Snakes!!!

[RT66DOC]

I hate snakes. All snakes.



We have a few black snakes in our yard and I put up with them because I've heard they are good for keeping worse [like other kinds of snakes] critters away. Besides, I only see them once in awhile. Mostly they hide. I did see one a couple weeks ago but it was almost in two pieces thanks to Casper [our Samoyed] who was standing guard over it. He didn't eat it.



Now, here's the problem. I have a really nice 30x50 shop out back and one of these black snakes has taken up residence in there. A few days ago I went in there and it slid off a box in the corner and disappeared. It is over two feet long. I have also found a couple shed snake skins on MY WORKBENCH. I do not appreciate this unwelcome intrusion into my personal space.



How can I get this SNAKE out of my shop? #@$%!

 

[Hale on wheels]

I guess you could get a mongoose! It sounds like a coachwhip, which won't bite hard! Just grab it and throw it out (of course since it will be you, and not me, grabbing a snake, that is the only reason I am suggesting it)

 

[Casey Ray]

Beg, borrow or steal a CAT to keep the snake food minimal. Place MOTHBALLS around your shop, they don't like these, also mice and rats do not like the odor of Mothballs. I hear Sulphur powder works very well, sprinkle this around the doors and other openings.



Good Luck,



Casey





Edited: to correct spelling. DOH!

 

[ladyjaine]

Mothballs. Snakes hate them. Put them around the edges of your shop when the snake is out. It won't come back in. I have copperheads that wanted to set up house in my woodpile. Mothballs took care of them.



Jean

 

[NPloysa]

DYNOMITE!



Of course this is AFTER you catch the snake and walk at LEAST 200 yards from your shop.

 

[RT66DOC]

Mothballs. Snakes hate them. Put them around the edges of your shop when the snake is out. It won't come back in. I have copperheads that wanted to set up house in my woodpile. Mothballs took care of them.



Jean

COPPERHEADS??? YUK!



Uhh, how do I know when he/it "goes out"? If I screw up on that and put the mothballs around the shop while it's still in there then it may NEVER come out. Maybe I should let Casper prowl around the shop until the snake comes out. Or maybe put the truck in there, fire it up and close the door for a couple hours [high idle].



Where would I get a mongoose? Pet shop?

 

[Rhondasway]

Where would I get a mongoose?

Only on TDR (would we hear this)... LMAO! :-laf

 

[Sled Puller]

www.rent-a-mongoose.com

 

[RT66DOC]

www.rent-a-mongoose.com

Thanks, Gene. Not a bad idea but my wife, being the animal lover that she is, would think it was cute, give it a name and want to keep it. Wonder how the dogs would get along with a mongoose. :-{} (How come we don't have any dog smilies on here?)



Anybody know if Walmart sells mothballs?

 

[ladyjaine]

Ferrets are pretty close to a mongoose. JIC you wanted to know, the plural is mongooses. I believe Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowes sell mothballs. What you want is not cedar stuff, you want the stinky paradichlorobenzene mothballs or moth crystals. You could start by just putting the mothballs around your workbench and then gradually increasing the circle. The copperheads hated the sound of the lawnmower, so I just ran it by the woodpile a few times and then put mothballs around the base of the woodpile.



Jean

 

[RT66DOC]

paradichlorobenzene



Jean

Now you're talkin' my language. Why didn't you just say that in the first place?

 

[DaveN]

if you put the mothballs around and trap him inside, he'll get hungry/thirsty soon enough and leave... ... or die.

 

[DaveN]

One other thing I thought of - why is he living in your barn? Probably because there's food in there. I'd throw some mouse / rat poision around as well, if there's no food then there's no reason for him to camp out in your barn.

 

[RT66DOC]

One other thing I thought of - why is he living in your barn? Probably because there's food in there. I'd throw some mouse / rat poision around as well, if there's no food then there's no reason for him to camp out in your barn.

Never thought of that. Thanks. Now I don't have to get a mongoose, right?

 

[jrobinson2]

Leave it in the shop you won't have any more mouse problems :-laf I've had a few shop snakes and they did a lot better job of rodent control than a cat ever did :-laf

Jared

 

[Willys]

I'm curious what kind it is... I don't know of any black snakes in N. America that are poisonous. Does it have any yellow marks? or is it straight black. We have several types of black snakes around here- Black with yellow stripes(king snake-very good), Solid black and somewhat slow to medium speed(rat snake-ok, but more a nuisance), and black racers(solid black, long and skinny, and moves faster than I can run) This one always scares me because if it jumps out of tall grass its when I'm real close to it and it moves so fast I almost pee myself. :--) Scarier than a poisonous snake but they always go the other way. I've never seen a racer take up residence with humans- though rat snakes had found their way into our house several times as a kid. One was about 5. 5 feet long. My mom carried him outside a ways and let him go. A few days later the guy was back. This time we did him in... can't have him moving in without paying rent and all .



I have pictures somewhere around here of a king snake eating a water snake- that was awesome to watch! I also found an abnormally fat(bigger than my arm!!!) water moccasin once that I cut open(after it was dead ) to find another snake and one of the biggest bullfrogs I've ever seen!



By the way, I don't have a clue about how to keep him out of your shop... maybe you could name him and keep him as a pet? :-laf :-laf We were always unsuccessful at keeping them away... even with several cats...



Andy

 

[MrWinkey]

Long as he's not a problem I wouldnt worry about him. He will keep your shop/trucks free of mice and other varmits and he wont bother you if you dont bother him.



Might take some getting used to but most times I think they are helpfull.

 

[master1578]

I also found an abnormally fat(bigger than my arm!!!) water moccasin once that I cut open(after it was dead ) to find another snake and one of the biggest bullfrogs I've ever seen!

Just get yourself a water moccasin... . case closed :-laf :-laf

 

[CTait]

you need to set out a glue board in his travelway. The place you see him the most as it is moving away from you. You can make one with a piece of plywood or waferboard and then spray it with a good coat of 3M type spray adhesive. My own thinking on nonpoisnous snakes are if you remove them and there is still a grocery base perhaps a poisnous snake will take its place.