I'm concerned about poisonious snakes and my dogs.

I live in a somewhat rural setting where my fenced yard backs up to a drainage canal behind which is a large field.

The other day I say a small water moccasion in the front of the house by the road. Yesterday, as I was mowing the back yard, I saw the largest moccassion I have ever seen fleeing from the back yard and into the small drainage canal.

I am not afraid of snakes in general, and I have found dead black snakes and rat snakes that my dogs have killed. Cotton Mouths are another story. They are mean and dangerous.

Any tips to keep the snakes out of the yard?

I have always made sure none of the dog's food is left out and I cannot think of anything else that I may have out there that I can control that would attract them.

Holy cow Eric, I don't blame you for being concered! who needs something that nasty hanging about. I quess the first thing I'd try would be some 2 or 4 foot high chicken wire stapled or attached some how to the bottom of the fence, I'd also bury at least 3 or 4 inches of the wire past the bottom. If they climb in (moccasions climb don't they?) pass that kind of barrier, I don't know, do recon with a shot gun before you let the dogs out maybe?

And good luck!
Randy

I was just looking online, and it recommended screening (like window screen) or corrugated tin to put at the bottom of a fence. I think a snake could climb the chickenwire, and even go through it if it was small enough.

If I find anything else online, I'll post it.

Holy cow! This is one good reason to live in frozen Canada.

I don't know how big your fenced area is or if this is practical, but could you run a hot wire (cow wire) around the outside perimiter of your yard, so that the snakes would get zapped if they tried to move over the wire? Of course, bunnies and squirrels night get zapped too, but it is a thought.

I like the corrugated tin idea, too. Just be careful there are no sharp edges that could cut the dogs (or you).

Eric,

I would also talk with your vet and find out what "symptoms" you need to look for in case of a bite and find out what you can do for stabilization while you are enroute to the vet.

We have rattlesnakes here, and I have all the I.V. meds and supplies I need (that my vet has taught me how to use and supplies for me).

Hi Eric,

Not to question your knowledge but, are you sure they are moccasins? The adult banded water snake looks very much like a cottonmouth. The best thing you can do to keep the snakes out of the yard is to..

1) Keep the grass short
2) remove all debris where the snake may wish to call home. Especially since its cooling off. They are looking for dens now.
3) remove all possible rodents. They also eat fish and frogs. If you feed raw, don't leave any lying around.
4) Keep all sheds/out buidings closed up.
5) Large herons will eat them so try to keep them around if they show up.

Howard

I was thinking the same thing Angela.
My biggest concern is trying to get Tucker to wear his boots outside when we play so that the ice doesn't cut up his feet!!!
Never mind sankes!

The only suggestion i am going to make about the corrugated tin is to make sure its high enough so that the snake can not get any type of purchase on it like the top edge. Snakes can climb, those scales are just like little feet and if the snake can get even just his head up to the top edge it will be able to pull itself up and over into the yard using the fence to support its body. Then you will not only have a snake in your yard, but a trapped snake as its doubtful that he would be able to make it back over quick enough if your dog decides to go after it. My suggestion would be to use the tin but make sure the top edge is somehow folded over so that the lip is out about a foot from the fence line. The snake won't be able to hang on & get purchase on the ledge because there's nothing for his body to lean against....does that make sense?
I am picturing it perfectly in my mind, but it doesn't look so perfect when I am typing it!

http://www.americaswetlandresources.com/wildlife_ecology/plants_animals_ecology/backyard_habitat/KeepingSnakesInTheirPlace.html

I found this though...I think it better describes what I am trying to say.

Thanks for the tips.

I am familiar with the Brown Banded Water snake. I am pretty sure that what I saw was a Cotton Mouth. They do look similiar, but usually the Cotton Mouths are thicker bodied, as this big one was.

I already have a hot wire around the bottom of the fence to keep the dogs from getting out. I am constantly removing the crusty lizards that have gotten fried on the wire, but I won't count on a snake contacting the wire.

I hate the thought of the way screening will look around the bottom of the fence, but that may be what I have to do.

I agree that I should become educated on the symptoms of envenomation and how to treat it, but my dogs are sometimes out there for 50+ hours straight while I'm on shift. If I'm not home, I can't treat what I don't see.

I've been in this house for a few years. I have always seen plenty of rodents, frogs, etc. by the water but this is the first time I have seen a poisonous snake back there

If I had to leave my dogs under those kind of circumstances, a hours worth of pay for some hardware cloth and perhaps a weekends worth of part time work would be a small price to pay for my dogs.

Randy

Ps.
Cut off the nice smooth edge of the wire, and bend out the the remaining sharp points, no snake will go pass that cutting.

I'm not sure if king snakes eat cotton mouth or water moccasin snakes. I know that they do eat rattlesnakes. They can grow up to 6 feet. I'm not so concern about rattlesnakes because they can't climb the block walls. I know my dogs can't get to them. When I go for walk, I always keep my dogs on the leash. I've seen many rattlesnakes when I got for a walk with dogs. They tend to avoid people. They can climb from tree to tree so we keep our tree's branches short. I know snakes can climb trees, plants, or anyting that can support the body weight. They can't climb anything that don't have anything to hold the body weight. It needs a branch or something to hold. Do you know what I'm saying? Howard gave good advices how to keep them away.