No, this isn’t the introductory paragraph to a turn-of-the-century, “snakehandling” cult brochure. Nor will it teach you how to go into the outback and become Crocodile Dundee. If you encounter a snake on your homestead you need to relocate, however, here are a few ideas on how to wrangle the slithery little bugger.
ENSURE THE SNAKE IS NOT VENOMOUS!!!
This is the primary and most important step of amateur snake handling. As mentioned, I am not here to turn you into a professional, nor do you likely have the sort of anti-venoms handy most professionals carry as their stock in trade. Before approaching the snake in question determine whether there is any possibility it is venomous before deciding how to proceed (hmmm, as there are 151 different species of snake in North America, 20 being venomous, perhaps this would make a good follow-up article … ).
Its Venomous
If the snake in question turns out to be venomous, by no means approach it. Find yourself a long-handled net (at least ten feet–the kind used to skim a pool work well for this purpose), and attempt to scoop the snake into it. If the snake is alert, he will coil and strike at the net, but with persistence you should be able to coerce him in, or at least guide his movements in your preferred direction. Even if the snake is non-venomous, this is an excellent option should you wish to minimize contact. If the snake moves toward you, don’t worry. Provided you are a human in good health, you’ll easily be able to outstrip a snake.
While I hate to say it, as I avoid killing snakes whenever possible, some venomous snakes simply cannot take a hint (rattlers in particular), and if you have small children around, their presence is not an option. Fortunately, a strong .177-caliber airgun to the head will easily put them down, as will any .22, or shotgun.
It’s Not Venomous, and You’re Feelin’ Froggy
You’ve established the snake is not venomous, and you feel your best option for relocation is to pick it up. Don some thick gloves (if you’re squeamish about the possibility of puncture wounds), grab a stick and approach the snake. Body language is everything here. If the snake remains long and stretched out, as black rat snakes are prone to do, you’ll likely have no problem approaching. From here, grab the snake by its tail, and gently lift him up. While a snake does not have the muscle structure to curl up and bite your hand, it can thrash around enough to hit your body. To guard against this, take your stick (I like one with a small fork at the end with which to control the snake), and press it up against the snake’s body. This pressure will be enough to keep the snake safely away from you, while you carry it to its new home.
If the snake starts to move, curl or coil, you better believe he is ready to strike at you. Black racers are a non-poisonous snake known for this sort of aggressive behavior. If this occurs, but you still need to get your hands on the serpent, use your stick to distract the snake, tapping it on the ground in front of him, and allowing him to strike at it while you work your hand behind and grab him by the tail. From here, you will likely have to be a little more proactive with your snake stick, to keep the snake from thrashing, but the process remains largely the same as you escort the little bugger away.
Finally, if the snake is just too aggressive, throwing a towel over its head tends to calm it enough (albeit briefly) for you to be able to get a firm handle on.
Let me close by reiterating–please, please, PLEASE do not try this with anything venomous. I’m not one for warning labels, but in this case the threat of death is quite legitimate. Otherwise, happy hunting! I hope you enjoy your time with your scaly new friends. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll even consider one for a pet!
A humble homesteader based in an undisclosed location, Lars Drecker splits his time between tending his little slice of self-sustaining heaven, and bothering his neighbors to do his work for him. This is mainly the fault of a debilitating predilection for fishing, hunting, camping and all other things outdoors. When not engaged in any of the above activities, you can normally find him broken down on the side of the road, in some piece of junk he just “fixed-up.”
Jesse Mathewson says
LIfetime Arizona resident, the snakes we have are plentiful, and relatively benign. I’ve stepped on rattlesnakes at night, and run across dens during winter months. While we don’t allow rattlesnakes to live around our little slice of heaven, we do embrace and encourage rat snakes, king snakes and gopher snakes all day!
Just be smart, but don’t be fearful.
Javelina are by far worse than snakes ever will be for the overall health of your slice of heaven out here. And keep an eye open all the time for sick bobcats and or yotes. I’ve been asked why I carry a sidearm *that I also train with weekly for over 30 years now*, sure we have two legged smuggler potential threats, but most importantly the sick 4 leggers sadly are in need most often of terminating safely.
Jesse Mathewson says
Small addition, my children all carry reliable accurate single action 22lr revolvers or semi auto 22lr handguns that they have been taught to shoot shotgun husks with at 0-30 feet – be smart, be safe and remember, nothing protects you and your slice of heaven like you!
Nolan C. Conley says
Down here in Texas…. you can have some fun with a hog-nose snake. They will act all big and bad the closer you get to them and when they realize you aren’t going away… they’ll play dead! Just back up about 5 yards and you’ll see them come to life again. Repeat process… it’s a hoot!
David says
The only good snake is a DEAD snake. Can’t trust the sneaky bastards, ever. Tool of preference, a sharp shovel. I don’t like snakes of any kind!
Andrew N. says
They provide invaluable services in the pest control arena. Gopher snakes, King snakes, Garter snakes all eat things you don’t want around. King snakes even kill Rattle snakes, so you may want to rethink your position on snakes. However, if you see a Boa or a Python, kill it! Even though non venomous, they are invasive species and will wreak havoc on the local wildlife and habitat.
Jim says
Taught my kids about snakes when they were little and we camped. Watched my daughter teach my grandkids same thing this year. She had 3 small Garter snakes in her back yard. Kids named them but knew not to approach or touch. I caught a beautiful black rat snake in our yard a few months later but my daughter and wife made me relocate it into the woods. It was well over 4 foot long and they though any snake longer than the kids are tall should move along. These snakes are good at keeping pests away by eating them.
Martin Meyer says
I am one of those that is a live and let live kind of person. Even if the snake is venomous I would prefer not to kill it unless is was posing a direct threat to someone. I know from experience that the cotton mouth water moccasin can be very aggressive as they are quite common in my part of the country. If I am out in the woods hiking or hunting I would give the snake a wide berth and move away from it. If I am in a campsite and need to remove the snake I would try my best to relocate it.
David says
Because “meat” from their meals can get caught in their teeth and rot, you can still get a nasty infection from a non-venomous snake. If you get bit, clean the area even if you don’t think the bite penetrated the skin.
Who knows what tomorrow brings as reptiles evolve. For example, it has long been thought that the saliva of a Komodo Dragon contains all manner of bacterium which brought about swift death in it’s prey. Recently it was found that the Komodo Dragon actually uses venom in the same way as the beaded lizard, coral snakes, and Gila Monsters. Even the very best snake handlers get bit. Joseph B. Slowinski, an expert on such venomous snakes as cobras and taipans who had studied reptiles throughout the Americas and in Asia, died Sept. 12, 30 hours after he was bitten while examining a poisonous krait snake in the mountainous jungles of northern Myanmar. He was 38.
Learn the proper procedures for treating a snakebite. The old “cut an X’ is no longer de rigor. https://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/blog/2011/02/ask-the-doc-whats-the-best-way-to-treat-a-rattle-snake-bite/ Quite often a dry bite is inflicted. Snakes realize a human is too big to eat and they therefore do not want to waste their venom. If not threatened, snakes normally crawl away. Remain in place and even a rattler will usually calm down and may even use the shadow you cast to cool down in the shade.
Best advice, leave it be unless you absolutely must relocate it. Try not to kill any snake. Without them we would be over run with rodents as has happened in Australia. The King snake is helpful because it’s favorite food is rattlers.
Jeffrey Merz says
Attachment
If you have it by the tail you can jiggle it to keep it from coiling up.
Greg says
I DEFINATELY follow the ” Live & let Live” form of life. Anything can be moved if the snake’s “body language” is mellow. If you’re unsure about venom… STAY AWAY FROM THE HEAD!
If the animal is not venomous you can use a stick to hold the head/neck to work your fingers up to just behind the head. Over the years I’ve brought many snakes to my daughters’ school/ class for a little “show-n-tell”. Most teachers appreciated the educational interruption. Venomous snakes should be AVOIDED AT ALL COST! If the animal MUST be moved, use a long manageable stick to move it out of the way. No need to kill it!
Snakes are so important to the ecosystems they inhabit. LEAVE THEM BE!!!
Cretins Bezoar says
If it’s a native non venomous variety, just leave it alone, it”l go away eventually.
William C. Emerson says
The Eastern Diamondback is a handsome snake just after it sheds it’s skin……. as far as snakes go.
Jerry says
My mother-in-law always used the 5 foot hoe rule for all snakes unfortunate enough to trespass onto her property.
Mr Bagworn says
If you can see the head, an easy way to tell if the snake is venomous is if the head has a pronounced triangular shape. All of the pit vipers do. This does not apply to the coral snake which can be confused with some other snakes that look similar. We don’t have any of either type around here so I’m not familiar with them.
My preferred method of snake handling is to grab it behind the head, but I don’t mess with poisonous snakes. Even non-poisonous snakes can give you a nasty bite if your aren’t careful and they are big enough.
James Strunk says
Most of these are subspecies. There are basiclly 4 species – rattlesnake, copperhead, cottonmouth, and coral snake. Depending on the geographic region you are in, you will not encounter every subspecies. The southern part of the U.S. is where the majority are. Arizona is particularly bad with 14 subspecies. The most dangerous there being the Western diamondback rattlesnake and the Mohave green tailed rattlesnake.
William C. Emerson says
20 species being venomous in the U.S. ? Thought were were only 4. I really gotta get out more.