Snake Control & removal

Found in every region of the United States, snakes are cold-blooded legless reptiles that cause fear with many people. Common species range from the harmless garter snake to more dangerous vipers. While they are largely beneficial because their diet is comprised of many pests, like mice and rats, some snakes are venomous and pose threats to humans. Fortunately due to our cold climate only smaller snake species can survive in Western New York this fact is why there are very few venomous snakes found in our area.

Appearance

Ranging in color from dull brown and black to green, snakes maintain an appearance that suits their surroundings. For example, aquatic snakes have flattened bodies, while snakes that live in trees are typically longer and more slender than those that live on the ground. They are highly flexible and may feature patterns along their bodies that aid in camouflage. The shape of a snake's head can be used to determine whether they're likely to be dangerous or not, as venomous snakes usually have triangularly shaped heads.

Diet

Larger snakes, like pythons and boas, eat larger meals, such as deer or pigs. Smaller grass snakes which are mainly what we have here prey on small insects, fish, and frogs. Most of the snakes found in the United States feed on rodents, birds, eggs, lizards, other snakes, and small mammals.

Habitat

As cold- blooded reptiles, snakes need to regulate their body temperature and must live in areas with consistent access to heat. They prefer to inhabit deserts, forested regions, marshes, plains, and residential areas. Snakes make nests in the ground, treetops, swamps, on farms, in abandoned buildings, and in sheds.

Problems and Damage

Snakes enter both homes and yards in search of food and shelter. Snakes generally avoid human contact when possible and nest in high grasses, wood piles, decks, barns, and sheds. The reptiles enter homes through gaps or cracks in building foundations. The smaller species of snakes we find in this region generally do not cause much damage and actually can be beneficial as they provide a natural form of pest control. The fear that they create is often cause enough to have them removed.

Prevention and Control

Seal cracks and holes in home foundations to reduce the possibility of snakes entering. Remove hiding places and potential food sources by taking actions like maintaining lawns, storing wood piles off the ground and in sheds or barns, sealing trash bins with fitted lids, and cleaning clutter from basements and attics. Erecting snake-proof fences around gardens and sheds is another sound form of snake control. Witzend Wildlife offers these control methods as well as removal via trapping in known snake locations to remove the current snake population.