# Rattlesnakes!!



## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

just wear this:












Maybe they will believe you are a pig and slither away.

well, I can't make it show up so you'll have to go to the link.


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## Cyndi (Apr 20, 2008)

oink oink!!


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## USP45 (Dec 14, 2007)

yes, pigs will sometimes eat them. But I was watching "Dirty Jobs" and Mike Rowe had helped a company eraticate cock roaches and snakes. They used moth balls. I had called them and they said yes, snakes do not like moth balls. Try it, what do you have to lose?


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

I would do a bit of research. It may be part of a myth but I remember hearing about some problem with the fumes from the mothballs.

from one website.


> For either of these chemicals to be effective, they need to be placed with the clothing in a *sealed container* so the fumes can build up and kill the moths. In a sealed atmosphere like this, the fumes are not harmful to people because they are contained. The main threat would occur when opening the containers, or from wearing clothes immediately after opening (especially a problem for infants). A solution is to open the containers outside and let the clothes hang and air out for a day before wearing.
> We all seem to have an aunt whose entire house smells like moth balls, and we have all walked in to public restrooms where the smell of paradichlorobenzene is nearly overpowering. Are these fumes healthy? The answer is "probably not." If you read the chemical descriptions in the links, you will find that neither of these chemicals is particularly good for people to breathe on a regular basis. Airing out clothes is a way to limit exposure.


here is a lot more reading than I have time to do but seems germane.

http://npic.orst.edu/hottopic/mothball/health.html


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## Cyndi (Apr 20, 2008)

Thanks, I'll keep on researchin !!!!!!!!!!


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## so-elitecrete (Oct 27, 2007)

so whaddya mean, nat - 1st catch the snakes THEN put 'em in the bag w/mothballs ???


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## Devildog (May 14, 2008)

*Lemongrass!*

We have no shortage of poisonous snakes in our yard here in Thailand (red keelbacks, banded kraits, cobras!)

What locals do, and what we've started doing, is to plant lemongrass around the edges of the yard as a barrier. Apparently snakes don't like it. It isn't 100% effective, but does cut down on unpleasant encounters. Plus it smells good and you can cook with the lemongrass!


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## march7 (May 9, 2008)

There's supposed to be some kind of mesh fence you can put up that they can't climb over, but it's not cheap. Some large dogs will kill them, but sometimes the dog gets killed. Some people say cats keep them away because the cats dispose of all the small rodents so the snakes aren't interested in your place.

I hope that helps,


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

Pet Mongoose.


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## robut (Aug 22, 2007)

*Just my thought*

I had trouble with small rodents under my deck, I put mothballs in a plastic coffee jar with holes in it's lid. I havent seen anymore rodents and or signs.

I was in North Carolina visiting, and this conversation came up about snakes coming up from the water area to the house , The owner told me they start by clearing the area around their home ( so as not to trap them at the house ) and then start from the house toward the water with moth ball dust what ever that is? Anyway they claim it worked for them against I believe he said " copper head snakes" 

Deck Hand


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## Cyndi (Apr 20, 2008)

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I run an animal rescue and rehab center here and have to be careful of toxic treatments. I have pot belly pigs that may do the trick!! If not...I will try the mothballs.


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## ocoee (May 31, 2007)

OK
This is what I do for a living, 25 years in pest and nuisance wildlife control

The company on Dirty Jobs was a joke and easily the least professional group I have ever seen

There is a product called Dr Ts Snake Away that is effective on rattlesnakes
Moth balls are not that good for one thing because they melt in rain and dew
Snake Away is a different formulation of the same chemical that will last about 6 months


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## Cyndi (Apr 20, 2008)

Ocoee-

Thank you soooooo much for the info. Where do I get the Dr. T's Snake Away formula???? 

Thanks to everyone else for your good intentions.....it sounds like we have a solution by Ocoee!!!!!


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## martyshel (Jul 19, 2007)

Cyndi said:


> Ocoee-
> 
> Thank you soooooo much for the info. Where do I get the Dr. T's Snake Away formula????
> 
> Thanks to everyone else for your good intentions.....it sounds like we have a solution by Ocoee!!!!!


 
I've seen Dr T's at Lowe's.


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## Knucklez (Oct 21, 2007)

anyone who has a name "T" is badass.. just think of Mr. T from the A-team tv show back in the 80's. 

kick'n ass & take'n names, snake names that is :thumbup:

Knucklez


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## ocoee (May 31, 2007)

Sorry for the delay in answering been having more comp problems

Dr. T's is also at Home Depot


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## Bugzilla (Aug 2, 2008)

Hey Cyndi,

There's a couple products on market that repels snakes: Snake-A-way and Snake Out. Snake out is a "Green product" that is very effective. Snakes "taste" the surrounding air, and the special ingredients in Snake Out are very unpleasant to them. When they come in contact with this product in the air, an escape reaction is triggered and they slither away pronto. Snake-A-Way works in much the same manner except that it is not "Green".

Hope this helps.


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

You might want to first check if they are a protected species in your area. Protection might limit your legal options.


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## Bugzilla (Aug 2, 2008)

Good point, Yoyizit. The options I mentioned do not kill or injure snakes in any way. They are simply repelled. Conversely, if the snakes continue to be a nuisance, people tend to go to the extreme and kill them. There are alternatives to snake extermination.

Bugzilla out --


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

Bugzilla out --[/quote]


Bugzilla said:


> Good point, Yoyizit. The options I mentioned do not kill or injure snakes in any way. They are simply repelled. Conversely, if the snakes continue to be a nuisance, people tend to go to the extreme and kill them. There are alternatives to snake extermination.
> 
> Bugzilla out --


Thanks, Mr. Zilla. 
I didn't know about protection until I tried to pull a snake out from under the slab of a neighbor's house, on request of the house's female residents. 
I had this 5' guy stretched out like a rope - for a creature without hands or feet he sure could hang on! 
Later I found out I should have taken more care with this (he/she got away, anyway). 

You might want to see my album pic, "snake in a cake dish." This one was strolling around my living room. Might be a ghost snake, might be a milk snake.


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## Cyndi (Apr 20, 2008)

Thanks for all the info guys. We did get 2 pigs and haven't seen any snakes since. Of any kind!!! Doesn't mean they aren't there...but so far....so good. I will keep the chemicals in mind if anything changes. cyndi


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

Yoyizit said:


> Bugzilla out --


You might want to see my album pic, "snake in a cake dish." This one was strolling around my living room. Might be a ghost snake, might be a milk snake.[/quote]

Looks like a copperhead to me.  I'd be sealing all the holes I could find.


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

Maintenance 6 said:


> Might be a ghost snake, might be a milk snake.


Looks like a copperhead to me.  I'd be sealing all the holes I could find.[/quote]

Because of the shape of the head? The pattern also had me a little worried.

Ha! 
Fooled The Grim Reaper again! 
And, Ha!


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## Bugzilla (Aug 2, 2008)

Snakes give me da shakes!

Bugzilla out --


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

Bugzilla said:


> Snakes give me da shakes!
> Bugzilla out --


One snake I picked up wasted no time in wrapping his body around my forearm. 
This was very strange behavior for a snake. 

Turns out he wanted leverage to pull his head out from my fist. 
And he got leverage, and now the tables were turned, and I had this slightly peeved snake on my arm looking for the best place to plant his fangs.
(See, and I was giving the guy a break by not squeezing his neck too tightly. No good deed goes unpunished).

Too bad I don't have a video of that day. 
:laughing:


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## Bugzilla (Aug 2, 2008)

You can have the snakes. I'll take the spiders.


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## lon (Aug 22, 2008)

Cyndi-We just had our 3rd rattlesnake this week. Please elabotrate on the pig solution.


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## ocoee (May 31, 2007)

Pigs eat snakes


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## lon (Aug 22, 2008)

Elaborate, meaning where/how do you keep the pigs? Do they have to be penned, if so, that will be of no help in my situation. I find it hard to believe that a pig could eat a rattlesnake as I'm sure it would be bit several times while trying and would probably back away after the first bite.


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## Big Bob (Jul 27, 2007)

I've heard that cats and dogs don't care for the smell of moth balls.

I've never asked my cat though!


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

It seems I remember hearing goats and snakes do not get along well. I want to say the goats will kill the snakes.


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## Bugzilla (Aug 2, 2008)

Goats and snakes? Hmm... weird pairing.


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## SNC (Dec 5, 2008)

On the brite side, rattlers are good eating.


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## Tommy2 (Nov 25, 2008)

The best thing you can do is keep your grass cut very short. I cut mine every 4 days in the summer. Weedeat frequently. And dont keep brush piles.

Im surrounded by fields..Never seen a snake. I had a vegetable garden that was way overgrown too..Never saw one in it.

They go to the neighbors that dont mow as frequently.

Moth balls are a good deterrent for lots of pests. Not 100% but not going to hurt much. Good to throw some in a tool shed, etc where mice or snakes are a possibility. I probaly wouldnt have moth balls around pets.

Ive heard lime helps keep snakes away. Ive spread it around my yard a couple times. Hard to prove it one way or the other.. 

Cats definitely help..If you can have a few strays on your property. Ive seen them catch snakes on my parents property. Its definitely not 100% though..because they still see them once in a while.

Snake-a-way type products are too expensive to be practical. Unless youre just protecting a real small area.

We dont even have many poiseneous snakes in NY. Its rare..but I just hate snakes! Just one of those fears..Cant seem to overcome it.


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

snakes're drawn to food supplies as are most living things,,, when we cleared land in anderson, sc, for our const yard, found tons of mice & more'n a few copperheads,,, was funny watching grown men ( operators ) running out of d-8 bulldozers w/air-condition'd cabs'cause there were snakes caught in the tracks,,, then they'd run across cleared land & thru the yet uncleared to the dirt trails :laughing:


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## chickentheef (Dec 14, 2008)

snakes have an excellent sense of smell,so your animal rescue could be the reason you have so many rattlers.espeacially if you have small bird s or mice.try making a trap out 4 or 5 inch pvc 5-6 feet long with one end capped and several small holes drilled in it the other end with a one way trap door.this is a version of the traps the old timers around here used and they work very well.just be careful when you catch one cause he will be mad. p.s.guinnea fowl are better than anything for finding and killing snakes. and are better than any watch dog.:thumbup:


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