How to Manage Snakes Around Your Kentucky Home

Let’s be honest, seeing a snake slither across your yard (or worse, your porch!) is enough to stop most folks in their tracks. Here in Kentucky, snakes are a part of the natural landscape. Most are harmless, a few are venomous, and nearly all of them would rather be left alone. But that doesn’t mean you want them cozying up near your home. Even though they provide many benefits, like eating mice and insects, their presence is enough to make most people hire professional snake control, and here at Four Seasons Pest Solutions, we do it every day!

If snakes are making surprise appearances around your property, you don’t have to panic. Let us show you a few ways to manage them smartly and safely on your own.

Understand Who You’re Dealing With

Kentucky is home to over 30 species of snakes, but only four are venomous: copperheads, cottonmouths (aka water moccasins), and two species of rattlesnakes. The five most common are the Eastern Garter, Northern Water, Eastern Copperhead, Timber Rattler, and the Black Rat Snake. The vast majority of snakes you might find in your yard are non-venomous and actually help control pests like rodents and insects.

That said, it’s hard to relax knowing something is slithering around under your deck. So, keeping them at a safe distance is best.

Tidy Up That Yard

Snakes love places to hide. Brush piles, tall grass, stacked firewood, rocks, and cluttered areas are prime real estate for them. The more “snake-friendly” your yard looks, the more likely they are to stick around.

• Keep your grass mowed short.
• Trim back shrubs and remove overgrown weeds.
• Store firewood off the ground and away from your home.
• Remove junk piles or unused equipment.
• Keep rock gardens a distance from your home

Think like a snake: if there’s nowhere to hide, it’s not worth the risk.

Cut Off the Food Supply

If you’ve got snakes, there’s a good chance you’ve also got mice, frogs, or even bird eggs hanging around. Eliminating these attractants can help cut down on uninvited slitherers.

• Seal up openings in your home’s foundation to keep rodents out.
• Use tightly sealed trash cans.
• Don’t leave pet food outside.
• Keep bird feeders away from the house (and clean up seed on the ground).

Less food = fewer snakes. The number 1 way Four Seasons controls snake populations is through food supply control, including rodent control.

Check for Entry Points

Snakes can squeeze through some surprisingly small gaps, like under-the-door small. Inspect your home’s exterior for openings around doors, vents, pipes, and the foundation.

• Install door sweeps.
• Seal gaps with weatherstripping or caulk.
• Cover vents and drains with fine mesh.

If a snake gets inside your house, that’s a whole different level of “nope” and probably one that you won’t want to tackle on your own!

Skip the Snake Repellents

Most over-the-counter snake repellents aren’t very effective. Mothballs, sulfur, and essential oils might smell strong to us, but snakes don’t typically take the hint. Some can even be toxic to pets or local wildlife. Your best bet? Habitat control, exclusion, and professional control.

Call in a Professional if You Need To

If you spot a snake and don’t know what kind it is, don’t try to handle it yourself. It’s just not worth the risk. Uneducated people who decide to DIY their snake control often get bitten. Unless you know precisely what you are dealing with and how to deal with it, you are neither qualified to tackle the job nor educated enough to. Does that hurt your pride? Well, it shouldn’t! And it could save your life! Professional wildlife removal experts (like us here at Four Seasons Pest Solutions) are trained to identify, trap, and relocate snakes safely and legally.

If snakes are a recurring problem, we can help you figure out what’s attracting them, how to stop it, and implement a plan that will eliminate them.

Snakes Aren’t All Bad… But They Belong Outside

Snakes get a bad rap, but most are shy and beneficial to the environment. Still, it’s perfectly fair not to want them lurking around your porch or hiding in the flower beds. By making your property less appealing and sealing off access points, you can keep your home snake-free without harming local wildlife.

🐍 Need help dealing with snakes near your Kentucky home? Give Four Seasons Pest Solutions a call. We offer professional, humane snake control services so you can reclaim your yard, with both feet firmly on the ground. Then you can breathe easy and get back to your backyard barbecues without slithering surprises with scales!