Think fast: You have a snake in the yard. What should you do? Stay calm, and keep your distance.
If snakes are an ongoing issue, getting rid of them involves regular yard maintenance: short grass, cleared debris, and rodent control.
Almost all snakes do some good, and very few are dangerous. So put down your sharp-edged garden tool, and let’s review which snakes to keep, which to get rid of, and how to handle each situation safely.
Rather let someone else brave your overgrown lawn? LawnStarter connects you with lawn mowing pros who handle the upkeep so your yard stays trim and snake-free.
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| • Most snakes found in yards are harmless and help control rodents and insects. • Removing what attracts snakes (food sources, clutter, and overgrown grass) is the most effective long-term prevention strategy. • If you spot a venomous snake or cannot identify the species, call a professional wildlife removal service rather than attempting removal yourself. |
What Attracts Snakes to Your Yard
Snakes don’t wander into yards randomly. They show up because your yard is offering something they need: food, shelter, or both. Rodents, frogs, and hiding spots like woodpiles or tall grass are the most common draws.
Snakes are most active during warmer months, which is when the vast majority of yard encounters happen.
Food Sources That Draw Snakes to Your Yard
Snakes are just following the food. If your yard has a buffet of rodents, frogs, insects, or birds’ eggs, snakes will take notice.
A thriving mouse population under your deck or a frog-filled pond is like putting out a welcome mat for their predators. Solving your rodent problem is the first step to solving your snake problem.
See Related: How To Deter Rodents Away From Your Woodpile
Shelter and Cover That Attract Snakes to Your Yard
Snakes are shy and need hiding spots from predators and sun. Common hiding spots include:
Tall grass and overgrown shrubs: Dense vegetation provides cover for snakes to move safely.
Woodpiles, rocks, or compost: These create dark, protected spaces ideal for snake shelter.
Unsealed sheds or crawl spaces: Gaps in structures offer protected areas away from predators.
Clutter and debris: Any yard mess creates hiding opportunities for snakes.
See Related: Snakes in the Garden: What to Do
How to Get Rid of Snakes in Your Yard
There are a few things you can do to get rid of snakes yourself or deter them from coming in the first place. Start with the immediate situation, then work toward longer-term removal.
How to Get Rid of a Snake in Your Yard Right Now
There’s a snake in your yard right now? Here’s what to do. Stay calm: Most snake bites happen when people try to handle or kill the snake, not from accidental encounters.
Stay calm and keep your distance: Most snakes will strike only if they feel threatened. Give it plenty of space.
Try to identify it from a safe distance: Look for a triangular head, thick body, or distinctive markings. If you can’t tell, assume it’s venomous and keep everyone back.
Keep children and pets inside and monitor from a window: Most snakes will move on within an hour if they feel safe to do so.
Give it an escape route: Don’t corner the snake. Make sure it has a clear path to leave your yard.
Do not try to handle it and do not try to kill it: Even if you think it’s non-venomous, leave handling to professionals. Killing snakes is illegal in many states, and most bites occur when people attempt to handle or harm a snake.
Natural Ways to Get Rid of Snakes in Your Yard
Keep the grass short: Snakes avoid short grass because it leaves them exposed to predators like hawks and owls.
Keep the yard tidy: Remove brush piles, compost piles, woodpiles, and fallen trees, or at least keep them away from buildings and play areas. Anything a snake can hide in is a problem.
Get rid of other pests: If snakes have nothing to eat, there is no reason for them to come. Any small rodent or insect pest problem needs to be solved.
Keep branches off the ground: Utah State University recommends creating a 24-to-36-inch empty space under trees and shrubs. The exposed area helps keep snakes away and makes it easier to spot them if they do slither in.
Use sharp lava rock at the foundation: Place a 2-to-3-foot-wide band of sharp lava rock, 5 to 6 inches deep, against your home’s foundation. Lava rock is the only material Extension services have shown to deter snakes.
Avoid loose rock walls or piles of decorative stones elsewhere in the yard, since snakes use the gaps between stones to warm up and hide.
See Related: Natural Pest Control for Your Lawn That Works (Hint: They’re Not Homemade Recipes)
Snake-Proof Fencing to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard
For a more permanent solution, consider installing a snake-proof fence, one of the most reliable ways to keep snakes out. DIY snake fence materials run $1 to $10 per linear foot depending on mesh type, while professionally installed systems typically cost more.
Snake-proof fencing requires specific installation:
Material: Use hardware cloth with quarter-inch mesh openings.
Height: Install fencing at least 36 inches tall.
Depth: Bury the fence 6 inches into the ground.
Angle: Bend the top outward at 30 degrees to create the recommended fence angle.
Venomous vs. Non-Venomous Snakes in Your Yard
Before you do anything, figure out what you’re dealing with. Venomous snakes in the U.S. typically have triangular heads, slit-like pupils, and thick bodies, while non-venomous snakes usually have rounded heads and rounder pupils.
One important exception: Coral snakes have a rounded head but are highly venomous. When in doubt, keep your distance and treat every unidentified snake as potentially dangerous.
Venomous Snakes You Want to Get Rid of in Your Yard
Some snakes pose real dangers to you, your children, and your pets. The most common venomous species in the U.S. include:
Rattlesnake: Thick body, 1.6 to 8 feet long, patterned with dark diamonds or hexagons and a segmented rattle at the tail tip. Found across the U.S., especially in the South and Southwest, in dry rocky areas, brush, and tall grass.
Copperhead: Copper or reddish-brown head with hourglass-shaped bands across a tan body, 2 to 3 feet long. Found in the eastern and central U.S. in leaf litter, woodpiles, and rocky hillsides.
Cottonmouth (water moccasin): Thick dark body, 2 to 4 feet long, with broad triangular head and a white mouth lining showen when threatened. Found in the Southeastern U.S. near swamps, ponds, and slow-moving water.
Coral snake: Red, yellow, and black bands with red touching yellow (“red on yellow, kill a fellow”), about 20 to 30 inches long. Found in the Southern U.S. in wooded or sandy areas, often hidden under logs or leaves. Unlike most venomous U.S. snakes, coral snakes have rounded heads.
Non-Venomous Snakes You Can Keep in Your Yard
Many common yard snakes are non-venomous and beneficial because they help control rodents and insects. If a snake is not threatening anyone and you can identify it as non-venomous, the safest option is usually to let it move on.
Garter snake: Dark body with 3 pale yellow or greenish stripes running head to tail. Slender, 18 to 26 inches long. Found across most of North America.
Gopher snake: Tan or yellow body with dark brown blotches, 3 to 6 feet long; often mistaken for a rattlesnake. Common in the western and central U.S.
Corn snake: Orange or reddish body with black-bordered red blotches and a checkered belly, 2 to 6 feet long. Found in the Southeastern U.S.
Kingsnake: Glossy black or dark brown with white or yellow bands or chain-like patterns, 3 to 5 feet long. Found across most of the U.S. Worth tolerating in venomous-snake regions, since kingsnakes prey on rattlesnakes and copperheads.
Milk snake: Red, black, and yellow or white bands arranged so red touches black (“red on black, friend of Jack”), 2 to 4 feet long. Found in the eastern and central U.S.
Rat snake: Black, gray, or yellowish with faint blotches or stripes, 3 to 6 feet long. Common in the eastern and central U.S. where they climb trees, shrubs, and birdhouses.
When to Call a Professional to Get Rid of Snakes in Your Yard
Sometimes professionals are the quickest and safest answer for how to get rid of snakes. If DIY methods have failed or you’re dealing with a venomous species, call a wildlife control or pest management company.
Professional snake removal typically runs about $150 to $500 per visit. That’s often money well spent when you’re dealing with a dangerous species.
Don’t sign up for the first pest control company you find. Most handle only rodents and insects, not wildlife. Look specifically for a licensed wildlife removal company, and always ask whether they practice humane relocation rather than extermination.
FAQs
A sudden snake appearance usually means a new food source, like mice, or new shelter, like a firewood delivery has made your yard more attractive. Snakes follow resources, so any change that introduces prey or hiding spots, such as overgrown landscaping or a new compost pile, can attract them quickly.
No. Mothballs are ineffective against snakes. A University of Nebraska study found that naphthalene, the active ingredient in mothballs, did not repel snakes in controlled testing.
Not reliably. Most commercial snake repellents have little peer-reviewed evidence supporting their outdoor effectiveness. Even oils with some lab-tested backing wash away with rain and need constant reapplication.
Generally, no. Most yard snakes are harmless and help control rodents and insects, and killing snakes is illegal in many states. If you suspect a snake is venomous, call a professional wildlife removal service instead.
Open spaces with no cover and no food. Snakes need hiding spots and prey to survive, so removing both makes your yard unwelcoming.
Let LawnStarter Help Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard
A tidy, well-maintained yard is your best defense against snakes. Short grass and cleared debris make your property far less appealing to slithering visitors.
LawnStarter connects you with vetted local lawn care professionals who keep your grass short and your yard clean, exactly the conditions snakes avoid. LawnStarter’s mowing service is the simplest way to keep tall grass from turning into a hiding place.
Main Photo: Bull snake. Photo Credit: Carpedatum / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
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