Are Snakes Dangerous?
While some snakes can inflict a painful and dangerous bite, the fact is that snakes are far more beneficial then they are harmful. The Greater Baltimore Area is home to two venomous snakes, the endangered timber rattlesnake, and the more common eastern copperhead. While the bite of these snakes can inflict devastating wounds, these animals are shy and veer away from confrontation. Did you know that in the U.S.A you are more likely to be killed by a cow then a snake?
Snakes are not known to display offensive behavior and many snake bites come from attempting to handle these defensive animals. Do not attempt to handle snakes if you are not trained to do so! Our team holds the Reptile and Amphibian Certification from NWCOA so we are trained and experienced in handling both venomous and non-venomous snakes. If you have a Snake problem call us immediately!
Snakes provide many benefits to those around them. They are skilled predators and offer mother nature’s best form of rodent control. An average sized black rat snake can eat up to 200 mice a year! But they aren’t just controlling nuisance pests, snakes are keeping dangerous zoonotic diseases like lyme disease and hantavirus in check. This is why it is not only detrimental to harm snakes but illegal in the state of Maryland. So please, before attempting to take matters into your own hands, give us a call so we can remove the intruder in the safest manner possible for all involved.
Snake Exclusion
Snakes in the home are almost always due to a food source in the home. In the Greater Baltimore Area, our most common complaint is eastern black rat snakes in living spaces. The eastern black rat snake is Maryland’s largest snake with adults reaching in excess of 7 feet! These snakes can swim, are known to explore underground rodent burrows, but most importantly are expert climbers. A rat snake’s main diet is- you guessed it- rodents!
So if you are finding these snakes in your home, it is almost always indicative of a mouse infestation in your home. Merely removing these snakes is only a short term solution and may result in a spike of rodent activity after the snake is removed. The most appropriate approach to long term snake control in a home is controlling food sources (rodents), removal of any offending snakes, and a complete exclusion of your home. Since rat snakes are incredible climbers, rat snakes will often enter your home along the roof line so sealing all gaps and cracks from foundation to peak is important to cease snake activity. Maryland Wildlife Solutions specializes in snake and rodent exclusion so if you want to keep snakes out of your home for good, call us now at 410-994-8881 to schedule an evaluation.
Do repellents work?
A wide variety of “snake repellents” are available for purchase although buyer beware! It has been proven over and over that these products have little to no effectiveness in repelling snakes. In fact, many contain ingredients that are known to be far more harmful then the snakes themselves! So before buying a bag of expensive snake repellent at your local hardware store, try a more sustainable, holistic approach of habitat modification. This is the best solution to reducing the number of snake encounters on the outside of your home. So if you would like to enjoy your backyard again but it is commonly frequented by snakes, read further on DIY tips to help manage snake populations around your home.
Habitat Modification
Do you have snakes around your home? This can be a tricky situation since repellents lack efficacy, lethal control is illegal, and we cannot physically exclude snakes from entering your yard. The best method is habitat modification. Habitat modification works by eliminating any attracting features your property might have to offer snakes. Try these DIY preventative solutions to reduce your snake problem.
- Trim trees and bushes away from your home (snakes and rodents use these to access your home).
- Replace ground cover vegetation with stemmed bushes. You should be able to see fully around the base of the plant, this reduces hiding spots for snakes and rodents.
- Keep your grass short! Garter snakes and Dekay snakes love to hide in tall grass, mow your lawn frequently to discourage this behavior.
- Clear clutter around your home. Piles of wood, debris and building materials encourage snake and rodent activity around your home.
- Fill in large gaps in rock walls with mortar or smaller rocks to prevent copperheads and similar species from living in the crevices.
- Remove rodent attractants such as pet food, bird feeders, and dog poop as elevated rodent activity will encourage eastern black rat snakes and other rodent eaters.
If you have tried these methods and your snake problem persists, please call us at 410-994-8881 to schedule an in depth evaluation of your snake problem!
<
