https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:15:11 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2846036 Tue, 18 Sep 2018 08:36:25 +0000 mediagirl 2846036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have snakes. We have a natural backyard with a stream. We have one rule in our yard, if you see a snake, walk slowly away from it and come tell an adult. Our kid and our visitors have always been great about it. We have never seen a copperhead but that is why we take precautions, they are around here. Typically we just see cool looking northern water snakes or rat snakes digesting their food in the sun.</p> <p>Some good tips on here, too. Get rid of snake friendly areas: wood piles, leaf piles, debris piles. Piles in general are snake haven. When we moved in, my husband spent forever blowing all the leaves and debris out of the yard and he scared a few snakes out of their homes. Low grass. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2846030 Tue, 18 Sep 2018 08:28:59 +0000 Mrsbells 2846030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: we have this issue and its terrifying. We keep the grass as low as we can and always walk through it before letting the kids play in it. A lot of the time we just tell them to play on the patio </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2846020 Tue, 18 Sep 2018 07:44:51 +0000 avivoca 2846020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have seen exactly one snake in my yard in the entire time i’ve owned a home, and it was because we let the grass get really tall in our backyard (pregnant and couldn’t mow). That was about five years ago and no snakes since. </p> <p>My husband is a biologist who loves snakes and reptiles, so i’m pretty familiar with them because of that. They generally will not harm you and just want to be left alone. It’s not like in the movies where they come looking for you. I’ve never even heard of a snake fence but honestly, it probably won’t help because snakes can climb trees. Just be aware that they might be out there and educate yourself on the snakes found in your area. </p> <p>We just moved a few months ago to a more rural area and i’ve played the “stick or snake” game a few times while out running. It was only a snake once, but it was next to a creek. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2846013 Tue, 18 Sep 2018 06:03:40 +0000 Amorini 2846013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hey! We live in the south but aren’t from here and we worry about this, too. Our back part is forested and outside of our fenced in yard area, so I hope they are happy to live back there and have at it! We have seen three snakes in our fenced-in yard in two years. I say, knowledge is power and knowing who’s who among the snake world really makes a difference. Also cleaning up the yard and staying out of any brushy areas. One snake fell from a tree! Eek but those ones are not poisonous, though we adults would probably be injured by spontaneous cardiac arrest, if one ever fell on us.</p> <p>I say, knowledge is power and knowing who’s who among the snake world really makes a difference. The three snakes in our yard were not harmful. Cleaning up the yard (aka removing “snake habitat”) and staying out of any brushy areas. Snakes are territorial so they are going to hang out in the same places and have their babies there, so poisonous ones definitely need to be removed. (My DH has such a Indiana Jones-sizes snake fear that all are removed on our property.) </p> <p>I do an inspection of all of DS’s outside toys for especially spiders but snakes, too. He loves to bound for things that I say “no” to so I stick very close by. I worry about poisonous spiders about as much as snakes! We all wear tall garden boots or cowboy boots in the yard throughout the year, just to be safe. </p> <p>I worry about the dogs, too. In CA, our dogs had the rattlesnake anti-venom shots annually but here it isn’t offered and we have rattlesnakes around I’m sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845965 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 19:21:01 +0000 lamariniere 2845965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would suggest educating yourself on which snakes are dangerous in your area so that it’s a little less of an unknown. We live in SE Asia and there are more than 60 venomous snakes in the country where we live, even here in the capital city. I was really concerned when we moved here. We went to a snake farm where we learned about the kinds of snakes we might encounter in the city, and which ones are venomous, and it was very informative. Luckily, I have never run into one, but I know a lady who found one on her balcony (14 stories up), and at school they check for snakes every day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845955 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 18:14:09 +0000 MamaBear87 2845955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: snakes do not generally go roving through residential grass, unless you're letting it get really long. Honestly as long as you aren't letting your kids go tramping into any big bushes you have I think they'll be fine. Kids are noisy, snakes don't like noise and will move away from it. </p> <p>I wouldn't let your kids out alone until they're old enough to understand snakes can be dangerous but I don't think you'd be letting 2 under 2 out alone anyway ☺ </p> <p>King snakes and gopher snakes are pretty docile and can generally be handled without biting so no need to worry about them </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845953 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 18:04:09 +0000 agold 2845953@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaBear87: Thanks for these tips! We will teach our kids to be on the look out.. but big girl is just 2. She knows about snakes and knows to say "yikes!", but that's about it at this point. </p> <p>@Sams Mom: Yes to keeping things mowed. I am really concerned about snakes being on the move in the grass when we come out to play. I think we will get fake grass put in pretty darn quick. I would love to be able to look out and do a visual scan of every thing. </p> <p>@2littlepumpkins: Thank you. And oh my gosh.. If the snakes were a huge problem, I'd totally move. I think about that one house in the news years ago that had snakes in the wall. *I shuddered just now thinking about it* Ha. I don't have that problem. Just snakes coming from the hills looking for food and shade. I've seen a lizard almost every other time I've been up to the house.(fence lizards) Ugh. Harmless, but still. And yes.. it is snakes and toddlers that is making me most worried. I can eliminate hiding spots (i've already called for large item trash removal to throw away the nice shed left by the previous owners... all the pots lining the house... cutting away most shrubs.... i was looking for a patio table and this is what got me thinking about all the possible things snakes could crawl up into...)</p> <p>@MamaBear87: My across-the-street neighbor is a reptile guy by trade and he has never been bit, either. Absolutely a fear thing for me. </p> <p>@MrsDynamiteGal: Thank you! And yikes.. another snake house. Ha. And yes to wearing shoes. But my girl wears jellies mostly. We are getting an insect guy to spray monthly for ants and spiders. We don't have pets and I pray there isn't a rodent problem. Except if you consider bunnies.. and I don't know how to eliminate those. Bunnies and lizards being things that the snakes are coming to get. </p> <p>@Mrs. Turtle: I totally know the benefit of gopher and king snakes. We must live in the same area because I have those same three snakes. I just prefer not to see any snake at all! Even more prefer not to be bit by any of them. </p> <p>@MamaBear87: We probably live in the same area! The hill bordering my street burned earlier this year, so the bunnies, lizards and snakes are all coming down looking for shade and food. We will for sure be careful! Probably going to get a snake fence put up as much around the property as I can - even consindering the front yard!!! Its just aside from "be careful" that I am wondering what I should be doing.. Like, do people keep their kids inside and then themselves go out around the property and look for snakes before you let your kids out? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845952 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 17:49:50 +0000 MamaBear87 2845952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2littlepumpkins: we had some rattle snakes. We also had lots of King snakes and gopher snakes. It's just like anything else, you just learn to be careful </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845950 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 17:47:40 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2845950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaBear87: were they like rattlesnakes? I dunno, I briefly lived around snakes but most of the time not... so snakes and toddlers freaks me out. Fear of the unknown for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845943 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:57:16 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2845943@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had several on our old property. One huge gopher snake that lived in the front yard and liked to hang out on the cement walkway. We were careful about places they might hide, and definitely kept an eye out, but never used repellent or made any attempt to get rid of them. In fact, we lived in an area with a lot of rattlesnakes, so we were pretty happy to see gopher and king snakes around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845942 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:47:06 +0000 MrsDynamiteGal 2845942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We recently moved to a place with lots of snakes. We've actually had quite a few encounters. We are new to the process and basically try to keep up the yard. From my understanding the key is in eliminating their food source or places where they can hide. You can also purchase special repellent pellets. </p> <p>So far no issues. My boys were taught to look but not touch should they see a snake and to avoid them altogether when sighted. I make sure they're always wearing footwear. If in doubt, call mom or dad.</p> <p>Congrats on your new place! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845938 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:19:11 +0000 MamaBear87 2845938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2littlepumpkins: to some extent i think that it's just a general fear of snakes that makes everyone so paranoid about them. We lived with snakes for 20 years. My brother was about 1 when we moved and we played outside often from the beginning. No one ever got bit, we didn't have them in the house or anything. It's just a matter of teaching proper safety </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845936 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:00:57 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2845936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wanted to say congrats on your new place! </p> <p>Only places I've lived with snakes we've just kept away from the side with trees/brush/whatever. But those were big yards/rural areas. Dh was just telling me about someone he knew a few years ago selling his house due to snakes being a problem (just because of the location) and selling to a family with a young child, which made me cringe and a little pissed on their behalf because if he didn't realize it I bet neither did they. I didn't realize this was a common thing. 😳 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845935 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 15:57:00 +0000 Sams Mom 2845935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Basically what MamaBear said. Keep everything mowed and weedeated. Don't have woodpiles where the kids can play if it can be avoided. Keeping the rodents at bay (trimmed hedges, fence lines and what not) will keep the snakes at bay. If something has been sitting for a season (kiddie pool, sand box, play house, anything like that) check it before the kids mess with it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845934 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 15:53:53 +0000 MamaBear87 2845934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Snakes will generally stay away from noise/disturbances. Bites generally come from the snake being cornered or stepped on. </p> <p>We grew up on five acres in the country and had snakes. My parents taught us from the time we could walk that we had to watch out for snakes. Pay attention to where you're walking, don't reach under or into things you can't see. </p> <p>You can also make sure that you spray for bugs and make sure you don't allow rodents to live in the backyard, if there's no food source you'll have fewer snakes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/snakes-in-yards#post-2845885 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 13:33:58 +0000 agold 2845885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't know what category to put this under, so I chose "safety"...</p> <p>Do any of you girls have to worry about snakes in your yard? If so, what do you do to make sure it is safe before your kids go out to play? And do you take some steps in general to prevent places for snakes to hide out (i.e., not keep sheds or keep your plants trimmed back)?</p> <p>Thanks for any tips. I'm little bit dying inside right now after realizing snakes are a bit of a bigger concern than I previously thought at the house I'm moving to this week. :shocked: </p>