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How to Kill a Snake
Snakes re subject to persecution the world over, even though the vast majority of snakes, especially in the USA, are harmless and even beneficial. I'm constantly
sent photos of snakes beheaded by shovels, with people saying, "Is this a copperhead that I killed?" and in every case, it's a harmless snake, like a rat snake.
Still, there are various ways of getting rid of these undesirable offenders. You can chose according to your convenience, a way of stopping these intruders from entering your personal space.
Blocking Snake’s Entry Points
This can be done by sealing all openings around foundations, crevices on walls and floors. Chimneys and fireplaces should be searched for openings and plugged properly. Cellular doors, windows and screens must fit tightly. If children use the yard for playing the building, it should be completely fenced to keep the snakes at bay.
Removal of Food and Shelter
Reducing the rodent population can effectively discourage a snake from remaining in an area. This can be achieved by making granaries and storage inaccessible to mice and other rodents. All debris from around foundation and under porches should be removed, as these are potential shelters for snakes. However, it should be kept in mind that unless the control operations are maintained properly, the snake might not permanently leave your vicinity. This is because they are capable of surviving without food for long periods.
Use of Traps
No traps for snakes have proved successful in the past. The reason for this is that they do not follow a fixed pathway. They are not easily attracted to baits as well. However, if there hiding location (like a rock pile) is searched, this mission can be accomplished by clogging all the exits with cement, boards or rocks and leaving only one exit for them to leave the shelter. A wooden box can be placed at this sole exit so that as the snakes emerge out of their den only to be trapped.
Search and Kill
A more practical way of getting rid of snakes is by searching them and clubbing or killing them. However, since they do not remain above ground for much time this is not an easy thing to do. A trick to attract a snake is placing of wet clothes at places they are expected to be found and covering them with dry ones. The snake will crawl into this moist shelter once it finds it.
Use of Poison
There are no types of poison that can be used to kill a snake.
Poisoned Water
If the locations of drinking water are limited, this method can work. A mixture of one part 40% nicotine sulphate and 250 parts of water can be made and placed in a shallow tray. Care should be taken to prevent birds and mammals from drinking it.
Strychnine in Eggs
The snakes that feed on eggs can be killed by using the poisoned ones. These can be prepared by making a small hole in the shell and introducing three to four crystals of strychnine through it. A piece of paper is then pasted over the hole and it is allowed to dry. However, these eggs should be clearly marked.
Fumigation of Burrows
Calcium Cyanide is placed in the holes where some snakes reside. These holes are then covered with stones. The moisture then combines with this chemical to liberate hydro cyanide, which kills snake in 30 minutes.
Gassing of Dens
Gassing of dens where the snakes hibernate or take shelter should be done soon after they enter them or just before they are about to leave.
Nevertheless, killing of snakes must be avoided. There are other methods that can be used to capture them and relocate to a far off place. If you fear them and do not want to do this on your own, you can always call an expert. An important thing to note here is that not all snakes are poisonous. Presence of an expert of the field can help in differentiating a poisonous snake from a non-poisonous one. There are a number of repellents as well that do not harm the snakes or humans but effectively drive away the snakes. They can be strategically placed at all the entry points inside the house.
Poisoning a snake is a cruel method to get rid of them and must be shunned as far as possible. There are a number of tools available in the market which you can use to catch them. However, since snakes can bite you in the process, it is always better to call an expert to take care of the job.