See a snake near or in your home? Don’t panic! Most snakes are harmless and all snakes deserve our respect. They play an integral role in the ecosystem, control rodent populations and are actually really cool. However, for some that may fear snakes, finding a snake near your home can be an extremely unwanted experience. It is important to understand these animals, be compassionate and consider their right to live in nature. The best part? We can do so with no one getting hurt. Here are three easy ways that you can make your home safe for you and for snakes:

1. Be Snake Aware

Ask yourself, “Could a snake be there?” That’s being snake aware! When walking, playing or gardening, be conscious of where you put your hands and feet. Snakes like to curl up in dark, quiet places during the heat of the day. Typically in the early morning and evenings, snakes will become more active. At night, always use a light to avoid stepping on a snake. Teach your children about snake safety. Tell them to never pick up snakes and say they need to get an adult if they see a snake. Educate yourself about the snakes in your area and learn how to properly identify what species are venomous. Find a reptile identification guide or simply search online for “snakes of {your area}”.

2. Make Yourself and Your Home Snake Safe

• Do you have boards, debris or trash lying around the yard? Clean it up! A board on the ground is a perfect hangout spot for a snake.
• Keep your yard tidy and the snakes won’t stay around your house.
• Keep your grass low and control thick vegetation around your home.
• Examine your home, see a place a snake could get into? Close up cracks and other openings.
• Rodent proof your home, but never use poison or glue traps to do so. Snakes will search for food where there is prey.
• Never use plastic sod netting or bird netting – they can trap and hurt snakes!
• Welcome non-venomous snakes to your yard – excellent rodent control!
• Snakes are shy and prefer to not be bothered. If you maintain an active presence around your home, you will scare most snakes away.
• Learn about snakebite first aid, just in case.
• Empower yourself to safely relocate snakes you encounter by taking a snake training course.

3. Respect The Snake

If you find a snake, leave it be! Remember that the snake is more afraid of you, then you are of it. Do not try and pick it up. Do not try and get it to move by hitting it with a stick. Snakes are not aggressive, so watch it from a little distance. After some time it will move off on its own. After observing a snake, you might find that they are actually very interesting! Snakes have been around a long time, so it is very important to understand that we moved into the snake’s backyard first. We should do our best to coexist peacefully.