Snakes

venomous snakes

“Dogs are at risk for rattlesnake bites; in fact, dogs are about 20 times more likely to be bitten by venomous snakes than people and are about 25 times more likely to die if bitten.”

  • Snake Avoidance Training

  • Rattlesnake Vaccination

  • Keeping snakes away

If a Snake Bites Your Pet, Never Do This

Snake Avoidance Training

I have observed traditional shock collar snake avoidance training but have chosen not to teach my dogs snake avoidance training in this manner. My home is in a low risk area for rattlesnakes so I have chosen to avoid the hills and open areas and other locations during the times of year when snakes are active. I believe traditional snake avoidance training can be beneficial for some dogs but with others we may create a whole new set of problems, so I choose to avoid traditional snake avoidance training. (See the two articles linked below) For avoidance training to be effective the dog must be aware of a snakes presence. This can be a challenge when snakes are not laying or moving out in the open. Dogs and people can walk right by or over a snake without knowing it. Even with a dogs great sense of smell they will not detect a snake if they are upwind and not in the scent cone.

Snake Aversion: How to teach your dog to avoid venomous snakes

Rattlesnake Vaccine for Dogs

Rattlesnake bite is a veterinary emergency that results in serious injury or even death to thousands of dogs each year. Rattlesnake venom is a complex mixture of toxins that spreads through a dog's body following the bite. Red Rock Rattlesnake Vaccines defend your dog by creating an immunity that works right away to help neutralize the toxins. That's rattlesnake protection that will put you and your dog at ease. http://www.redrockbiologics.com/

How You (And Your Dog) Can Avoid Snake Bites — And What To Do If You Get Bitten

Antivenin drugs are highly effective, so if you do get bitten, get to a hospital as quickly as possible.

The canine rattlesnake vaccine comprises venom components from Crotalus atrox (western diamondback). This vaccine is meant for use in healthy dogs to help decrease the severity of rattlesnake bites. “the vaccine is specifically for the toxin of the Western Diamondback rattlesnake and provides the best protection against the venom of that particular rattlesnake, however the vaccine has been shown to provide cross protection against the venom of other types of rattlesnakes and copperheads since the venom of pit vipers share some of the same toxic components. In fact, most of the 15 species of rattlesnakes in the United States have fairly similar venom.  This is how one antivenin is able to cross-protect against so many rattlesnake species.  The protection afforded by the vaccine depends on the similarity of snake venoms to the Western Diamondback.” The vaccine however does not provide protection against the Mojave rattlesnake, Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake, cottonmouths or coral snakes. Prevention and Treatment of Rattlesnake Bite in Dogs

Do...

  • Mow grass often and keep it short. Snakes are less likely to hang out and move through short grass because it increases their exposure to predators (e.g., coyotes, hawks). Short grass also makes snakes easier to spot by you and your family members.

  • Avoid watering your lawn. Watering of your lawn and garden may attract prey species (e.g., worms, slugs, frogs) which may attract snakes seeking a meal.

  • Keep trees and shrubs trimmed. Trim trees and shrubs away from your home and garage, and keep branches away from the ground. Creating a 24-36" space under trees and shrubs will reduce snake use and will make snakes easier to spot if present.

  • Move the bird feeder. Birds are messy eaters and often leave seed scattered below their feeder. Seed on the ground attracts rodents which may attract snakes seeking a meal. Move feeders away from the house or stop feeding altogether. Store bird seed in a metal can with a tight fitting lid.

  • Install a perch pole. Hawks and owls are natural snake predators that can be attracted to an area with the aid of a well placed perch pole. Poles should be placed in open areas so the hawk or owl has a good view of the yard and surrounding area. Learn more.

  • Feed pets inside. Feeding pets outside can attract insects and rodents which attracts snakes. If feeding outside is necessary, be sure to cleanup uneaten food right away. Store pet food in a metal can with a tight fitting lid.

  • Move your woodpile. Store firewood, excess lumber, and other types of debris away from your home. Stacks of lumber and firewood, and other piles a debris are prefect places for snakes to hide.

  • Think before you landscape. Avoid using mulch and large rock in your landscaping. These materials attract snakes and their prey, and can create breeding and overwintering habitat. Instead, use smaller tight-fitting rock such as gravel or river rock. Avoid water gardens and Koi ponds as these water features attract snakes.

  • Seal the cracks. Seal cracks and crevices on the house, sidewalks, and foundations to prevent snakes from using these areas. Consider getting an energy audit. Energy audits can be a great way to identify cracks and crevices that allow air conditioning and/or heat to escape the home - these same cracks and crevices may be used by snakes and other small creatures.

  • Fencing. There are no sure-fire ways to keep snakes away, but when all else fails fencing may be worth consideration. Fencing should be buried a few inches into the ground, be constructed using 1/4" or smaller rigid mesh or solid sheeting, and include a bend at the top to prevent snakes from climbing up and over. Several companies make wildlife-specific fencing to save you time, a couple example: ERTEC Environmental, ACO Wildlife.

  • Do not...

    • Do not use mothballs. The active ingredient in mothballs is naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. These chemicals are toxic to insects and mammals, but are not effective against snakes (San Julian, 1985). Naphthalene may cause illness in humans, and have been linked to death in children. Using mothballs outside your home violates product labels, and puts your family and pets at risk. Do not use mothballs. Here's a short video showing mothballs are ineffective against snakes.

    • Do not use sulfur. Many snake-away products claim that sulfur in their products will keep snakes away. Unfortunately sulfur is not effective at deterring snakes and is a waste of money (San Julian, 1985).. Here's a short video showing ineffectiveness of snake deterring chemicals.

    • Do not use ceramic eggs or golf balls. If having issues with snakes in your chicken coop, using golf balls, or ceramic, glass or wooden eggs are not the answer. Snakes that eat these artifical eggs die a slow and painful death over many weeks, and new snakes will just show up to take that snake's place. Instead, focus on improving your coop to prevent snakes from entering and follow the deterrents recommended above. If using ceramic or other artificial eggs to encourage a brooding hen to lay, be sure to glue the eggs down to prevent snakes from eating them. Note: The loss of few chicken eggs here and there is a small price to pay for natural rodent control. Snakes eat lots of rodents, and rodents pose a significant risk to human and livestock health.

    • Do not release kingsnakes, racers, or other snake predators. Capturing and relocating animals is rarely successful and may even be against the law. Please focus on the deterrents listed above. To learn more about wildlife relocation see (coming soon).

    • Do not relocate problem snakes. Snake relocation might seem like a good way to reduce human-wildlife conflict, but most research on the topic has found that the snakes die more often than not when relocated.

    • Do not use sticky traps outside. Traps placed outside capture all sorts of non-target animals and result in a slow agonizing death. Here's a short video showing how to properly release an animal stuck a sticky trap.

    • Do not bring out the guns, shovels, or other weapons. Bringing a gun or other weapon to a snake encounter increases the person's risk significantly. Discharging a firearm toward the ground can result in bullet ricochet, and even trained police officers have accidentally killed innocent bystanders when trying to shoot a snake. If needing to get a snake to move on, use a water hose to spray the snake which will encourage it to find a new place to hangout. Learn more about why it doesn't make sense to kill snakes in your yard.

Last but not least...

https://www.fieldecology.com/blog/snakes-away