Methods Of Getting Rid Of Snakes In Your Environment - #Burnsteem

A few years ago, a snake bite one of my neighbor's kids, and I still have PTSD from that incident. Even if I wasn't the actual victim, the commotion that followed the occurrence is enough to make everyone fear getting bitten by a snake.

_{Image credit: Raul Cacho Oses on Unsplash}

Don't misunderstand; I don't actually fear snakes. In reality, I continue to feel bitter with the experience I had few years ago. Simply said, with snakes around, you never know when things can go difficult. especially when children are involved, as was the case a few years ago.

My family have an unfinished apartment in a newly developed community where there are more woods and plants than houses.

_{My Parent's Unfinished Apartment}

In other words, a snake invasion is likely to affect us. We've been to the new apartment a few times, and each time we either kill a snake or see one that was lucky enough to escape back into the woods.

I have a younger sister who is just about 8 years old. My younger sister is more concerned about snakes than my parents or I are, despite the fact that we are all older. Since snakes are often not violent unless they are disturbed, neither my parents nor I need to worry about them specifically.

_{A Dead Snake In The Site}

Children might not be able to distinguish between a snake and a piece of rope. I have therefore been really concerned about how to get rid of snakes in that environment.

There are two methods that could be used to get rid of snakes, as I mentioned:

• Implement a measure to kill the snakes in the environment.

• Implement a measure that will prevent snakes from approaching the environment around the house.

Actually, I would go for the second method. Snakes play a significant role in the ecosystem's food chain. Their extinction could destabilize the ecosystem's food chain.

Additionally, even though the mere sight of a snake causes an adrenaline rush, not all snakes are harmful. But distinguishing deadly snakes from non-poisonous ones involves knowledge and a personal contact with the snakes.

I don't want to keep a close distance to snakes because I'm neither an expert nor do I want to. So, when I see them, my initial instinct is to run after them and use the nearest stick or weapon to smash them.

I am only left with the second method as the first method is no longer a possibility. So, what measures can be taken to ensure that snakes don't approach the environment around the house? After series of research, I was able to gather some measures, these measures are discussed below;

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Ethnobotanical Methods

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In my country, it's a popular notion that snakes detest the scent of tabacum plants and won't typically near them.

As a result, the plant is frequently seen in and around houses in my neighborhood. I never questioned this notion as a child, but that all changed once I became educated and began conducting my own research. Does the plant really scare off snakes?

This plant is mentioned in a number of texts on the value of plants in ethnomedicine, either as a deterrent to snakes or as a potential remedy for snakebites. Personal proof from a friend of mine, however, indicates the opposite.

He claims to have seen a snake lazily resting beneath the Nicotiana tabacum plant. If the plant really does keep snakes away, this shouldn't be the case. Can study be mistaken? Maybe not. Just that there can be a ton of complexities.

The plant's ability to deter snakes can only be demonstrably demonstrated through pertinent laboratory experiments. Throughout my research, I was unable to locate any published experiments.

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Alternative Ethnobotanical Methods

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Aside from Ticotiana tabacum, a number of other plants or plant-derived items have also been claimed to have snake-repelling properties. Their odours have the potential to scare snakes away

Plant products with intense odours, such as ginger, garlic, onions, etc., have been suggested to have the ability to deter snakes in numerous literatures. However, these claims are not supported by any experimental studies.

Snakes are reportedly also frightened of thorny plants and leaves with jagged edges. The snakes usually try to stay as far away from these plants as they can because the thorn or sharp leaf edges tend to sting the snake's skin anytime there is contact.

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Biological Method

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By using their natural predators, snakes can also be controlled ecologically. In my situation, adult chickens would be the most likely natural predator.

Adult chickens running freely are capable of killing snakes, as long as the snakes are not particularly large. If the chickens are confined in a cage, the opposite may be true.

I've seen it happen on a few occasions where chickens kept in cages die from snake bites. The chickens are vulnerable because of their limited range of motion once snakes manage to get inside the cage. Cat is another great snake predator, cat are cable of killing snake and will end up eating the snake as well. So you can own a cat or an adult chicken to control snakes in your environment.

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Chemical Method

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The most obvious and straightforward method of preventing snakes from entering your yard may seem to be the use of chemicals. The method does, however, cause me to have some reservations as someone who cares about the environment and ecosystems.

How selective the chemicals that are sold locally are something I truly don't know. The majority of chemicals have an impact on organisms that are not their main target. Furthermore, they possess the ability to cling to the environment and integrate themselves into food chains and webs.

In higher organisms' bodies, the chemicals may subsequently enter the bloodstream and might cause a very big health issues, thus, I do not want my dislike for snake affects other organisms and disrupt the food chain.

But if you're otherwise, probably you don't care about other organisms and you just want to chase snakes away, you can check online for insecticide that chase snakes away.

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My Preferred Method

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Chemical method is out of the question for me, as I already stated.

So, my best option is to plant thorny or sharp-edged plant species together with keeping adult chickens and cats in my environment.

I'll choose a local adult chickens because they tend to be stronger than specially bred kinds called Agric.

I hope you've learnt something from my post, thank you for visiting.

I've written this post after making extensive research on the websites listed below, you can as well check it out to read more about the methods you can use to control snakes in your environment.

Reference 1

Reference 2