How to Keep Snakes Out of My Garage

Salad oil.

I'm back on line after a few weeks "vacation".

Europium has been the closest yet.

In Aus we have our fair share of the deadly snakes in the world and there are three solutions that seem to work.

First (similar to Europium) snakes HATE petrochemicals, especially the aromatic portions. A rag or similar that has been used to wipe petrol/gasoline or similar can be kept in open topped jars on the floor near the entry points and in the back corners will just make it totally unpleasant for them and they will usually not enter. (Or you might like to brush the bottom of the door with kerosene like material and the snakes will not go under it when the doors are closed.

Second, there are some ants in Aus called "meat ants". Aside from the fact that they eat wayward snakes that cross their nests, the formic acid that they emit is highly repelling to snakes. The old trick was to get some of the fine gravel from their nests and sprinkle that as a barrier since there was always some acid in the nest material. They will not come across it. (Collect it during dry times, as rain will rinse the surface material.)

Third is like the electric fence idea, with two parallel wires laid on the floor inside the garage (dry zone) so that it can be driven over by car, walked on with shoes and such. (Probably not readily available unless you are already running a fence for livestock.)

I do not know if it is true or an old wife's tale, but more than one friend I made while living and working near Birmingham, AL, USA told me that the small farmers and sharecroppers kept a few billy goats around to solve the problem. Seems that the goats were incensed by snakes and used their sharp hoofs to attack, kill/chase and possibly eat the snakes; also fits in with the stories about goats eating anything.

One dear friend told me that her mother inherited the family farm after several years of disuse and that it was invested with cottonmouths.

The goats eliminated and/or chased the snakes away and continued to keep them at bay. Visiting the farm of this southern belle's momma, I seen no snakes, a wet environment that the snakes like, and the goats still there.

Well tonight my wife and I went and watched Cirque Montage. When we got home, sitting next to the back porch was a small water mocassin, not doubt at all about what this one was. I used a garden rake pick it up and remove it from the area. It took quite a bit of time to do it, but we got it out of the yard.

I think most important part is to "fight" snakes with a proper weapon. Here take a look at snake repellent reviews and it will help you analyze your situation.