# snakes, snakes and more snakes



## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

I moved to outside of carrollton Georgia (USA) my home is in the middle of the woods, since We moved here I have seen more snakes than I have in my entire life . 
I ended up putting our loft in our screened in porch to protect our birds from snakes 
my question is is there any product that will help to keep snakes away .


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

I have heard moth balls will. Never tried them though.

I caught a 30 inch long Eastern Milk Snake outside my loft two days ago. I put it in a bucket with a lid, and took it to the end of my prioperty (ten acres).

I expect it will come back. 

I have a garter snake that has lived here around my house, for several years. It is about 30 inches long also. I just leave it be. It is sort of a friend that I don't like.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Maybe there are rodents around and the snakes come to find them. Drug the rodents.

Best would be make an elevated and secure loft


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## LouisAnna23 (May 4, 2014)

My father always tells me the story of when his grandfather had 100s of birds and chickens.

One day he went into the loft and found a big fat snake with a lump in his belly. He was too fat to get out of the loft.

My great grand father killed the snake very angry. And cut him open to see which bird he ate.

But the snake had eaten a rat not a bird. They always had a problem with rats eating the food and eating the eggs and even the babies.
My greatgrand father felt very sorry then to have killed the snake, because the snake was helping him kill the rats.

A snake can eat a bird too, but my father always tells me, if you have snakes it is because you have rats.


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## Silver Wings (Jan 27, 2014)

*Yes!*

You need a wide chalk line of LIME 

Just like on the baseball and football field that mark the sports with a white powder -- they use lime. 

We put down a 3 inch wide line to keep the snakes out of the yard here. If the line is broken then you have to reapply (wind/rain, etc). 

How does this work? Snakes do not like to run their bellys across the lime as it will burn their belly. So you might find you need a wider line depending on the type of snakes you have in your area.

Home Depot and such gardening places carry bags of lime.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Won't pigeons eat lime, and harm themselves?


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

I don't see snakes right here at my house but just down the road . but if there there it's a good bet there here also . 
they killed a 6ft black rat snake in there front tree .yes i said tree


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

I'm going to put down lime and moth balls tomorrow . thanks


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If your loft is secure the snakes won't get in. And you can leave them alone to help rid you of rodents.


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## Silver Wings (Jan 27, 2014)

*Additional Options -*

Thought about this some more....

I can't say that the birds won't eat the lime.. Can't say it would hurt them... 

So while out constructing my newest loft and thinking about this today I remembered that folks just on the other side of the divide (Rockies) put up horse fencing about 2 inches off the ground. I wasn't sure what the intent was as it's just outside of the chain link fences in the neighborhoods. Upon asking, I was told that the 'electric horse fence' (tape or string wire) is to send an electrical shock to the snakes and repel them from the yard (and save dogs from being bitten -- think rattle snakes).

So maybe this will help.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. A gardener once told me that netting like plastic ones that used for bird proofing, laid on the ground vertically along the bottom of the chain link fence, cought some rattlesnakes. He then had others deal with the caught snake. 
Hello again. I remember hearing that guinea fowl: guinea hen: the ugly faced ones: Eat Snakes. 
I like those pretty king snakes but i do not know if they eat pigeons/squabs. I have some respect for rat eating snakes, but not the poisonous ones. 
I would take pictures of the snakes i find and, find out if you should keep them or feed them to the hawks.


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## alby68 (Mar 18, 2013)

*screen*

I would suggest screening in your loft to protect your birds from bugs and snakes. I live in north florida, in a rural setting, and lost two seperate birds in two incidents to snakes. After screening in my windows-even the high ones- and the flypens, my birds are very safe again. I put 1/2" square plastic hardware cloth over, the 1x1 pvc mesh, on the floors of my flypens.

I really don't think any product would keep all snakes away, if they are around.-they are doing their thing after all.
Bruce....dakotacreeklofts.weebly.com


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Keeping the area Mowed helps. Less cover for a snake to hide. Snakes can get into many places you think is secure. snakes not only eat eggs. But will take a pigeon. An electric fence will not only keep snakes away but keep racoons . skunks possums. And even small rodents away. But you have to fix it where you do not get a shock also


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

well that's the main reason i put them in my screened in porch . to be secure from bugs and snakes . i don't mind them in there but im going to have to go larger and i do want to be able to sit on the porch as well . i will most likley be getting 1/4 inch hardware cloth and going that wrought


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

hamlet said:


> Hello. A gardener once told me that netting like plastic ones that used for bird proofing, laid on the ground vertically along the bottom of the chain link fence, cought some rattlesnakes. He then had others deal with the caught snake.
> Hello again. I remember hearing that guinea fowl: guinea hen: the ugly faced ones: Eat Snakes.
> I like those pretty king snakes but i do not know if they eat pigeons/squabs. I have some respect for rat eating snakes, but not the poisonous ones.
> I would take pictures of the snakes i find and, find out if you should keep them or feed them to the hawks.


True about guinea fowl, they hate snakes and will kill every one of them they find. They are also the best security alarm you could have.


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## Paul Haworth (May 29, 2014)

*snake bite vitamin C*

https://www.google.com.au/#q=snake+bite+vitamin+c+


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