You are a snake serial killer AND by the time you kill them all the voles and slugs will explode and really do a number on your garden, and I know this first hand.

The snakes follow the prey. Once they have exhausted whatever they are eating they will move on. Where I live I have not seen a snake in 7 years. I wish I had a few in my garden. My family kills black snakes then wonders why they have a mouse problem.

They are there for a reason. I would let them be and the population will move on eventually.

Sorry I can't be more sympathetic. If you had poisonous snakes maybe I could but not with killing garter snakes.

There are several snake repellents on the market. I can't say whether they work or not since I don't use them. I want my snakes to hang around, even the copperheads.

Dave

I agree with the sentiment that, if you get rid of the snakes, whatever they are eating will have a population explosion.

If you are really concerned about the snakes, get some outdoor cats. just be prepared to wake up every morning with "gift" waiting for you at the door. Don't know why they do that, but every cat i have had does it.

Cats leave things on your porch for you because they think you are an inept hunter. They are trying to teach you to hunt the same way they would a kitten.

If that was the case, my outdoor cat, pickles, would bring me bagels with cream cheese every morning.

I would say live and let live. The snakes are not aggressive, if they see you, they likely slither off somewhere else. They are not likely to jump out from a bush and bit your toes so flip flops are not really a problem.

At my place, I welcome garter snakes especially after I saw one with a juicy grass hopper in its mouth. I admit, the big gopher snakes give me the heebie jeebies but are allowed to live because they take care of gophers and mice (even got to see some mate last year, whoopie!). Rattlers, we will kill if they are within a certain proximity to our main living areas, primarily because we have young children. We are considering a pair of snake tongs though to help move the gopher snakes on their way a little quicker, say if they are on my patio. We have found most snake detterents pretty worthless though. Good luck.

I'll bet if you make a bunch of noise as you go into your garden (clang some metal, smack some wood etc)They'll high tail it out of there!
I used to do this when we got rats (shudder!!!!!)
I want a hunting cat or some gopher snakes to take care of all of the voles!
I love snakes except for the surprise factor! Nancy

I know, I know, we're all gardeners and should be immune to nature and happy that the snakes keep down the vole and slug population, but that being said, I can empathize. I'd freak out too, if I had that many snakes around. Last summer, I had a giant pile of soil delivered, and covered it with black plastic until I got my raised beds built, and was ready to use the soil. So, in the meantime, it was my snake "condo". They loved it under that black plastic. I made my friend come over and scare the snakes away every time I needed to use some of the soil. I had plenty of voles and slugs all summer, so I don't know what those lazy snakes were doing, but they weren't killing them. So, although I have no ideas on how to keep them away, I empathize! We all have our phobias, and snakes are high on my list! Good luck!

Geez, call the state environmental conservation department and get some help that doesn't involve you wreaking havoc on the local snake population. Holes close to the house are quite likely a major vole infestation, not snake dens. Snakes don't make holes.

I understand that snakes have "hearing" organs that are tuned to picking up vibrations in the ground rather than in the air, so they can't hear airborne sounds no matter how much noise you make (they also smell with their tongues - weird). Stomping your feet or thumping a walking stick into the ground is more likely to make them try to avoid you than making loud noises will.

Also, I'll echo the perspective that garter snakes are quite harmless to humans, but they at least slow population explosions of annoying and potentially destructive pests. My mother was freaked out by snakes but, bless her heart, she went out of her way to avoid passing that on to her children, so by an early age, I came to think of garter snakes as darling and delightful creatures to have around.

It may not help you much, but feel free to gently nudge them in the direction of my garden in Minnesota if you like.

I totally get it guitargirl. I have a very visceral reaction to snakes, it's not a learned thing, it's an automatic reaction. I've got gardens, and the snakes are always in there when I'm weeding, etc. I used to freak out and finally, I had to come up with a solution: so now I go to the garden expecting to see a snake and I bring my small rake with me and thrash the undergrowth before I go in there. They move elsewhere in the yard or leave, believe me. Just keep the rake near your steps and bring it with you.

Over time I have come to appreciate what snakes do for the garden. I even made myself hold a baby one last summer. (Took all my nerve.) Not to mean that that's what anyone else should do, just helped me not to be so jumpy.

I think sunnibell has a good idea, contacting your local wildlife person (state, whatever). They may have some ideas of what you can do.

Good luck -

Last year I had a black snake problem. They may have helped out in the garden, but when I reach into a nest for eggs and a snake is glaring at me........ I relocated the first three, but when the forth one scared the begeezus out of me, he was in trouble. When the hoe hit him, it was like The Exorcist, with this yellow yolk mess squiting out of his mouth. It is the surprise factor more than anything else that makes snakes so scary.

That said, I was bitten by a brown recluse spider last week. Spiders are my biggest phobia. My reaction to the bite sent me to the doctor, but it was really not all that terrible. It may have even helped with my fear of spiders - but probably not.

I totally understand what your saying. It's the element of surprise for me that really shakes me up. I'm not afraid of them hurting me, just scaring me. Don't like them at all. I try to keep the long grasses down but we're on 2.25 acres and thats alot of brush. Behind us is a marsh that I know brings them in especially after alot of rain. It never fails I am the only one that sees these things as well. My husband works out in the yard/gardens and never sees them. I have 8 raised beds and what we did last year to help me in the garden was lay down indoor/outdoor carpeting between the beds and around the perimiter. I haven't seen a snake in my beds or around them since we laid the carpet. Yes, they are in the grass and I see them out there but they don't bother me from a distance.

I'm not a snake lover myself. We have copperheads, milk snakes, black snakes and properties not far from us have had rattlesnakes. Our last German Shepherd got bit by a black snake and it was nasty. Although not a poisonous bite, they have a dirty bite. Within a very short length of time, our dog had a very large pus pocket on his hind leg, like a water balloon, that was very painful. Antibiotics helped him through. One year to the month, he was struck by a copperhead that my DH had stepped on going to the kennel to let the dogs out. Same leg, same type of pus pocket, same pain, but had to go to an emergency Vet Clinic for anti-venom, antibiotics and IVs. Over $700 dollars and some pretty miserable time for the pup and very anxious time for us, he recovered with no loss of the leg or other problems. We immediately kill copperheads and relocate other types. I've sort of developed an instinct that tells me when they are around and to watch for them closely. I've heard that you can blow the insides out of an egg, fill it with salt and sit it out where snakes are, one will eat it and it will kill it. I haven't tried it. In the mean time, I watch closely and can move pretty quick for a elderly person.

Which reminds me, the perimeter of the garden is overgrown in weeds and I need to get out there and work in it. Better get out the tractor to get rid of the weeds and scare off any critters.

What a terrible post to have read

What's wrong with you? They're not harming you or your garden. Leave them alone.

Or, hey, kill them. Other snakes will come in--maybe a poisonous one among them this time.

Sounds like you need to get over your fear of snakes. Garter snakes are beneficial to you. The don't eat your vegetables but eat the things that eat your vegetables. You have to let the voice of reason overcome the voice of fear you have about them. Try that first.

I have the same thing at my place. Snakes everywhere. I keep the grass cut low, wear sneakers or boots with jeans out there, and use a stick to run them off before working in the beds. I have a lot less problems with bugs here so I'll leave them be. Mostly. Once in a while I come across an aggresive one and it gets the shovel. That's rare though, and I wouldn't even do that but I have young children.

Many residential yards have garter snakes in those kinds of numbers. It seems like an infestation if you don't like them, but it is actually not that unusual and is the sign of a natural healthy yard. Unfortunately there isn't much in the way of repellants that work.

I know, I know. Garter snakes are beneficial. I'm pretty much a live & let live person, really. Although I realize it doesn't sound that way.

These things can climb & even get in behind vinyl siding. And we're not talking about one or two here. We're talking 14 snakes relocated or sent to the happy hunting ground in a one month period in a very small area. I used to have the occasional little brown snake or milk snake and lots of toads. I was fine with that diversity. The ones in the garden are fine, but those next to the house aren't welcome. Before you know it they're going to be slithering up onto my deck, lounging in a chair, discussing their favorite literature, expecting me to serve tea and crumpetts.

Sorry, I know I've disappointed many of you, but snakes living next the house is where I draw the line.

Back to my original concern... has *anyone* had success with snake repellents so I don't have to resort to other means?

I think people's responses indicate that most would never even bother buying such a product. Call your local environmental department for help. Your baseless fear is exactly what is going wrong with the environment. You are killing something 200 times smaller than you that has no defenses against you, not even a sting like a bee. Why? Because you don't like the way it looks. They are not damaging your property, they aren't eating your food and they aren't a threat to your safety. If you won't call the appropriate people for help (and I do not mean exterminators) then take control of your emotions and let the snakes be.

To tell someone that their fear is "baseless" is harsh. We all have our fears and phobias. I have plenty!! If we cannot be of help to people and put ourselves in "their shoes", what is the point of posting questions or concerns in this forum.

"Back to my original concern... has *anyone* had success with snake repellents so I don't have to resort to other means?"

As someone who loves snakes and would much rather you resort to other means than killing snakes, I wish I could recommend a good snake repellant.

But unfortunately the reality is that products like Snake-a-Way are generally ineffective but highly profitable because it is easy to make big money on the second largest fear (I think fear of flying is first) that people have, because most people are desperate enough to try anything.

Folk remedies like mothballs, lime, etc. aren't effective deterrents either.

If anyone ever invents a snake deterrent that actually works, the multibillionaire who invents it and patents it will be better known than Bill Gates. Alas Snake-a-way is not that invention.

I would also add that killing them individually won't really solve the problem either. If it did you wouldn't still have so many to kill. When you kill several snakes other snakes will move in to take advantage of the habitat niche and the prey supply that is available. As long as you have good habitat and good prey you will have some snakes to contend with.

I think the things you have already done with habitat near your house are the best you can do.

Snake-a-way is the deterrent I see most often recommended, so if you really want to try a repellant you might give it a go. But I would be prepared for the potential to be disappointed with the results.

A phobia is a baseless fear. I.e., not grounded in the reality of the situation. Since the OP said they don't mind the occassional snake, it doesn't even seem to warrant the rating of phobia.

What sort of world would it be if we did not encourage each other to examine if our actions are reasonable? Or not encourage one another to face fears and let them go?

Snake away repellents do not work. The best advice you've been given is to get a cat. The cat will not necessarily kill all the snakes but it will deter them from coming close to the house (hopefully). Good luck!

I guess the only really helpful advice would be aggressive therapy so that you aren't bothered by them anymore! (I don't mean the "So let's talk about your mother" kind of therapy but true desensitization therapy.) It would probably be the cheapest, most long-term solution!

I'm not too keen on snakes myself, and I can empathize with your situation. It seems to me that while trying to get you to embrace the snake population, the responses given have provided a possible answer. If the snakes are there to help with "the things that eat your food", then get rid of your small pest problem. Find out what the snakes are eating. What's keeping them there? That's you're best deterrent if you're dead set on evicting your snake population. Find what they're eating, eliminate their food source and eventually they will find somewhere else to post up...

"Sorry, I know I've disappointed many of you, but snakes living next the house is where I draw the line."

Can't argue with an irrational person....gl2u

I heard that there are certain places that snakes gather.

At least your place isn't as bad as the "Snake House".

Here is a link that might be useful: Snake House

This is a great thread, makes me feel lucky to have king snakes, which dominate their territory so there are never too many of them.

An idea. Set up a snake condo by situating a garbage can with a secure snap-top lid on its side in a likely spot. Fill it partially with whatever type of organic matter you know your snakes like, and see if some move in. Every couple of weeks, quickly pop on the lid and carry off the captives for relocation. I successfully did this kind of repeat "habitat trapping" to get control of an outbuilding full of mice.

I agree that the snakes are finding something to eat or cushy habitat or both. Owl nest boxes might help stop the craziness, or a couple of good hunting cats.

You do realize your fears are purely psychological and not rooted in reality? They are harmless, as you pointed out yourself.

Go to a children's zoo that allows snakes to be touched. Touch them. Feel them. Allow them to crawl on you. Try to let go of your fears - they are vertebrates after all, so not that distant from us. Giant cockroaches, I could understand.

Please let the snakes be.