How to keep snakes out of your yard during snake season

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - More people are spotting snakes with the warmer temperatures finally in our area.

The slithery creatures can be a nuisance for some, and a fear for others, but two snake handlers tell WBRC that the snakes happen to be just as scared of you as you are of them.

“They’re not blood-thirsty monsters that are out trying to attack people for no reason,” said Jay Eubanks. “They’re actually very passive and just want to be left alone.”

Jay Eubanks and Mark Hay are with Alabama Snake Removers. While they were both interested in the reptiles while they were younger, the interest turned into a passion as they got older.

Alabama Snake Removers has been around for seven years now.

“The way we got started was the fact that a lot of people are scared,” said Hay. “Unfortunately, that fear is a result of misinformation.”

They not only remove snakes from properties, but they educate people about them as well.

People may think they’re seeing more snakes now, but Hay says they got the most calls in 2020 when people were at home doing landscaping projects. He says it wasn’t necessarily a year where more snakes were around, but a year where more people were around there homes to find the snakes.

“In Birmingham, most of the snakes we find are either going to be rat snakes or copperheads,” said Hay. “For some reason, Mountain Brook has an overabundance of copperheads.”

Eubanks says timber rattlesnakes are found statewide and the only rattlesnake they expect to find in the Birmingham-metro area.

It’s actually our warm temperatures prompting the many snake sightings right now.

“They’re liable to be found in the mid-day when we have 79-degree temperatures, 85-degree temperatures, they may be out,” said Eubanks.

He added the reptiles are normally seen during the day in the spring and the fall when temperatures are warm, but not hot like the summer or cold like the winter.

“If you encounter a snake in the wild, the first thing to do is take a step back,” said Eubanks. “These snakes aren’t going to chase after you or come after you to attack you for no reason.”

While you need to leave the creatures alone in the wild, there is a way to help keep them away from your own property.

“We could keep our grass cut, our bushes trimmed back, our leaves raked,” said Hay. “That’s going to be three big things that you can do as any homeowner and eliminate the multitude of hiding places.”

They say products like Snake-A-Way and moth balls don’t work. Really, you just need to keep your landscape clean to avoid snakes in your backyard.

If you do see one of the slithering reptiles, don’t mess with it. The guys say most snake bites are caused by people trying to kill them. Instead, leave the capturing to the experts.

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