snake friendly lawn maintenance

[infernalis]

A few things I have learned along the way to help prevent running over snakes with your mower.

1. Mow in the middle of the afternoon when the sun is at it's apex and the day is at it's hottest.

By that time most Thamnophis and Storeria are in the shade hiding or underground avoiding the heat.

2. keep it mowed short, whenever we get lazy and let the grass grow tall, it attracts more snakes to hunt and prowl about.

Lack of cover equals vulnerability to predators, so the snakes will avoid your neatly groomed lawn.

3. always rake up the clumps of grass that collect when you are done. Snakes can hide under it, and then get mowed when you pass over it next.

4. standing puddles, coy ponds and rock piles are all attractive to snakes, if you have these it may be best to leave some tall grass surrounding those areas, the snakes will hang around in the cover and are less likely to get mowed.

5. DO NOT use any sort of "slug poisons" around flower gardens, Garters & Storeria (brown snakes and red bellies) frequent those areas and may eat poisoned slugs.

Smooth green and rough green snakes can also consume insects covered in poison, so avoid pesticides if possible.

any other ideas??

[Mommy2many]

Don't mow

[infernalis]

Don't mow

Love that idea.. but I don't want my home to look like a scene from "squidbillies"

[Mommy2many]

LOL
I was gonna watch that the other day to see what it was about. I had an idea...

[infernalis]

LOL
I was gonna watch that the other day to see what it was about. I had an idea...

It's an acquired taste. Like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, you have to watch a few times before it gets funny.

The animation is crude, and so is the humour.

[Mommy2many]

Aaarrgghhh....

My now 20 something age daughter could quote every episode of that show. And then she made me watch Robot Chicken...

Imagine driving 8 hours to Virginia with someone reciting, word for word, every episode of Aqua Teenage Force whatever...

[ConcinusMan]

It's an acquired taste. Like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, you have to watch a few times before it gets funny.

The animation is crude, and so is the humour.

I love that show. Robot chicken too. If you ever get a chance, check out "Trailer Trash" (animated) on hulu. It's outrageous.

Excellent tips Wayne. Nobody likes to mow in the middle of the afternoon when the sun is blazing down, but then again, nobody likes to find diced snakes on their lawn either.

[guidofatherof5]

Good thread Wayne.

If you have kids use one as a spotter out in front of the mower.
Just remember they are there

[infernalis]

Good thread Wayne.

If you have kids use one as a spotter out in front of the mower.
Just remember they are there

I scan the ground in front of me as much as I can, but due to sheer acreage, I mow with a fast tractor.

[infernalis]

I usually get sunburned, but so far only one garter snake fatality this year, I was mowing grass 3 feet tall at the time & it was a yearling.

Had I kept it short, the snake never would have been there.