Snakes in the garage
 

I was just reading the thread about screens for your garage and someone said, "snakes in your garage are just a fact of life." It got me to wondering.

Just how common is it to get snakes into your garage, or anywhere else you might be around the house? Does it happen more near water or wildlife areas? Are there areas to live to avoid them?

I believe Florida is the only state in the nation with all four posionous types of snakes. So for those of you who have reptilian visitors, how often are they posionous and do you know any who has been injured or their pets injured.

Thanks. (If you cannot tell, I hate snakes.) And I will personally bite the first person who tells me they are more afraid of me than I am of them.

I have NEVER seen a snake here in five years and I am danged hoping it continues just that way.

Gracie, do you live near a water feature or wild area?

Laurel Valley is a small village of 53 homes on 466 backed on two sides by Palmer golf course and in the back by a large wetland area.

Helene said she saw a small snake slither across the front sidewalk one day on her way to pick up the mail.

I chased the second one, this fall, from my garage just today. Not sure what species it was but................it was mad when the broom moved it out. Didn't kill it because I need a skeeter/bug eater.
Live about 100 yds from wetland.

I live in Caroline and I have never seen a live snake in my yard.....however I have seen their shed skins. Traveling over the landscape rocks in the planting areas around the house probably helps them shed their old "skins." When we had our house painted a few years ago, the painter told us he removed three snakes as he was working. He just lifted them up with his painting pole and placed them in some landscaping along the cart path. None of the snakes in the yard were poisonous, but still, I stay away from them. In this state one must remember this saying....Never put your hands where you eyes can't see. Actually we lived by that motto in CA, too....lots of rattlesnakes. Honestly I'm more concerned with anoles coming in the house...the little beasties enjoy the warmth when it's chilly outside. Problem is, they can't seem to find their way back out. I've found a few crenated ones in the house...poor things. Still, the garage door screens will keep creatures from using your house as a hang out.

We moved into a new CYV in Tamarind Grove near Southern Star Executive about 18 months ago. We have to do the laundry in the garage, so I was already considering a screen for keeping the garage cooler. However, two months after we moved in, one of my neighbors found a rattlesnake in his garage. Since Southern Star has a pond, on Odessa Circle which surrounds our villas an alligator took a stroll across several yards a couple of months later.

I got the screen that slides from side to side. Since I never take out my cart and car at the same time I didn't see any problem have the partial opening. Also horizontal screen is half the price of an electric vertical screen and I often work in my yard, which means I can go in and out through one three foot section and close it behind me. The electric screen you'll end up leaving up while outside working and pests can enter when you're not aware.

http://imageshack.us/a/img854/7888/screenveq.jpg


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John, I really like your screens. Thanks for posting. Who did them?

The only way you can get snakes in the garage are to have food for them like mice in there. Keep your garage clean and uncluttered and you will not have mice nor snakes.

I live near a large golf course pond (we back up to the golf course) and have never seen a snake. We have the same screens John W has (above post) and in 10 years in TV have never had a critter inside our garage other than a gecko occasionally if I leave the screen open when I take the dog out. Highly recommend these screens with solar white screen to keep garage cooler and private from outside unless you have the garage light on. Just-In-Time does a great job for a very reasonable price.

Snakes
 

Have seen several over the years. They, like us, like shade. Would not be all that concerned unless there is a freezer or refrigerator in the garage. Moth balls usually keeps them away.........Moth balls will kill a pet.

No food, clean and uncluttered..................still had snake. I think he came looking for a warm place to curl up.

I have seen a few Eastern Ribbon snakes and Garter snakes in my yard here in The Villages. Small things around 18 inches long. I also do have a resident Black Racer in the vicinity of my air conditioner unit. He is around 5 feet long and a beautiful snake. I was surprised by coming face-to-face (literally) with a Pine snake a couple of months ago while I was picking catapillars off my passion flower vine. I guess he was after the lizards (anoles) who were also after the catapillars.

I have heard rumors there may be snakes....
 

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...v/DSC00293.jpg

This is a picture that has been on TOTV before, but fits nicely here....

You know the biggest problem for most of us, beyond the obviously irrational fear, is that other than perhaps a rattlesnake or a coral snake, I wouldn't know one from another.

It's kind of like picking wild mushrooms. It's fine, if you really, really, REALLY know what you're doing....otherwise......

Thanks for the responses. It does sound a bit like further from water is helpful. Of course being far from water here is about like trying to avoid sand in the desert.

Thanks again all.

Dave

The installer was All Around Aluminum, I believe they're in Oxford and they advertise in the Sun Newspaper. I just got their phone number from a neighbor, I was the third on my street to use them and a fourth neighbor is using them right now.

Even though these CYV's are all standard 12' doors, they'll come out and measure to get the exact fit. It was about three weeks total from the time I called them to the installation, costs $850. You'll find that many times one subcontractor will come into a neighborhood and through word-of-mouth everybody else ends up using them.




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Think you hit the wrong thread here! That being said....the photo with the snake coiled in amongst the batteries....GAH!!!! I hate, hate, hate snakes! I know it's an irrational fear but I've hated them since I can remember! Don't care if it's harmless or not...they're just plain creepy to me (no pun intended).

So what do you guys do with them?
Move them to a new home.
Kill them.
I know a few guys up here that would eat them.

You leave them alone. Unless it is a venomous snake, it is a benefit to have a snake around.

I am one of the few that like snakes.
But I would have someone move the bad ones to a better home.

snakes,how
 

what do you do with the black snakes that come into your yard?

I have seen a number of snakes on the golf course. I never had a snake in m garage until about six months ago and it got his head caught in that sticky stuff Massey leaves in garages. I believe it came in because the garage door was left open during the night due to an emergency. By the way i have an overhead screen door that I like a lot

I too have an irrational fear of snakes (and most any critter that slitters). I've had this fear since I was very small. I'd probably be hysterical "IF" we found a snake of any kind in our garage....worse "IF" it somehow got into the house! Thing is, there are snakes and critters no matter where one lives---be it in FL or "up north" or "out west". Guess we think about it a little more here.

Mentioned this before, but while living in NM walked out of the house and stepped on a rattler that was snuggled up by the step into the garage. Fortunately I stepped on his neck and broke it or I surely would have been struck. Rattlers serve an important function in the west and we try not to kill them, but avoid them. Probably a good philosphy for TV as well. As creepy as they are they really do serve a purpose!:shrug:

The boss let out a scream just this afternoon as one went slithering along the outside of the lanai screen. WE BOTH HATE SNAKES!! If I find it, it's dead. Can't stand snakes. There's a reason God portrays Satan as one.

I am with You on this one. Killed my share here. Last two like my outdoor air conditioner ,but just a matter of time,they stuck their head up and wham.

Shouldn't you be more worried about snakes in Texas????

My in laws have a screen. They back up to the power line right of way. No ponds, no preserves. They have caught two snakes in their garage since January. They both got caught on the sticky pad the exterminator put at each end of the garage door opening.

I don't think I'm afraid of snakes..as long as I know they aren't poisonous. It's the thought of spiders that scares the hell out of me. Please, please don't tell me that I have to accept them..that they are just part of Florida life. I don't mind the little one's but the one's that need a shave can just stay away!!!

I am reminded of the incident with my seven-year-old grandson that happened two years ago:
We were looking for a ball that went into the woods.
He asked if there were snakes in those woods.
He told me he was afraid of snakes.
I asked if he hadn't hear the old saying about snakes being more afraid of us than we were of them.
He asked if there was "a new saying".
Obviously not consoled by my wisdom.

Most of the time, snakes are looking for food (lizards, birds, rats). That doesn't mean I'm not very aware of them in garage. I buy the flat sticky boards at Home depot, and put them around the garage. I catch a lot of small snakes and spiders etc. They work real good. Most garages have small holes for drainage in case of water bursts, flooding etc. (Thats where they come in when door is closed) I cut up small stickys just for those areas. When I catch one, I change and put a new one down. (P.S. I don't tell my Honey about them hehe)

We had a 4 ft black snake right outside the laundry room door but in the garage on Tuesday. It was caught in the sticky box Massey put down. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door!

When a anole was stuck on the sticky stuff my bug guy told me to spray with Pam or oil and it will unstick itself. If it was a snake I would have to call my husband to do the spraying.:ohdear:

snakes
 

I hate snakes and we have a lot. We don't live that close to a pond...maybe 8 houses away and on a curve...we have a golf course two houses away and have lots of black snakes and big. We have had them in our garage, our hose container, and wrapped around branches of shrubs. I scream everytime I see one and the neighbors recognize my snake scream. I have put snakes repellant and moth balls done and still have the snakes. The neighbors say they can see them crawling into my shrubs. We had a colorful one in our bluebird house..but it was small...not like these black snakes. I hate snakes and do not want them.

Be careful with those...

Everyone should get a Florida snake book and learn to recognize the venomous from the harmless black racers.

have been here 5 years, have installed extensive landscaping...lots of shrubs, groundcovers, and organic mulches....and have yet to see a single snake.

Anyone else remember the saying "red on yellow kills a fellow, red on black poison lack"? Some learn it as "red on black, friend of Jack". This is how we learned to identify a coral snake, which has a red band adjacent to a yellow band. Still good to know.

Have lived here almost 16 years and have had only one snake in the garage
but that was one too many.

I saw a small snake in the landscaping at a neighbor's house but had never seen one at ours...until one day I was watering plants...and eek!! A small snake was in our landscaping. I was so startled, I automatically began yelling and jumping up and down which definitely made him light out for parts unknown...I hope! I headed in one direction, he in the other. Haven't seen him since and hope he is well on his way to another place by now!

They are hiding in your landscaping - watch out!!!:D