Try to enclose the snake in one room. If you see it in the laundry room, for example, shut the door and wedge a towel underneath it to prevent the snake from escaping. Keep children and pets away from the area until animal control has captured the snake.
The snake should leave fairly quickly. This is a simpler and more reliable method than a more aggressive hands-on approach, which may frighten the snake and cause it to hide in a hard-to-reach location in your home.
Once the snake is securely inside of the trashcan, take the snake to the woods or another area away from your house. Set the can on its side, gently remove the lid, and give the snake time to slither out. Ask a friend, family member, or neighbour to help if you can. An extra pair of hands will make the process go faster and more smoothly.
If you catch a non-venomous snake, place the trap in a bucket and take it outside or to an area where you’d like to release it. Pour vegetable oil over the snake to loosen it from the trap and allow it to crawl away. Check the traps every day to see if you’ve caught a snake. If you wait too long, the snake will die of starvation.
Make sure the snake isn’t venomous before you pick it up. If you have any doubts, don’t touch it. Remember that the closer you get to the snake, the more likely you are to get hurt.
If you frequently notice snakes near your house, your concern should be preventative maintenance rather than individual snake removal.
Garter snakes and other snakes that you know not to be dangerous are fine candidates for this removal method.
Take the snake to the back of your yard or to a nearby wooded area and set them free.
When you trap a snake, drive it to a wooded area and set it free. Avoid using poisonous snake traps on snakes that have entered your yard. Snakes are an important part of the ecosystem and should be safely removed, rather than killed.
Store lumber and woodpiles at least 2 feet (0. 6 m) off the ground, and keep compost and mulch piles away from your house. Consider removing bushes and other tall vegetation that seems to be a regular habitat for snakes.
Consider removing mice and insects from your property by setting traps or using other removal methods. See How to Get Rid of Mice and How to Get Rid of Crickets for more ideas.
The grid of the screens should not have openings larger than ¼ inch (0. 6 cm), in order to effectively block all snakes.
Various types of commercial snake repellents should be sold at your local hardware store or garden center. You can also find snake repellents online through major retailers.
