What is snake repellent?
A snake repellent is a substance, device, or chemical that repels snakes. Snake repellents mainly disrupt a snake’s senses which cause them to scurry away. A snake’s sense of smell is usually overwhelmed by these substances.
Common causes for seeing snakes in your garden or household
Snakes occupy an area for food, water, and shelter. They will be attracted to your property if it resembles a natural snake habitat (dark, damp, and cool). Those areas also have small rodents – a snake’s food source.
Snakes commonly occupy yards with thick vegetation. If possible, avoid thick vegetation in your house, like bush plants.
Snakes can also be attracted to small openings in your house leading to dark and damp places.
How to get rid of snakes
Snakes can appear out of nowhere when you least expect them. Unfortunately, they can pose a danger to your family and pets. Research says that 7,000 to 8,000 venomous snakes bite people yearly in the US, with 10 to 15 resulting in death. Here are tips on naturally getting rid of snakes. The approaches mentioned will prevent a snake infestation.
Keep in mind that there’s still a chance that you might find snakes in your area despite following the steps since snakes like to explore places to look for food.
- Control and get rid of rodent activity in your house to remove their primary food source.
- Clean up your yard – remove woodpiles and trim overgrown vegetation.
Decorate or design your yard in a way where snakes can’t hide. For example, your yard should have no spots where snakes could hide, like small gaps, holes, and rock decorations that are pad together.- Remove their access to water. Snakes like wet areas where they can get access to water. Fix leaks from pipes or devices like air conditioning units that may create puddles
A snake repellent may help in getting rid of snakes. However, getting rid of snakes through natural means may not be enough or time-consuming for some. There are times when you want to get rid of snakes right away.
Using snake repellent can significantly help in your efforts to drive out snakes in your house. In some cases, they may even drive out snakes without you doing the methods mentioned above. Here is a step-by-step guide in getting rid of snakes using repellents.
Instructions may vary slightly, but here’s the general step-by-step direction for each snake repellent.
Granular repellents and sprays
Step 1
Find areas where snakes may hide or slither, like gaps around doors, cracks in your house, and dark places near the ground like basements.
They can hide in tall grasses, bushes, storage sheds, and places where woods gather or pile up in your yard.
Step 2
Sprinkle the said areas with snake repellent granules freely. Check the label on how much you should apply. Also, check the amount of distance you need to spread it around.
For sprays, apply a generous amount in the affected areas.
Step 3
Reapply as needed. Granular repellents tend not to last more than a month. Some products are not rain resistant, especially the sprays. When heavy rain happens, you may need to reapply the product again.
Solar-powered ultrasonic repellents
Step 1
Charge the solar-powered ultrasonic snake repellents before using them. Some brands need to be charged in the open sun for two days before being used. Make sure to check the label for instructions.
Step 2
Place the stakes on the ground around your property. The area solar-powered snake repellents usually cover 3,500 square feet individually. Spread them apart to cover enough area.
Step 3
Maintain and clean the stakes occasionally. The product uses solar panels to charge itself. Therefore, you may need to clean them up from time to time. If enough dirt accumulates, the device might not charge properly.
Wiping the panels with a spare cloth should be a good way to clean.
What scents do snakes hate? Chemicals vs. Natural snake repellent
Both chemical and natural ingredients may work. Snake repellents work by using their acute sense of smell against them. They naturally have very well-developed smelling organs.
Strong minty scents can irritate a snake’s nose. Natural scents that disorient snakes:
- Clove oil
- Cinnamon oil
- White vinegar
Lemongrass - Onion
- Garlic
- Ammonia
- Naphthalene
If you can, it’s better to get natural, non-toxic snake repellent rather than chemical snake repellent. Natural ingredients like natural essential oils tend to have a good or bearable smell.
Frequently asked questions
Do snake repellents actually work?
Yes, they help in repelling snakes. You shouldn’t entirely depend on them, though. The scents are unpleasant to snakes, but there are cases where the smells don’t repel the snakes.
There are many factors or situations where a snake may still inhabit your home. This is why, if the snake problem continues, we recommend calling a pest control company.
It would be best if you still eliminated things that attract snakes – woodpiles or rodent infestations.
Are snake repellents safe for pets and kids?
Most snake repellents have natural ingredients or safety mechanisms that are not likely to harm your pets or kids. They should be completely safe when used correctly.
For chemical snake repellents, as long as you follow use directions, it’s unlikely to cause harm. Still, exercise caution because ingredients like naphthalene are still considered toxic.
Can snake repellents harm human health?
As long as the snake repellent was appropriately used as directed, it’s unlikely to cause any adverse effects to our health.
Do ultrasonic snake repellents actually work?
Despite claims of it working, it can’t be denied that snakes don’t have a well-developed hearing. Furthermore, it works on animals like rodents but is highly unlikely to work on snakes.
Conclusion – Are snake repellents worth it & which one is the best snake repellent?
The best snake repellent is effective, trusted, long-lasting, and safe. Ortho Snake B-Gon repellent generally does better than other snake repellent products. Therefore, it should be one of our best snake repellent options.
The Exterminator’s Choice Snake Defense Spray is effective, trusted, and safe. However, since the snake defense spray is a liquid, it doesn’t last as long as snake repellent granules. Liquid snake repellent gets wiped off by rain.
The Enviro Pro Snake Scram Shaker is effective, trusted, long-lasting, and safe. However, it isn’t as well established as the Ortho Snake B-Gon.
The Victor Snake Away Granules is effective, trusted, long-lasting, and safe. It is almost tied to the Ortho Brand, and it’s a cheaper option for nearly the same value. The catch is that Victor’s snake repellent contains potentially harmful ingredients. Ortho is a better option in terms of safety since it is an all-natural snake repellent.
The Charli New 8X Solar Sonic Snake Repellent is trusted, lasts long, and is safe. Unfortunately, it’s ineffective with snakes despite the claims that sonic repellents drive out snakes.