledging that it's possible yet rare.
Now, a captive garter trying to rub poop on ya, seen that lots!

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Check for shedding, snakes get defensive and aggressive when shedding.

 

[Geena]

Garter snakes do sometimes try to strike at you, it's purely defensive, just bluff.
Why not just catch and relocate it?