Need advice, or ideas, or home remedies on

[Gipper]

how to get these Copperheads out of my workshop! >:(  Yep, that's right, Copperheads as in the poisonous variety of the creepy crawlers.  At least two that I know of, maybe more.  Each of the last two years I have killed captured six or seven just outside the shop.  Last year one was lying in front of the shop door looking as if he wanted to go in.  It's pretty normal here that from mid-August until early October you have to be more cautious about moving around, especially just after dark.  That's why during this time period, I always carry a long barrel 22 pistol, loaded with bird shot.  Usually one shot is all it takes.  Tuesday evening, at the edge of dark, I opened the shop door, looked around with the flash light, turned the overhead lights on, then looked along the left door and there came one crawling along the wall around the door jam.  I shot, but missed.  Don't know where it went.  Only the second one I've missed in appox. 6 years.  Wednesday and Thursday evening went looking for them, nothing seen, so I thought maybe I had scared them off.  Wrong!  Friday evening about the same time opened the door, shined the flashlight to the same spot, there laid a bigger one, coiled and ready to strike.  Sounded like a small war had started.  I hit him but  but not fatally. He did get outside where I hit him three more times, then got into some weeds.  Don't know his current status.

If anyone has had this experience, how did you get rid of them.  I've gotten lots of advice but most qualify by saying "I've been told it works."  This is getting serious.  I almost shot the end of an extension cord tonight ;D  My shop is basically useless to me now.  Thanks, Gipper

[breederman]

I Hate  snakes, I'd probably just move and let them have the place. :(

[Dan_Shade]

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/livingwith_wildlife/snakes/removing.html

http://www.snaketrapsnaketrapping.com/

I'm no fan of snakes either.  Hopefully you can get them cleared out.

[ellmoe]

   About the only steps you can take is to eliminate their food and cover, this will reduce the attractiveness of the immediate area. Keep the area closely mowed, with minimum ornamental plants and trap any mice, etc. in the area. Also, check the building for any small openings. I've used the expanding foam to block these entryways with good results. If these steps don't work, have you thought about snake boots? ;D

Mark

[pineywoods]

Have no idea about how to acquire one, but what you need is a big ol king snake. They are not poisonous, don't even bite. They are constrictors, ie, they wrap around their prey and squeeze it to death, then swallow whole. Kings will absolutely not tolerate any other kind of snake, where you find one, you can bet there are no other snakes around. Must be the seasons. Copperheads aren't very common here, but I have killed 2 in the last week. Ditto on the 22 pistol and the rat shot loads. For the bigger ones, I'd like to have one of them Tarus revolvers that will take a 410 shotshell

[Ernie]

Posts like this sure make me glad I live in New Zealand, except in parliament, there are no snakes anywhere in the country. 8)

[Chuck White]

Moth balls or moth flakes repel lots of critters.  Some people don't like the smell either!
I know the mice don't hang around here.
Perhaps if you put some moth flakes in the corners and out of the way places in your shop, you'd get rid of the mice and then the snakes wouldn't have a desire to go into the shop.

[Banjo picker]

When we were cotton farming when I was young.  Dad swore that cotton poision would keep snakes away.  This was the fine dusty stuff he would apply to the cotton to keep off bowl weivles..Airplane sprayers made that obselete.  And I would think you couldn't get it anymore due to regulations anyway....Tim

[Gipper]

Thanks folks for the replys! I got some "Snake Away" to throw around the corners and along the walls, except the front wall where they are apparently getting in.  Got to thinking it might cause anything it touches to rust or damage it in other ways so haven't used it yet.  The link provided by Dan_Shade showed some traps that look most promising.  Think I will order a couple of those and give it a try.  Thanks for the link.

During the upcoming winter months, the cover for them and "stuff" outside the shop will definitely be moved.  Clearing the inside right now is an impossible task.  The shop has been there a little more than 30 years, so you can imagine how much stuff has accumulated ;D.  Those little devils can climb and there's several items in the shop that would enable them to strike one in the face or upper body, snake boots won't help much!:(  I'm getting to old to move away and let them have the place.  Even if I could find a KingSnake, that would not be a possibility since I dislike ALL snakes.  Going to be difficult to sit there and set and sharpen blades for the mill, that I'm finally getting to use again after nearly a two year absence from sawing!  May have to get the wife to watch my back!  :D  Again, thanks for the informatin.  Gipper 

[Radar67]

What about a cat? My outside cats catch and eat snakes, bugs, anything they can find.

[bitternut]

Well gipper I guess maybe thats why there are still people left in upstate NY. No poisonous snakes, poisonous spiders, cockroaches, termites, ticks, chiggers, or fire ants. We do have some vermin but most of them are in Albany or DC.  ;D :D

I think maybe a couple of terrier's would be able to solve your snake problem or at least give you ample warning.

[Toolman]

If you wanna keep Copperheads away, never kill black snakes( black rat snake). They are natural enemies. Years ago my Grandpa used to kill black snacks on this property. We would also find numerous Copperheads around here too. I have not killed a black snake on this property in over 15 yrs. They are everywhere. They are in my barn, I've found one or two hanging in my sharpening shop. I leave them alone. They don't bother me and I don't bother them. It's been at least 12 yrs since I've found a Copperhead around here. I even look for them. I know they are still around because my neighbors still find them. They also kill black snakes. Most neighbors call me now if they want to get rid of them. I catch em, and release them on my property. They kill Copperheads and eat mice. It's a win win situation having them around. I have a few that are permanent residents in my one shed. They are pretty used to me and are quite docile if you decide to pick up one to show to visiting neices and nephews. Kids love it. My wife even enjoys seeing them around now and she used to be terrified of them.

[chipsfly09]

You could fence your shop area-- electric would be fine and put a hog or two in there-- I hear they are murder on snakes-- I got a couple of Vietnameese potbellies i could set you up with on permanent loan!   
Seriously-- I have heard that the "snake away" stuff that you said you got works well-- I think the main active ingredient is sulfur.

Good luck-- I'm not really fond of copperheads -- the folks I know that have been bit were hit by copperheads.

[Toolman]

Snake away costs money, black snakes are free. :D ;D

Chipsfly, if your offering , I'll take those hogs off your hands. digin_2

[southpaw]

I agree with the moth ball suggestion, worked for me several years ago.

[Chico]

I with radar a couple of cats and the snakes will be gone  Hogs are good too but a little messier than cats I have heard of running a very low elec fence but we always just used cats down in Fla
Chico

[ErikC]

  I have seen my cats kill rattlesnakes 2 times. Pretty impressive speed in housecats when they need it. I heard a bunch of angry sounding buzzing, and when I got there the 2 cats were tag teaming the snake. Both times they killed the snake and never got bitten. The snakes were around 2 feet long, not sure how it would go on a big one.

[Gipper]

What about a cat? My outside cats catch and eat snakes, bugs, anything they can find.

I have cats, too many of them, and there's a pet door sized just for cats in the shop.  I put it in a few years ago after I went in one morning and a huge black snake (approx. 6 ft. long) was lying on top of the refrigerator.  It also gives my cats an opportunity to get away from the coyotes.  I don't kill blacksnakes, unless they are trying to come in my house,  and agree with Toolman that they are enemies of poisonous snakes.  At least I have heard that!  Friday evening, after shooting five times at the copperhead, I went on into the shop looking for others, and there sat a cat on the workbench near the rear wall.  I don't know why the cats today aren't as aggressive toward snakes as some I used to have.  Several years ago I had two cats that would probably prevented the snakes from getting in the shop.  One was finally done in by a big rattler and the other just got old and went on the kitty Heaven. 

I'm ordering a couple of the traps as mentioned in an earlier reply and when they get here I will toss the snakeaway around the side and rear walls and place the traps near the area I think they entered.  In the meantime I'll just keep doing the evening search and attempt to destroy!  ;D  Thanks, Gipper

[limbrat]

Becareful with home remedeys. My neighbor used moth balls under the house to deture snakes and his wife complained that she could smell them. So he tried another home remedy stale beer, he heard that if you pour a line of it inside of the drip line the snakes wont cross it. He doesnt have snakes but now he has rednecks under the house. ;D

[isawlogs]

I agry with Breederman ... I would high tail it outadere right quick and move here  ;D  No dam snakes here . Little black and yellow stripe ones , and they stuill get me to jump like a girly ....  :

[IMERC]

move to a high elevation...
no snakes and 'skeeters are a rare item as a side benifit....

[sjfarkas]

just starve the cats.  Not forever, but only feed them once a week.  Hungry cats aren't lazy.

[DanG]

  No dam snakes here .

Marcel, my good friend, you have told an untruth.  You have Snow Snakes there, and you cannot deny it!  Snow Snakes are among the most injurious of all reptiles.  They are sneaky and give no warning when they are about to strike.  I am just a little bit puzzled as to why you would try to perpetrate this false rumor that you are snake-free.  Are you trying to recruit close neighbors, or what? ???

[IMERC]

  No dam snakes here .

You have Snow Snakes there, and you cannot deny it!  Snow Snakes are among the most injurious of all reptiles. 

which one are you talking about...

the furry one...
the Native American one...
or the one that hides out in Manitoba???

[DanG]

How the heck should I know?  We don't even have snow around here, let alone Snow Snakes!  Marcel is the one with all the broken bones.  Ask him about it. ;D