There are four types of venomous snakes in North America: rattlesnakes (common in the Western states and identifiable by their rattles), copperheads (copper and black-striped) water moccasins (found in rivers and streams in the Southeastern US) and coral snakes (extremely rare snakes with a brightly-colored coral pattern). [1] X Research source Rattlesnakes, copperheads and water moccasins are all pit vipers, and they share a few characteristics: they have thick bodies, triangular heads that are larger than their necks, and vertical pupils instead of round ones. Most snakes you’ll encounter in the backyard or basement are nonvenomous and completely harmless. Finding a 5-foot king snake in the basement will almost certainly be alarming, but they pose no danger to humans or pets. Nonvenomous snakes do not have rattles, and they have round pupils. Common nonvenomous snakes you might encounter in a home environment include king snakes, rat snakes, garter snakes, gopher snakes, milk snakes and corn snakes. [2] X Research source
You should be able to find a glue snake trap in your local home and garden supply store. Make sure to pick out a trap that’s big enough to contain the snake. There are several different glue trap brands, but they all work essentially the same way. The trap itself might be made of either heavy duty cardboard or plastic. Some traps are reusable, while others are single-use. Some let you release the snake, while others are designed to let you throw the snake away without opening the trap.
Minnow traps are pretty inexpensive and easy to come by. Look for one at your local fishing supply store. The only drawback to using a minnow trap is that you have to bait it yourself, and it’s a little more difficult to deal with the snake once you catch it, since the snake can crawl away as soon as you open up the trap. For this reason a minnow trap is probably best used to catch nonvenomous snakes.
Make sure the trap is firmly closed when you set it. If you’re using a glue trap, be sure the latch that closes the box is clasped. If you’re using a minnow trap, set it up so that the cylinder is resting on its side, and place the eggs in the center of the trap.
If you’re using a glue trap, you might be able to open the top of the box to see if there’s a snake inside. Be very careful when you’re undoing the latch. You can also tell by lifting the trap to see how heavy it is. If you’re using a minnow trap, the snake will likely be in plain view, coiled around the eggs, patiently waiting for you to release it.
Don’t shake the trap or poke at the snake. Handle it with care. You might want to keep small children and pets away from the trap while you’re handling it, just to be on the safe side.
If you used a reusable glue trap, unlatch the lid of the box and open it up. Pour vegetable oil over the snake’s body, making sure to cover the entire are that’s attached to the glue. The trap is designed so that the snake will be able to wiggle free from the glue once the oil gets between the snake’s skin and the bottom of the trap. By this time you should be standing a fair distance from the trap so you aren’t blocking the snake as it leaves the scene. If you’re using a minnow trap, put on a pair of heavy gloves, since you’ll have to get a bit closer to the snake (though you still won’t have to touch it). Carefully open the two sides of the trap to separate them at the middle. Leave just enough space for the snake to crawl out. Move away so you aren’t in the snake’s path when it crawls out.
If you used a cardboard glue trap, you can just put the whole thing in a garbage bag and seal it up. If you use a minnow trap, you can place the entire trap underwater for a few hours before opening it. [7] X Research source
Rat snakes and gopher snakes are especially beneficial to have around. They’re as good as cats for keeping the rodent population down. [8] X Research source King snakes go one step further and eat rattlesnakes. In fact, if you get rid of a king snake, the rattlesnakes are more likely to move in - and then you’ll have a much more serious problem on your hands.
Mow the lawn regularly. Get rid of piles of rocks, leaves, brush, bricks, or anything else that a snake could use as shelter. Keep your rodent population down by cleaning up acorns, sealing your trash, and removing other sources of food for rodents.
Spray a solution made with fox urine around the perimeter of your property. Some say that snakes are deterred by the smell of their predators’ urine. You can find this solution in home and garden stores. Try putting rags soaked in ammonia around the yard. This substance is said to repel snakes and other animals. [10] X Research source Put human hair clippings around your garden. The smell of the hair is said to keep snakes away.
