How do you get rid of snakes?

[aprophet]

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either eel pots or minnow traps with the extender put in and the holes made slightly larger trap snake rather easily ( mackerel or menhaden is a really good bait) the same minnow pots catch crayfish good too MMMMMMMMM

 

[thaiturkey]

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Now my mouth is watering! I love goose - tasty birds! Now you've done it - I'll be thinking about roasted goose the rest of the day!

Remember to keep a few to deter the snakes!

 

[Gypsi]

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either eel pots or minnow traps with the extender put in and the holes made slightly larger trap snake rather easily ( mackerel or menhaden is a really good bait) the same minnow pots catch crayfish good too MMMMMMMMM

Minnow traps totally failed on the diamond back water snake, regardless of bait or opening size. They nest in the rocks, only enter the water to hunt. I pitched one out of shallow water (while surrounded by dogs and cats) with a long handled picker-upper. Other than that I've always had to catch them on land. They don't react quickly if you pick up the rock they are hiding under, so with leather gloves (thick leather gloves) they are pretty easy to grab. Thanks for the tip though. If I'm chasing water moccasin I will definitely try it.

 

[fowltemptress]

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Whoot! I call myth!

The thing about copperheads is, when they feel threatened they're going to find an exit, and if that exit is towards you they're going for it. A lot of people mistake these attempts at slithering away to safety as "chasing them." Then, of course, their story gets spread and the snakes get branded with a reputation for something they simply do not do. Not that I'd ever advocate just standing there while a copperhead is coming towards you, but just know they are not chasing you down to bite. They're finding the quickest exit according to their limited minds. The reason there are more reported copperhead bites than rattlesnake bites is because rattlers have that handy dandy warning system to tell you to back off before you get close enough for them to feel the need to defend themselves. Which is for the best, anyway . . . copperhead bites are less serious than rattler bites, so I'm happy rattlers wound up with the rattles!

 

[Its Just Us Chickens]

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That's what's hanging around our coop too- a rat snake. It did the exact same thing to a silkie and a guinea.

 

[Its Just Us Chickens]

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That's what my dh said, so we let it stay, but it's killed 2 of my birds now.... so it's time to get rid of it.

 

[ottovan]

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Now my mouth is watering! I love goose - tasty birds! Now you've done it - I'll be thinking about roasted goose the rest of the day!

Remember to keep a few to deter the snakes!

Looks like Ideal Hatchery is sold out of geese for now, so snakes and geese are safe!

 

[ottovan]

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That's what my dh said, so we let it stay, but it's killed 2 of my birds now.... so it's time to get rid of it.

Don't your chickens eliminate the crickets? I know those guineas do, nothing they seem to like more than bugs. I guess you could relocate it since you know what it is. Do they bite they sure do seem to aggressive.

 

[33yardbirds]

I just catch and relocate, but rattlers are killed everytime. If you happen to crush their heads handle them by the tail or with rubber gloves. A Drop of venom can be absorbed through the skin which is as bad as being bitten. Here they do population density studies on them before you can build a home on your land and I think they use pheromones to lure them. Check with your Ag or Game department.

 

[Sjisty]

We had this guy around for over a year. I figured the few eggs he took were pay for keeping the mice away, until he swallowed a nest of just hatched chicks. Then it was "off with his head."