Living With Snakes

HELP! There’s a snake in my yard — what should I do?

Killing or moving snakes is a quick fix, not a solution. Where there’s one, there’s likely to be more. Most bites happen when people handle or try to kill snakes, so to keep your family safe try these alternatives.

Download this factsheet

Make your yard less attractive to snakes

Don’t feed or water pets or wildlife on the ground
Don’t create shelter for snakes or their prey with debris piles
Lush vegetation and water attract snakes and their prey too

An Arizona black rattlesnake hunting on a woodpile.

Fence snakes out

4ft high with solid buried footing
Smooth solid or 1/4in (or finer) galvanized mesh
Cover drainage areas with 1/4in (or finer) galvanized mesh
Look for trees and shrubs that give climbers a way in (all snakes can climb)

Photo courtesy Rattlesnake Solutions — they’ll install snake fencing for you in Tucson and Phoenix, AZ.

Learn to live safely with your wild neighbors

Use lights when walking at night
Create clear, wide paths for safe walking
Watch where you put your hands and feet
Use a long stick to disturb vegetation and any animals hiding within it

Learn your wild neighbors’ habits and avoid their areas or observe from a safe distance. If a venomous snake is in a high-traffic area (in the house, on the patio), wait for him to move, use a long-handled broom or hose to gently encourage him, or call a wildlife professional. Let them know you don’t want the animal moved far, this is their home too.