Snakes.

[First-light]

So my wood shed is about 15 feet behind the house. It's a great place for mice, red squirrels and snakes to hang out. I can deal with mice and squirrels but snakes creep me out. I go behind the shed today and there are two 4 foot plus garter snakes, another small one and a snake that had an orange belly all suning themselves. I threw some rocks at them and they headed back into the wood shed, great! I know its a good balance to keep the rodent population under control but they just freak me out. I'll take any suggestions please!

[NYBowhunter]

13 minutes ago, First-light said:

So my wood shed is about 15 feet behind the house. It's a great place for mice, red squirrels and snakes to hang out. I can deal with mice and squirrels but snakes creep me out. I go behind the shed today and there are two 4 foot plus garter snakes, another small one and a snake that had an orange belly all suning themselves. I threw some rocks at them and they headed back into the wood shed, great! I know its a good balance to keep the rodent population under control but they just freak me out. I'll take any suggestions please!

Leave them alone and they won't bother you. Good for rodent control.

[First-light]

46 minutes ago, NYBowhunter said:

Leave them alone and they won't bother you. Good for rodent control.

Easy for you to say! lol I will and get it. 

[bugsNbows]

So, don't go behind the shed.

[airedale]

They do not last long around my place, usually my dogs take care of most of them.

Al

[First-light]

Hey I built a few stone walls yesterday. Ran into a few snakes. Picked them up with gloves on and moved them across the road. 

[Daveboone]

There are always some sneaky snakes in my shed too...make me jump a mile every time, but I know they are harmless, and let them be.Way too many mice, etc. around, and they help. 

[Doc]

Yeah, I understand your dislike of snakes. I don't mind if I can see them from a distance, but they always seem to wait until I am almost stepping on them before they take off. That always freaks me out.

There is one snake that I encourage, and that is a black snake. I was told that they go after rattlesnakes and they eat rats and mice. They also seem to be quite docile. Grass snakes are tolerable. Water snakes are too darn aggressive for my liking. But for the most part, I take a "live and let live" attitude toward all snakes and deal with them as little as possible.

[Farflung]

I would recommend leaving the snakes alone and you getting a little aversion therapy.

I have  guinea fowl, so there are darn few snakes around the homestead.

[NYBowhunter]

On 7/3/2024 at 8:13 AM, First-light said:

Hey I built a few stone walls yesterday. Ran into a few snakes. Picked them up with gloves on and moved them across the road. 

That's what toy do, people that kill them purposely are dumb. Good man.

[Doc]

Has anyone here come across a poisonous snake here in NYS?

[fasteddie]

5 hours ago, Doc said:

Has anyone here come across a poisonous snake here in NYS?

No , but I remember when I was a kid that some guys would go to Nunda and Tuscarora to catch rattle snakes and sell them . 

[landtracdeerhunter]

21 hours ago, Doc said:

Has anyone here come across a poisonous snake here in NYS?

We've seen small rattlesnakes along the escarpment in Lockport, central Niagara County. Heard of sittings in the Alabama. Swamps in Genesee County. They could have been Gopher snakes too,  which look similar, but I wasn't sticking around to find out.

Edited July 10 by landtracdeerhunter

[Northcountryman]

I saw a big Timber Rattler  in the Neversink Gorge about 5 years ago, so, although rare, theyre around.