Assistance with our black snake

[thevillager1988]

106949

We have this black snake on our property. It's made a home in the rocks outside our birdcage, and the hole is eroding and getting larger. We want to evict it, but of course not kill it. Any advice on how we can get it to leave it's dwelling so we can fill the hole?

Many thanks!

[MarshBendLover]

Quiet and non-venomous, but:

Close off home when he is away
Scoop with a shovel and toss into a carry item
Pour a dap of ammonia around the area or other strong smells like cinnamon, black pepper, et cetera
Pour anything down his hole after he is out like ammonia or gasoline
The old Snake-Away
Lime can work
Snakes don't like to be irritated, so irritate it. He will leave.
Ask neighbor to come handle while you sit inside and don't ask questions.

[Teed_Off]

Any chemicals that you might use will leach into the groundwater so don’t use gasoline. Short term solution is to catch and release elsewhere. There are probably eggs too.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Snakes don't like cold weather. They will find a hiding spot to sleep in. It looks like yours has found a good one. Next time you see it away from the burrow, SLOWLY lower a small weight (like a washer) attached to a string, to see how deep it is. If it's not too deep you could just fill the hole back up, and your snake will find a different hiding place. If it's deep, it might be a nest and you'd be killing some of the most awesome "natural garden pets" in Florida. If that's the case, wait til spring, and see if the babies come out. If they don't you can just fill in the hole when dad (or mama) is out for the day. If they do, well - they're not in there anymore, so you can fill in the hole.

Black snakes are excellent. But yeah you won't want them burrowing under the foundation of your lanai.

[Topspinmo]

106949

We have this black snake on our property. It's made a home in the rocks outside our birdcage, and the hole is eroding and getting larger. We want to evict it, but of course not kill it. Any advice on how we can get it to leave it's dwelling so we can fill the hole?

Many thanks!

IMO Black racer Trying to get out of cold, that looks like back yard drain? The drain air warmer than air above it. I would just leave it alone he will move on, or go out with leather glove on wrestle it out hole and put him in bag haul him off to woodlands. But, you will have more insect, lizard, small rodent protection cause that’s what he eaten around your property. I have one that makes his rounds about every 2 or 3 weeks when weather warm. When I see him I shoo him away. IMO they are in hibernation mode and too early for nesting.

[Blueblaze]

You lucky devil! I just spent a week evicting a mouse that found his way into my pantry. Sure wish I had a snake in my yard, like the (almost) pet Rat Snake that kept my chicken coop rat-free, back in Texas!

I assure you, a black snake didn't make that hole. If he's actually living there, it's because he ate the mouse or RAT that made that hole. You should reward him be leaving him alone, to keep actual pests away!

A beautiful, non-venomous, black snake would make a better neighbor than most of the humans I've lived next to over the years!

[CarlR33]

I cannot tell from the picture but that is a common yard drain and are you saying there is an additional hole next to it? I have the same drain on the back of my property line and I think it belongs to the Villages as part of their drainage?

[fdpaq0580]

You lucky devil! I just spent a week evicting a mouse that found his way into my pantry. Sure wish I had a snake in my yard, like the (almost) pet Rat Snake that kept my chicken coop rat-free, back in Texas!

I assure you, a black snake didn't make that hole. If he's actually living there, it's because he ate the mouse or RAT that made that hole. You should reward him be leaving him alone, to keep actual pests away!

A beautiful, non-venomous, black snake would make a better neighbor than most of the humans I've lived next to over the years!

Agree 100%!

[thevillager1988]

I took the pic of the snake outside the hole sunning himself. I found him while weeding. It wasn't happy to see me, but didn't make any moves. The hole is a few feet from where the pic is taken and it's good sized and goes under our pool foundation.

All the feedback is super helpful. We definitely don't want to kill it and also don't want it living under the pool. There are better places for it and plenty of space in the area for it to live and nest. Doing some research now on nesting season and putting up a camera so we can track when it exits the hole. Great advice ... thanks!!!

[Bay Kid]

You lucky devil! I just spent a week evicting a mouse that found his way into my pantry. Sure wish I had a snake in my yard, like the (almost) pet Rat Snake that kept my chicken coop rat-free, back in Texas!

I assure you, a black snake didn't make that hole. If he's actually living there, it's because he ate the mouse or RAT that made that hole. You should reward him be leaving him alone, to keep actual pests away!

A beautiful, non-venomous, black snake would make a better neighbor than most of the humans I've lived next to over the years!

They were honored around Grandma's chicken yard. As kids we would play with them until Grandma caught up with us. Better mouser than the barnyard cats.

[vintageogauge]

Leave it there, it will rid your lanai area of anoles and other rodents. We had one every spring and had zero anoles but as soon as it left for better feeding the anoles came back. It won't bother you.

[DonH57]

It's a black racer. Leave it be. It will find it's place to find warmth without bothering you.

[JoeVentnor]

It is a harmless black racer.
They may look scary but that is it.

We have this black snake on our property. It's made a home in the rocks outside our birdcage, and the hole is eroding and getting larger. We want to evict it, but of course not kill it. Any advice on how we can get it to leave it's dwelling so we can fill the hole?

Many thanks![/QUOTE]

[Sherkugawa]

If you have a snake you have mice or rats. Do you feed birds? That can draw mice and then the snake. Unless the hole is dangerous or causing structural problems I would leave the snake alone.

Quiet and non-venomous, but:

Close off home when he is away
Scoop with a shovel and toss into a carry item
Pour a dap of ammonia around the area or other strong smells like cinnamon, black pepper, et cetera
Pour anything down his hole after he is out like ammonia or gasoline
The old Snake-Away
Lime can work
Snakes don't like to be irritated, so irritate it. He will leave.
Ask neighbor to come handle while you sit inside and don't ask questions.

[mcloud]

Quiet and non-venomous, but:

Close off home when he is away
Scoop with a shovel and toss into a carry item
Pour a dap of ammonia around the area or other strong smells like cinnamon, black pepper, et cetera
Pour anything down his hole after he is out like ammonia or gasoline
The old Snake-Away
Lime can work
Snakes don't like to be irritated, so irritate it. He will leave.
Ask neighbor to come handle while you sit inside and don't ask questions.

Really a black snake and you wanna get rid of it, You know that keeps all rodents away will never bite or harm you leave it alone. It will keep your house free of any mice geckos or any other creepy quality things.

[Cooperthecat]

I use a minnow trap with an egg inside. The snake goes inside the minnow trap but it can't get out. I then take it to the park on 44 and release it. Place the trap near the hole and cover it with some burlap fabric with a chicken egg inside. To see how effective this is, go to YouTube and search for minnow trap for catching snakes. Be sure to check the trap every morning so the snake doesn't suffer.

[Lea N]

Leave it there, it will rid your lanai area of anoles and other rodents. We had one every spring and had zero anoles but as soon as it left for better feeding the anoles came back. It won't bother you.

Yes, and some black snakes eat rattle snakes. Seeing them can be creepy but they are helpful to have around.

[John Sarubbi]

Leave him alone, he is good for your property as he will catch a lot of lizards and rodents.

[jimjamuser]

Any chemicals that you might use will leach into the groundwater so don’t use gasoline. Short term solution is to catch and release elsewhere. There are probably eggs too.
Could be that it is laying eggs, which would be good - having more black snakes in the area to keep out the poisonous snakes.

[ONTAP15]

How do you know it is a HE?


Close off home when he is away
Scoop with a shovel and toss into a carry item
Pour a dap of ammonia around the area or other strong smells like cinnamon, black pepper, et cetera
Pour anything down his hole after he is out like ammonia or gasoline
The old Snake-Away
Lime can work
Snakes don't like to be irritated, so irritate it. He will leave.
Ask neighbor to come handle while you sit inside and don't ask questions.[/QUOTE]

[HORNET]

Get rid of it!

[RNofNJ]

He will take care of your small rodent problems. Besides your the one who moved in, he was here first :-)

[thevillager1988]

As expected the TOTV brain-trust came through again. Most understood we are also lovers of the black snake, just not one that is living under our pool and eroding the foundation each time it enters and exits. As a result of your advice, I verified it's not nesting season and asked hubby to sprinkle some snake-b-gon to serve as his eviction notice. We'll provide 3 days to exit the hole. Then we'll put pea pebble into the hole so that it needs to find another place to roost. And to all your points, we hope it's somewhere nearby.

[Salty Dog]

I actually like snakes. Getting slower in my old age and can't catch them like I use to be able too. The Black racer snakes don't like to be picked up. I've been bitten several times. Their teeth are like tiny hypodermic needles, so small you can hardly see where the bite is.

[fdpaq0580]

Get rid of it!

Short sighted, knee jerk response to a non-problem. Just because one doesn't know or understand the benefits is no reason to harm it. Jmho

[fdpaq0580]

How do you know it is a HE?
.[/QUOTE]

No boob's. 🤓

[Two Bills]

Get rid of it!

What a bundle of joy you are!

[62SkiDoo]

106949

We have this black snake on our property. It's made a home in the rocks outside our birdcage, and the hole is eroding and getting larger. We want to evict it, but of course not kill it. Any advice on how we can get it to leave it's dwelling so we can fill the hole?

Many thanks!

Consider yourself fortunate. I wish I had a black snake in my yard I could call my own.

That black snake is there for a reason. And that is food and shelter. If there was nothing to eat, it would relocate on its own accord.

"Just get rid of it!" and you might find yourself asking for assistance with a rodent problem in your next post.

[Topspinmo]

About everything need to know about black racer.

Quote”

“Yes, black racers in Florida will occasionally eat rattlesnakes, especially if they are young or small:
Black racers are opportunistic eaters
Black racers are non-venomous snakes that will eat almost anything they can overpower, including other snakes.
Black racers are immune to pit vipers
Black racers may have some degree of immunity to snake venom.
Black racers are fast and strong
Black racers can grow up to six feet long and can reach speeds of about four miles per hour.
Black racers are common in Florida
Black racers are found throughout Florida and are often found in brushy areas near water.
Black racers are good for pest control
Black racers eat a variety of prey, including rodents, frogs, lizards, and other snakes.
Other snakes that eat rattlesnakes include: coachwhips, kingsnakes, milk snakes, indigo snakes, and mussuranas. ”

[Casio]

Black snakes( black racers) are harmless and the keep mice and pest away from you home. They also eat other snakes. They will scatter if you walk up on one usually. best to stop killing them for no reason let them be! That my personal opinion!

[Stu from NYC]

Black snakes( black racers) are harmless and the keep mice and pest away from you home. They also eat other snakes. They will scatter if you walk up on one usually. best to stop killing them for no reason let them be! That my personal opinion!

This would not go over well with my wife.

A year ago a black snake shed its skin just outside our front door. Wife was afraid to go out for weeks.

[VAtoFLA]

This would not go over well with my wife.

A year ago a black snake shed its skin just outside our front door. Wife was afraid to go out for weeks.

The antidote to fear is information. Keep providing her with materials on how and why that snake is her friend.

[Stu from NYC]

The antidote to fear is information. Keep providing her with materials on how and why that snake is her friend.

She has been conditioned to not like any snake. Most females scream at the sight of a little mouse

[VAtoFLA]

She has been conditioned to not like any snake. Most females scream at the sight of a little mouse

Females can learn.

[Stu from NYC]

Females can learn.

They can but 83% of females are afraid of mice and hard to change them

[VAtoFLA]

They can but 83% of females are afraid of mice and hard to change them

That's perfect. Use the stat that 100% of black snakes eat mice.

[Topspinmo]

This would not go over well with my wife.

A year ago a black snake shed its skin just outside our front door. Wife was afraid to go out for weeks.

In this day and age lot more reasons not to go out of house than snake skin… :22yikes: