Are garter snakes venomous? No, garter snakes are generally not considered venomous to humans. They might produce a mild venom to help subdue small prey like worms or amphibians, but this is not harmful to people or pets in the way that venom from pit vipers or elapids is. If a garter snake bites you, it’s usually just a scratch. Still, nobody wants them feeling too at home in their yard. This guide will show you how to safely and effectively manage garter snakes around your home. We will look at ways to make your yard less appealing to them and how to handle them if they do show up. Learning about these common garden visitors is the first step to dealing with nuisance snakes.
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Grasping Garter Snake Identification
Knowing what a garter snake looks like is helpful. This is important for Garter snake identification. You need to know what you are dealing with. Garter snakes are common in many places. They are often found near water or in grassy areas.
How to Spot a Garter Snake
Garter snakes have certain looks that help you know it’s them.
- Size: They are usually small to medium-sized. Most are between 18 and 30 inches long. Some can grow a bit bigger.
- Color: Their color can change a lot. They might be green, brown, black, or gray.
- Stripes: The most telling sign is their stripes. They usually have three light-colored stripes going down their back. One is in the middle of their back. The other two are on their sides. These stripes can be yellow, brown, green, or white. Sometimes, the stripes are not clear.
- Pattern: Between the stripes, they often have a pattern of spots that look like a checkerboard.
- Shape: They have a slender body. Their head is not much wider than their neck. This is different from many venomous snakes which have a wider, triangular head.
Where Garter Snakes Live
Garter snakes like places where they can find food and shelter.
- Long grass
- Piles of rocks or wood
- Gardens
- Near ponds, streams, or wet areas
- Under porches or sheds
- Compost piles
They are most active during the day. They like to warm up in sunny spots.
Why Garter Snakes Visit Your Yard
Snakes come to your yard for simple reasons. They are looking for food, water, and a safe place to hide. If your yard has these things, it’s like a welcome sign for them. Grasping why they come helps you know how to keep them away. This is key to snake habitat reduction.
What Garter Snakes Eat
Their diet is a big reason they might visit. Garter snakes eat small animals that might be in your yard.
- Earthworms
- Slugs and snails
- Amphibians like frogs and toads
- Small fish (if you have a pond)
- Insects
- Sometimes small rodents
If your garden or yard is full of these creatures, garter snakes will see it as a good hunting ground. Having lots of earthworms after rain is a big draw. A healthy pond with frogs is also an attractant.
Places to Hide
Snakes need places to feel safe from predators. They also need spots to rest and stay cool or warm.
- Thick bushes or ground cover
- Tall grass
- Piles of leaves or mulch
- Rocks or stone walls
- Under decks, porches, or sheds
- Log piles or firewood stacks
These offer shelter. They provide protection from birds of prey, foxes, or even cats and dogs. If your yard has many such hiding spots, it’s attractive to them.
Water Sources
Like all animals, snakes need water.
- Ponds or water features
- Bird baths
- Pet water bowls left outside
- Areas that stay wet after rain
Even small amounts of standing water can draw them in.
Humane Snake Removal
If you find a garter snake in your yard and want it gone now, there are ways to move it safely. This is humane snake removal. It’s important to do this without hurting the snake or yourself. Remember, garter snakes are not dangerous. Often, if you leave them alone, they will move on by themselves.
Gentle Ways to Encourage Moving
Sometimes, just making a bit of noise or gentle movement is enough.
- Use a garden hose to spray water near the snake. Don’t spray it directly. This might make it want to leave the area.
- Walk slowly nearby. Your presence might make it feel unsafe and move away.
Give the snake a clear path to escape. Don’t corner it.
Using Tools for Removal
If the snake is in a spot where it needs to be moved, you can use tools.
- A long broom or shovel: Gently try to guide the snake into a container. Don’t try to hit it or harm it. Just use the tool to direct its movement.
- A trash can or bucket: Place the container on its side near the snake. Gently use a broom or stick to guide the snake into it. Once it’s inside, carefully stand the container upright. Put a lid on it.
- Snake tongs: These are tools made for holding snakes safely from a distance. Only use these if you are comfortable. Hold the snake gently near the middle of its body. Don’t squeeze too hard.
Where to Release the Snake
Once you have the snake safely in a container, you need to release it.
- Take the snake to a natural area away from homes. A park, wooded area, or field is good.
- Release it at least a mile or two from your home. This makes it less likely to come back.
- Choose a spot with cover, like tall grass or bushes, so the snake can hide right away.
Always handle snakes with care. They can bite if they feel scared, even if they are not venomous. Wear thick gloves if it makes you feel safer. Dealing with nuisance snakes often means just helping them find a new home.
Snake Prevention Tips
The best way to deal with garter snakes is to stop them from coming in the first place. This means making your yard less attractive to them. These snake prevention tips are effective for garden snake control.
Cleaning Up Your Yard
Messy yards provide shelter and hiding spots for snakes. A clean yard is less inviting.
- Mow your lawn often: Keep grass short. Snakes don’t like to cross open, short areas where they can be easily seen.
- Trim bushes and shrubs: Keep them neat and off the ground. This removes hiding spots.
- Remove clutter: Get rid of old boards, piles of leaves, grass clippings, and garden waste. These are perfect places for snakes to hide or for their food (like slugs) to live.
- Stack firewood neatly: Keep it off the ground if possible, and as far from your house as you can. Use a rack.
- Clean up around sheds and outbuildings: Don’t let junk pile up next to these structures.
- Clear away dense ground cover: If you have plants that grow very thick and low to the ground, thin them out or remove them near your house.
Controlling Snake Food Sources
Less food means fewer snakes. Reduce the number of things garter snakes like to eat in your yard.
- Manage pests: If you have lots of slugs, snails, or rodents, garter snakes might come to eat them. Look for ways to control these other pests. For slugs and snails, remove moist areas and consider barriers. For rodents, remove food sources (like spilled birdseed) and use traps if needed, away from areas snakes might access.
- Be careful with ponds: If you have a pond, it will attract frogs and toads, which are garter snake food. Consider covering the pond or adding features that make it less accessible to snakes if you are serious about prevention.
- Remove standing water: Fix leaky faucets. Drain areas where water collects after rain. Empty pet bowls at night.
Blocking Entry Points
Snakes can get into small spaces. Check around your house and other buildings.
- Seal cracks in foundations: Use caulk or mortar to close any gaps.
- Check around pipes and wires: Make sure holes where they enter the house are sealed.
- Repair damaged screens: Fix holes in window and door screens.
- Install door sweeps: Put seals at the bottom of doors to block entry.
- Check crawl spaces and basements: Make sure vents are screened properly and doors seal well.
- Use mesh or netting: You can put this around decks, porches, or shed bases to stop snakes from crawling underneath. Make sure the mesh is small enough (like 1/4 inch or less). Bury the bottom edge a few inches into the ground. This helps keep snakes out of yard spaces under structures.
These steps are part of good garden snake control. They reduce the places snakes can live and hide, and the food they can find.
Natural Snake Repellent and Deterrents
People often look for things they can use to make snakes leave or avoid an area. There are some natural snake repellent ideas and garter snake deterrents you can try. Keep in mind that the science on how well many of these work is mixed. Habitat changes are usually more effective.
Scents Snakes Dislike
Some smells are said to keep snakes away.
- Mothballs: These are often named, but they are not safe. Mothballs are toxic. The fumes are bad for people and pets. They also don’t work well for snakes because snakes don’t breathe air in the same way we do. Do not use mothballs.
- Sulfur: Powdered sulfur is sometimes used. It is thought to irritate a snake’s skin. Sprinkle it in lines where you don’t want snakes to cross. Be careful where you use it, as it can be an irritant.
- Vinegar: Pouring vinegar around a pond or water feature is said to deter snakes that like water. The smell might bother them.
- Essential oils: Some people use oils like clove, cinnamon, or cedarwood. Mix them with water and spray. You would need to reapply often. Again, evidence is not strong, and high concentrations can be harmful.
Plants Snakes Avoid
Certain plants are thought to deter snakes.
- Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata): The name suggests it, but it’s more myth than fact. It’s a common houseplant, but doesn’t actually repel snakes in the garden.
- Marigolds: Some gardeners say marigolds keep many pests away. This might include creatures that snakes eat, indirectly making the area less appealing.
- Wormwood: This plant has a strong smell that some believe deters snakes.
Relying only on plants or scents is not a strong strategy. They might help a little, but fixing habitat problems is key.
Physical Deterrents
These create barriers or make an area less comfortable for snakes.
- Netting or fencing: As mentioned in blocking entry points, using fine mesh fencing (burying the bottom) can be a good deterrent around specific areas.
- Gravel or rough mulch: Snakes don’t like moving across sharp or rough surfaces. Using gravel or certain types of mulch (like prickly pine cones) in garden beds or around your foundation might make snakes choose an easier path.
- Predator decoys: Fake owls or hawks might scare snakes at first, but snakes will likely learn they are not real threats.
- Ultrasonic devices: These devices claim to scare away pests with sound waves. Most studies show they do not work for snakes.
For dealing with nuisance snakes, focusing on removing food and shelter is much more reliable than most natural repellents or deterrent gadgets.
Making Your Yard Less Friendly to Snakes
This section goes deeper into snake habitat reduction. It’s about changing your yard so snakes just don’t find it a good place to stay. This is the most effective long-term method for garden snake control.
Controlling the Landscape
How you design and maintain your yard matters a lot.
- Reduce hiding spots: This is the most important step.
- Keep grass short.
- Trim lower branches of shrubs.
- Remove rock piles or unnecessary structures.
- Clean up debris regularly.
- Manage water:
- Fix drainage problems so water doesn’t pool.
- Empty containers that collect water.
- Consider screen covers for water features if snakes are a major issue.
- Control the food supply:
- Keep bird feeders clean to avoid spilled seed attracting rodents.
- Store pet food securely.
- Manage compost piles properly (turned often, not too wet) to reduce insects and rodents.
Barriers and Fencing
While snakes can be sneaky, simple barriers can help keep snakes out of yard sections.
- Solid fences: A solid fence, even a short one, can deter snakes if the bottom is sealed. They can’t see through it and might not try to climb it if it’s smooth.
- Mesh fencing: As mentioned before, fine mesh fencing buried a few inches deep is effective.
- Check under gates: Make sure there isn’t a large gap under gates where snakes can slip through.
Dealing with Burrowing Animals
Some snakes, including garter snakes, might use burrows made by other animals for shelter.
- Address rodent problems if you have them. Sealing entry points for rodents into your home or other structures is also a good step for general pest control.
By actively changing your yard’s environment, you make it much less appealing for snakes to live or even visit. This is the core of effective snake prevention tips.
What NOT to Do When Dealing with Snakes
Just as there are good ways to handle snakes, there are also things you should avoid. Doing the wrong thing can be dangerous for you, the snake, or other animals.
- Don’t try to kill the snake: Garter snakes are harmless to humans. Killing them is not necessary. It’s also illegal in some places to kill native snakes. More importantly, trying to kill a snake is when people are most likely to get bitten. Even a non-venomous bite can get infected.
- Don’t use harmful chemicals: Pesticides meant for insects or other animals are not made for snakes. They can harm the snake, other wildlife, pets, and people. Never use harsh chemicals or poisons to try to kill or deter snakes.
- Don’t use sticky traps: Glue traps meant for rodents are very cruel for snakes. Snakes get stuck and cannot get free. They suffer slowly and often die from hunger, thirst, or injury. This is not a humane snake removal method.
- Don’t ignore the reason they are there: Simply removing one snake doesn’t solve the problem if your yard is a perfect snake habitat. More snakes will likely come. Focus on prevention.
- Don’t handle snakes if you are not sure what they are: While garter snakes are easy to identify, if you see a snake and are unsure if it might be venomous, keep a safe distance. Call for help if needed.
These points are important for your safety and the well-being of the snake. Dealing with nuisance snakes should always prioritize safety and humane methods.
When to Call for Help
Most of the time, dealing with garter snakes in your yard is something you can manage yourself with the tips above. However, there are times when it’s best to call a professional.
When to Seek Expert Help
- If you are not sure about the snake’s identity: If you see a snake and you cannot clearly identify it as a garter snake, or if you suspect it might be a venomous species native to your area, do not approach it. Keep pets and children away. Call animal control or a professional wildlife removal service. They have the knowledge and tools for safe Garter snake identification and removal of any snake.
- If a snake is in your house: Finding a snake inside your home can be scary. Trying to catch it yourself might lead to it hiding in a hard-to-reach spot. A professional can find and remove it safely.
- If you have a large number of snakes: If you are seeing many snakes regularly, it might point to a significant attractant or den site nearby. A professional can help figure out why and suggest more targeted solutions for garden snake control.
- If the snake is in a dangerous location: A snake in a pool filter, wrapped around machinery, or in another tricky spot might require special tools or expertise to remove safely.
- If you have a phobia: If you have a strong fear of snakes, trying to deal with them yourself might cause panic. It’s safer to call someone who can handle the situation for you.
Professionals who deal with wildlife can offer humane snake removal services. They know how to handle snakes without harming them and can often give advice specific to your property.
Frequently Asked Questions About Garter Snakes
Here are answers to common questions people ask about garter snakes and how to manage them.
Are garter snakes dangerous?
No, garter snakes are not dangerous to humans or pets. They are not venomous in a way that is harmful to us. A bite might happen if they are grabbed, but it’s usually just a minor scratch. They pose no threat to people.
Will garter snakes bite?
Yes, they can bite if they feel scared, cornered, or are handled. It’s a defense mechanism. The bite is not medically concerning, but like any scratch, it could get infected if not cleaned. It’s best not to try to pick them up.
Do garter snakes spray anything?
Yes, when scared, garter snakes can release a musky, bad-smelling fluid from glands near their tail. This smell is meant to deter predators. It’s harmless but unpleasant.
What is the best natural snake repellent?
There isn’t one single “best” natural repellent that is proven to work reliably. Many common suggestions like mothballs are ineffective and harmful. The most effective “natural” approach is habitat change – making your yard less appealing by removing food, water, and shelter. This is better than relying on smells or sounds.
Are garter snakes good to have in the garden?
Garter snakes can be helpful in a garden. They eat slugs, snails, and insects that can harm plants. They are part of the natural ecosystem. Having a few around means your garden is healthy enough to support them. If you can tolerate them, they are beneficial.
How do I keep snakes out of my house?
Focus on sealing entry points. Check your foundation, doors, windows, and where pipes/wires enter. Use caulk, mortar, or screens to close gaps bigger than 1/4 inch.
Can I trap garter snakes?
Yes, you can use humane traps. A simple trap could be a container with a small amount of bait (like an earthworm) that the snake can enter but finds it hard to leave. Check traps often so the snake isn’t stuck for long. Release it quickly in a suitable location away from your home. Avoid sticky traps.
How long do garter snakes live?
In the wild, garter snakes typically live for about 5-10 years, though this can vary depending on the species and conditions.
When are garter snakes most active?
They are most active during the day, especially when temperatures are warm but not too hot. You might see them basking in sunny spots in the morning or late afternoon.
Will pets attack garter snakes?
Yes, dogs and cats might chase or try to catch snakes. This can be risky for the pet (if the snake bites defensively, or if it’s a different, harmful snake) and the snake. Keep an eye on pets when they are outside if you know there are snakes around.
Conclusion
Dealing with garter snakes in your yard is mostly about making your property less attractive to them. Remember, these snakes are not dangerous and can even be helpful in controlling garden pests.
Start with Garter snake identification to be sure of what you are seeing. Then, focus on snake habitat reduction: clean up clutter, mow your lawn, trim plants, and remove sources of standing water. Controlling their food source, like slugs and rodents, also helps.
For immediate issues, humane snake removal methods like gently guiding them away or using a container are effective and safe. Avoid harmful chemicals or cruel traps. While natural snake repellent ideas and garter snake deterrents like certain scents exist, their effectiveness is often limited compared to physical barriers and habitat changes.
If you encounter a snake you cannot identify, if it’s inside your home, or if you have a large number of snakes, it’s best to call a professional wildlife service. By taking these steps, you can keep snakes out of yard spaces where you don’t want them, while respecting these often beneficial creatures. Good garden snake control is mainly about prevention and careful management.