LoveToKnow Garden:AllComments

From LoveToKnow Garden

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what color are garden snakes are they black and white my dog has been playing with it

-- Contributed by: Lesley ward

Tami,

You'll need to find where they are getting in and seal it. They may be looking for mice or other pests. You can consult a pest control service for help.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

Ash,

Garden snakes aren't really a problem, but if you want to discourage snakes in your yard you'll need to eliminate the reasons for being there. Those reasons are usually a good hiding place and food.

Begin by cleaning up any piles of debris: branches, lumber, bricks or rocks, whatever. These things offer housing for snakes.

The hard part is eliminating the food source. Chances are, the things that the snakes are eating are also things you don't want--which is why snakes are good to have around. Typically, snakes eat bugs, rodents and other snakes. Again, keeping your yard tidy will discourage unwanted visitors.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

We are getting garden snakes in the house. What can I do?

-- Contributed by: Tami

we have had garden snakes in Tulsa,Ok. We don't have a garden but we do have bushes that are fenced. We have seen 3 this year is there any way to help our promblem

-- Contributed by: ash

Without knowing what part of the country (or the world) you are in, it's hard to really identify this snake. However, brown snakes are usually poisonous so please be very careful.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

The snake was huge and had yellow pokedots and silky brown skin.

-- Contributed by: Dylan josh Roderick

Most snakes find a place to hide during the winter. they have dens or holes under the ground where they can sleep and stay warm.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

where do garden snakes go in the winter months

-- Contributed by: Terry

No, snake dropping are usually white and black.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

do snakes leave yellow spongy looking droppings?

-- Contributed by: eva

Amanda,

All snakes will bite, even non-venomous ones. Without knowing the exact type of snake you have, it's hard to say if it is harmful or not. However, wild animals are best left in the wild. It is healthier for them to live naturally.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

does garden snakes bite ? can they get any bigger ? how big ? does it cause any harm ? im like so intested !!

-- Contributed by: amanda

wow this r kool , i just found a garden snake in mc carren park it was so kool but to bad i have to give it away i love pets

-- Contributed by: amanda

Chantel,

It sounds like your dogs are doing their job! If you are unable to remove area that snakes like to hide you will have to see if you have any professionals in your area that can remove dangerous snakes. I don't consider a green mamba to be a garden snake. Garden snakes are harmless for the most part.

Anyone who has dangerous snakes in their yard needs to seek the help of a professional.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

I cant keep snakes out my garden this morning my dogs killed a green mamba. Please help

-- Contributed by: Chantel

my brother had a garden snake whan i was 2 years old.there scary but awsome!

-- Contributed by: jazmyn

They aren't likely to make your dog sick. However, the best way to keep snakes out of your garden is to remove places that snakes like to hide.

Any piles of rocks or debris should be removed, and tall grasses should be kept mowed.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

how do you get rid of them, my dog keeps trying to eat them and i don't want her sick

-- Contributed by: perry8925@yahoo.com

Hi Gina, Yes they can be kept as pets, but require a lot of care. Check out Herp Care Collection for details.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

Can you keep a garden snake as a pet.

-- Contributed by: Gina

Hi Aleksandar, Please check out the following website: Herp Care Collection. It gives really good information on feeding these snakes.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

What do gardner snakes eat?

-- Contributed by: Aleksandar Nikolovski

Hi Vicky, Check out this link: SUNY ESF Center - Snakes of New York. There are plenty of photos of the snakes in this state as well as additional links for assistance.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

I have a problem - I live in a major city right outside of Manhattan and over the last couple of years snakes have appeared in my backyard. I'm hoping that somehow they are just gartner snakes and not some kind of snake that someone let go and they multiplied. Well now I have another problem.. they are somehow getting in my home in the basement. Is there any website that I can take a pic of it and post it to try and get the species of the snake? I'm really nervous, freaked out and disgusted. thanks so much.

-- Contributed by: vicky

Hi Ernestina, Garter snakes grow to a length of about 3 feet, and their dimension doesn't change much once they are adults. They will shed periodically when they do grow, though not a specific time period. As for hibernation, they will go to a den to hibernate in the winter with many other snakes, which keeps them from freezing. If you would like to read some specifics, please visit the following website: Garter Snakes/Herp Care Collection.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

I am writing a story about a garden snake that we have living under our trash bin. Can someone tell me: 1. how long does it take for a garden snake to shed its skin? (It just left us a perfectly intact one.) 2. Where do they hibernate in the winter.

-- Contributed by: Ernestina

Hi Roosevelt, Garden/garter/gartner snakes come in many different colors, including brown. Reptic Zone - this is a link to lots of garter snake photos.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

I've spotted a brown snake in my yard. My friend told me garden snake is green not brown. I didn't want to kill it any idea

-- Contributed by: Roosevelt

Hi Jos, Snakes don't usually live up in trees or bushes. I would check to make sure it isn't stuck somehow in the plant.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

Hi Family, Please visit the following website for complete information on the care and feeding of garter snakes: Garter Snake Care from NCSU

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

I have a garden snake crawling around in my clematis bush. I think he was trying to get down, but spent the night there. He is still there today. I'm wondering if this is normal. Any idea?

-- Contributed by: jos

I just found one and we have it in a tank as a pet. my question is do they need a heat lamp, and how often do they eat?

-- Contributed by: family

They are so cool. I would love to have one.

-- Contributed by: kelsey boitnott

Hi Joe, Garden or Gartner snakes are not poisonous.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

Hi Tyechia, Most likely you have moles or voles. They dig up holes everywhere they live, and they often appear overnight. Snakes usually live in one spot, usually near something cool, like a pile of rocks or woodpile.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

Hi Carolyn, I would advise you to either call your local zoo and ask to speak to a reptile specialist or call your local Cooperative Extension. They would be familiar with the types of snakes that live in your area and help you to identify it.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

Are garden snakes poisonous?

-- Contributed by: joe

I am affraid that I might have a snake(s)in my garden bed. I have not see any yet but I keep seeing holes pop up. I cover the holes and they come right back. Do you think it could be a snake?

-- Contributed by: tyechia

I have just seen a snake on my rather small patio I live inAutinTX it was about 18 inches long and spotted, not very big. I have not been able to identify it as I have lived here 30 years and never have seen a snake. Should I be concerned. I do have some wandering jew growing in here and he came from in there. Thank you

-- Contributed by: Carolyn Freitag

Hi Karen, If it was a common garden snake, you shouldn't have to worry much- assuming you really know what kind of snake it was.

In the future, try to capture the snake in a box or jar (with holes in the lid) so you can have someone identify it for you. If you can't catch it, take note of what it looks like so you can describe it to an emergency room doctor. There are some snakes that live in gardens, primarily in the west, that are poisonous. In the north, there are rattle snakes- but don't try to catch these!

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

I was just bitten by a garden snake. Should I be concerned?

-- Contributed by: karen

Hi Liza, Gopher snakes, depending upon their size, will eat small rodents, small rabbits, birds and even other snakes. Unless you have a tea-cup puppy, it should be safe. If you have a lot of gopher snakes in your area, keep your puppy inside until it is bigger to be on the safe side.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

Hi Sarah, I wonder if you keep catching the same snake? If you live in a rural area, you could expect to see a few, and they would return to the same spots every day. If you think you have some kind of infestation, call either your Cooperative Extension agent or animal control if you live in the city. They can help you find a solution to this problem.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

Will gopher snakes eat small dogs and puppies?

-- Contributed by: Liza

Please help, I understand garter snakes of "harmless", but the fact of catching 13 within a weeks time and knowing there are more you haven;t caught, what do you do. We have done the repellents, they don't work, hit one with a weedwacker and he's still going, what now?

-- Contributed by: Sarah Acuff

Hi Manuel, The following links may help you with your research on garden or garter snakes:

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

Can you tell me more about garden snakes please? I need to find out about them ok? Thank you.

-- Contributed by: manuel

Hi Jacqueline, A snake's tail, once amputated will grow back, but never at the same size or circumference that it originally had. Essentially it will heal, but won't look the same. The same is true of some other reptiles, such as lizards that drop off part of their tail in order to escape predators.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

If part of the tail falls off, will it grow back?

-- Contributed by: Jacqueline

Thanks for the information.

-- Contributed by: sharon whiteley

Hi Meredith, I too have several felines that enjoy bring snakes home to me. The problem is, unless you know where the cat is getting them from, it will be hard to eradicate them. These type of snakes are harmless though, I'm guessing your cat is bringing home the tiny baby ones that look like shoe laces. As Kathleen stated in a previous comment, it would be advisable to call your local animal control office to find out how to eradicate the snakes if they are indeed on your property. Since they are beneficial snakes it would be best if they could be caught and released elsewhere instead of killed.

-- Contributed by: Charlotte Gerber

I live in New Jersey and have a very curious cat who has recently been bringing home gartner snakes. He has brought home 8 (into the house) in the last two weeks. I don't mind that the snakes are living in the yard, but in my house is too creepy. How can I get rid of them myself?

-- Contributed by: Meredith

Mari, I don't know how to tell if there are more snakes in your house, however it isn't very likely. They one you found probably lost his way and was just as surprised as you were.

It is possible to trap snakes but it has to be done correctly. Call your local animal control office and see if there is a specialist in your area who can help you.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

Ann it is hard for me to say since I am not familiar with snakes in the Philippines. You will need to consult a local expert.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

p.s. i live in th ephilippines

-- Contributed by: ann

i encountered a snake in our bathroom the other day at about 2:00 am. it is grayish brown in color. its direction was towards the door into our home, but when i hit the light on, it slithered towards the window. i have no idea if it is of a garden variety or otherwise, but what i do want to know if it is poisonous, and will it come "visiting" again in the near future.

-- Contributed by: ann

Hello All - I've had two recent visits inside my home by garden snake(s) - not sure if it was the same one - the last visit resulted in an eviction via quick pick up in a towel and put outside. Is there a was to check if there are others inside (heaven hope not) -and if so, how do I get rid of it? Thanks for your help.

-- Contributed by: mari

The best thing would have been to leave the snake alone. It knows how to care for itself, even in February. Now that you have it, provide it with insects to eat and be sure it has fresh water and warmth.

Go to your local pet store and purchase a light that is intended for snakes or get a "hot rock". These will provide the snake with needed warmth. You can also purchase live crickets to feed the snake. Don't be surprised if he refuses to eat. Hopefully he will adapt to his new surroundings and do fine.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

My boyfriends brother found a gardner snake in his yard in the middle of February. My boyfriend has brought it in the house and is trying to keep it alive. The question that I have is how should he care for this snake?

-- Contributed by: Tina White

Only experience handlers should try to determine the sex of a snake. This is done using a "probe" that is inserted into the snake, who is likely to fight you every step of the way.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

Hi, i have 2 garden snakes and can't seem to find if they are boys or girls. Can someone post back and help me?

-- Contributed by: googler

Unfortunately, you probably didn't do it a favor by taking it home. If you can provide it with a variety of foods and give it adequate warmth it may do alright though.

Depending on its size, it may only eat insects and worms for now. Try buying crickets at a local pet store. We actually used to keep a separate aquarium that housed crickets for our snakes. The crickets lived in egg cartons with dirt and were actually more fun to watch than the snakes.

As it gets bigger you may find that you have to buy it bigger prey to eat. Some snakes eat baby mice called pinkies, which is due to their color since they have no hair yet. Just put the food in the tank and the snake will know what to do.

Left over food should be removed. Don't expect your snake to eat everyday. It takes time to digest a meal. If it doesn't go for its food within a few hours, take it out and try again the next day. Eventually you will understand how often it needs to be fed.

It is difficult to go into all the details of snake care here. The best advice is to go to your pet store and find a book on snakes to get an understanding of the basics.

I never encourage people to keep a snake from the wild. It is just not fair to the animal. They can care for their own needs much better than people can care for them.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

I live in the city, and recently I spotted a tiny snake writhing in the grass. At first I thought it was a worm. Since winter is fast approaching in our area, I thoought I would do it a favor by taking the little snake inside our house. Now it is cohabitating with our box turtle in a tank. My question is, how should my kids and I care for this garden snake? What and how should we feed it?

-- Contributed by: Ray

Shyvonne, I really don't understand what you are asking. Gardner snakes live outside in yards and fields and where ever else they see fit. If you could be a little more specific I would be better able to help you.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

Gloria, any snake that you find should be left alone. Usually they will eat bugs and rodents and a great to have around the yard. However, if you don't know what it is you could be putting yourself in danger by getting close to it.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

to day my dad found a snake we dont know what kind it is but hes really big should i keep him or get id of him and what do they eat

-- Contributed by: Gloria

help mmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

-- Contributed by: Shyvonne

i need help finding a gardner snakes HELP ME!!!!

-- Contributed by: shyvonne

If you are in for it your can feed him small frogs and lizards because that is his natural diet. He has much more time to catch them that you do so it's bet to let him go.

-- Contributed by: Jacob Walters

Small snakes usually eat bugs which is another reason why they are great to have in the garden. Please leave him out there and don't keep him in the house. He will be much happier and healthier in his own natural habitat.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

I found a garden snake in my fount yard. I cant help it , i find its a awesome creacher so i wanna keep it . I know snakes eat mice, but the snake i found is really small and i dont know what to feed it ? Can you tell me ? =]

-- Contributed by: Krystal

Usually the snakes will find a place to hide away from people. Snakes that appear to be chasing each other may have just hatched. It is hard to tell the situation without actually seeing it. However, you can both try to contact your local wildlife expert. If you cannot find one in the phone book, try calling a local veterinarian. Usually they can refer you to a wildlife expert in the area. They can also assit you with getting rid of unwanted snakes.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

I found out today we have snakes in our back yard. we live in the city! I killed one I was so scared than tonight Iwent out and saw another one! how can I get rid of it?

-- Contributed by: Faith

I just noticed about 5-6 garden snakes in my front yard....but they were quite active literally looked like they were chasing each other? Is this normal behavior? Also will they leave on there own? Since I'm petrified of them I won't walk out the door so need to know if I should call someone? Thanks :)

-- Contributed by: MICHELLE

Federico, you can try the library to find a book on snakes. I can't even begin to guess without a description. However, it is better that you leave it alone and not try to keep it as a pet.

If you really want a pet snake, try a pet store. They can tell you the type of snake and how to care for it. You'll also know that it is healthy. Wild animals never make good pets.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

i have a snake that i got its still small bout 6 inch long i want to kno wat it is so i can keep it as pet

-- Contributed by: federico

Martha, while non-venomous, a garden snake may still try to bite if it is harassed. If you have children they will be safe as long as they leave the snake alone.

Even if bit, they will be fine. Just be sure to clean the bite of course.

Chances are though, that the snake will try to hide if it hears people near by. I have five children myself, and I never worry about our garden snakes bothering them.

Georgia, I'm not very familiar with snakes in the UK, however your snake sounds like a grass snake which is non-venomous. For exact identification, you should probably call a wildlife expert.

As with any snake, I recommend leaving it alone. Snakes generally do not go after people, but if harassed or threatened will often try to defend themselves.

Thanks for the questions!

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

We have a snake in our garden here in the Uk its a tan colour with two stripes behide its head. what is it? and is it poisnous?

-- Contributed by: Georgia

When i was remodeling my backyard i saw a snake with a yellow line on it and a red tounge.. I didnt know what it was and wasnt sure if it was harmfull or not untill my brother said it was a garden snake.. I was releived to know it wasnt harmfull... but just to make sure is it harmful to kids for any reason?

-- Contributed by: Martha

Front-fanged rain forest snakes can possess some of the most deadly venom in the world. These snakes include African mambas, coral snakes and cobras.

It is extremely difficult to be bitten by the rear fanged rain forest snakes because of the placement of the fangs. You would have to basically put your finger far into its mouth in order to be injected with its venom. Some of these rain forest snakes include the mangrove catsnake and a variety of water snakes.

Folding fang snakes include the bush master, pit vipers and vipers. These snakes are able to fold their fangs located on their upper jaw so that they lie flush with the jaws inside the mouth. Then when they are about to strike their prey or defend themselves the fangs are released to inject their venom.

-- Contributed by: madel salinas

Liz, your snake sounds like it may be a rat snake but it is hard to be sure. Do a Google search on florida snakes or, better yet, ask one of our experts at Adviceopedea. You'll find the link on the LoveToKnow home page down at the bottom. Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

I saw this beautiful snake come on my back porch. it was a pretty golden yellow color with a single black stripe running down the middle from his head to his tail. no other stripes. very long and skinny. i cant find what he is. I live in florida on the eastern side on the beach. appreciate if you can tell me what kind of snake he is. I assume he is some sort of garden snake. thanks

-- Contributed by: liz

It is best if you do not catch snakes in your garden. There are web sites that can tell you about snakes in the state you live in and this can aid in identifying them.

A snake in the basement is best handled by a wildlife expert in your area. Your extension office or even a veterinarian's office should be able to get you the phone number for one in your area.

-- Contributed by: Kathleen Roberts

hi i have been looking for garden snakes in my garden and around my house but i cant tell when to look for them because when i see one which hardely happends they slither away to quickly for me to catch them and identify them. How can i either get them to come to me or how can i sneak apon one and where is the best place to look for them? thanx ben

-- Contributed by: Ben

A garden snake has invaded our basement. How do I get rid of it?

-- Contributed by: Joyce
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