What are snakes scared of

Most people don't realize snakes don't have ears which makes them deaf. It doesn't matter what kind of noise you make to scare the snake away, it won't hear you either way. It is actually the vibration of the noise that frightens the snake. There are many different ways to scare snakes into slithering away.

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Your Instagram photo of the day
Today in a minute
The big takeaway
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The last glimpse
When Do Snakes Come Out?
Home Remedies to Keep Snakes Away:

Snakes are very fearful creatures so it doesn't take a lot to scare them away. The best method to scare them is to make fast movements. A lot of times, just chasing the snake away works very well. Another thing to try is to stomp hard on the ground. The snake will not hear the noise, but it will get scared off by the vibrations the stomping makes.

If you don't want snakes around, you need to reduce hiding areas for snakes. Common places that snakes like to hide are in piles of wood and rocks, tall grass, under boards and sheets of metal, and in brush or shrubs.

Snakes feed on rats, mice, lizards, frogs and other small animals. Eliminating the population of these animals around your home greatly reduces the number of snakes. Snakes are attracted to places where they can easily find food. If they have a hard time finding food in a certain area, they will not stay around for very long.

To avoid getting bit by a snake, you need to always wear shoes while you are outside. Even if you are not positive there are snakes around, it is better to be safe than risk getting bit. Never get too close to a snake or try to touch it. A snake will only attack if it feels like it is in danger. Give the snake plenty of time and space to escape instead of trying to attack it.

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By Rachael Bale, ANIMALS Executive Editor

The other day, I was editing something about king cobras, and it reminded me that when I was a kid, I had a major fear of them. (I grew up in Southern California, where rattlesnakes were a more tangible threat, but … you know.) When I learned that mongooses actually hunt and eat them—well, I had a new favorite animal.

Today I know that king cobras are shy and would rather flee than attack a human. This is true for many species of snakes. Yet many of us continue to fear them. Why? It’s possible that it’s hardwired, an evolutionary advantage given to those who avoided dangerous animals. On the other hand, some studies have suggested the fear is learned from our parents.

Regardless, snakes play an important role in the ecosystem, and they have a lot to offer us humans. They control populations of disease-carrying rodents, and their venom has numerous current and potential medical uses. National Geographic Explorer Zoltan Takacs is a lead researcher in this field, and he's tracking those uses for venom.

Am I still skittish? Sure. Although I won’t be hugging a king cobra anytime soon, I will show it some respect.

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Your Instagram photo of the day

New frontier: Wolves lead their offspring to new hunting grounds deep in Denali National Park, in Alaska. The Iron Creek pack’s breeding pair breaks trail through fresh snow, with the female leading, writes photographer Aaron Huey. “I watched the pack over the course of three days as they devoured a moose, and then I was lucky enough to catch them as they left that site, crossing this large, unbroken field of snow.”

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Today in a minute

A big save: A female three-toed sloth gave birth in a tree, but the seconds-old newborn slipped and dangled toward the forest floor. The umbilical cord still connected it to its mother, though, who brought it to safety and licked the baby clean. The event was witnessed by gasping tourists in Costa Rica, writes Jason Bittel for Nat Geo, and scientists are unsure whether the lifesaving move by the mother is evolutionary. Here’s the video.

The American connection: The U.S. isn’t a big consumer of shark fins, but its big, busy airports and seaports make it a transit point for shipments of shark fins going to Asia, writes Nat Geo’s Rachel Fobar. For every metric ton of shark fins, 1,500 sharks are killed. A recent bust at Miami International Airport contained illegal fins from the great hammerhead shark, the silky shark, and the thresher shark.

Do animals vote? Even some animals need to caucus. “We’re not even the only primates that primary,” the New York Times writes. Honeybees seek consensus on options presented by scout bees for possible new colony locations. The number of sneezes by African wild dogs can determine if they are ready to hunt. Meerkats, which forage in groups, have a call that seems to mean: “I’m about ready to move on from this dirt patch. Who’s with me?”

They’re back: Fur trappers hunted the weasel-like fisher out of existence in Washington State. But now, the carnivores, like the grizzly bear and gray wolves, are back in the most northwest of the continental United States for the first time in a century. Jason Ransom, the lead wildlife biologist for North Cascades National Park, tells Nat Geo: “If you have more species, you have a better chance of keeping the ecosystem functioning and intact."

The big takeaway

Funny, for a second: What was designer Stella McCartney doing, having people in animal costumes (above) walk down the runway during Paris Fashion Week like entertainers at an amusement park? The upbeat strut carried a chill: McCartney told the Guardian that her luxury fashion house, unlike others, doesn’t kill animals to create garments and accessories for its customers. She said she wanted “to sugarcoat a powerful, meaningful message in a little bit of humor and fun, to make our point in a palatable and digestible way so that people listen."

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The last glimpse

Respect: How can you get pregnant again before having a baby? Australia’s female swamp wallabies can—and do. They have two uteruses and often get pregnant (again) just a day or two before giving birth from another pregnancy. The wallabies, unlike the European brown hare (which can also get pregnant while pregnant), are continuously pregnant most or all of their adult lives, Nat Geo’s Douglas Main writes.

This newsletter has been curated and edited by David Beard, with photo selections by Eslah Attar. Have an idea or a link? We'd love to hear from you at . Thanks for reading!

Snakes – scaly, legless creatures that slither into your yard and sometimes even your home. While your first instinct may be to run the other way, there are several benefits to keeping them around. Snakes keep rodent populations under control, with a single snake able to eat 3 to 4 mice at one time. They also eat moles, voles, insects, and even fish.

When Do Snakes Come Out?

Snakes are more commonly encountered when temperatures average between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit; usually during the spring and throughout the summer. They are most active in early morning and late afternoon, as summer temperatures are often too hot for them to be out in during the hottest times of day. Snake activity will pick back up again in late summer and early fall before they go into hibernation or brumation. Brumation is more common in southern states where the climate is warmer and snow is less likely. Snakes don’t actually sleep in brumation but rather their bodies adjust to the lower temperatures, slowing down their metabolism, and making them less active. On warm winter days, brumating snakes will sometimes come out to bask in the sunshine, often surprising unsuspecting people with their presence.

While calling a professional pest control company is a guaranteed and safe way to tackle a snake problem, there are also some home remedies you can try to repel snakes. Home remedies to keep snakes away offer several benefits including:

Availability: Most home remedies to keep snakes away contain ingredients or methods that are readily available and easy to obtain. The guidelines for their use are also easily found on the internet.
Affordability: Most home remedies to keep snakes away are significantly cheaper compared to the cost of professional products and services on the market.
Ease of Use: Most home remedies to keep snakes away are easy to make or implement.
Safety: Most home remedies to keep snakes away are non-toxic to humans and pets compared to professional products on the market.

Home Remedies to Keep Snakes Away:

Eliminate Food Supplies

Snakes are often found in areas where rodents are present as this is one of their primary food sources. Snakes are also known to eat frogs, birds, moles, voles, insects, and even fish. If you have a problem with any of these animals, consider getting rid of that pest issue first. Once the source of food has been eliminated, snakes will move on in search of another source of food.

Eliminate Hiding Places

Snakes prefer dark, damp places and are known to live and hide in cracks, crevices, and holes. Eliminating these hiding places can help deter snakes from taking up residence on your property. Carefully inspect the exterior of your home and your property and repair any cracks or holes you find. Repair any damaged gutters, piping, and ventilation ducts. Repair or replace any damaged screens on windows and doors. Snakes will also hide in wood piles and compost heaps. If possible, store firewood in sealed, lockable wood boxes. Try to get rid of any piles of wood chip mulch, straw mulch, leaves, etc. that may be collecting on your property.

Change Up Your Landscaping

If your yard or garden is prone to snakes, consider making changes that will deter these pests from coming in. Garden regularly to remove any snake attractants like debris, holes, and overgrowth. Keep the grass cut short to eliminate hiding places for snakes. Consider installing snake-proof fencing made of steel mesh, plastic sheeting, or catch net. If you do install fencing, make sure it is flush with the ground and angled outward and that it is at least 3 feet high and 4 feet deep. You can also use materials that make it difficult for snakes to slither over like holly leaves, pine cones, egg shells, and gravel. You can also consider planting snake repellent plants that provide a natural deterrent. Some common examples include marigolds, lemongrass, and wormwood.

Use Natural Predators

Foxes and raccoons are common predators of snakes. Guinea hens, turkeys, pigs, and cats will also help keep snakes away. If foxes are indigenous to your area, fox urine is a very good natural repellent for snakes when spread around your property.

Smoke Them Out

Snakes have an elevated sense of smell and are ultra-sensitive to odors and fumes. One smell they particularly dislike is smoke. One remedy is to dig a fire pit and let it smoke for several days – covering the embers with moss and leaves can give you the best effect.

Utilize Natural Products

There are several natural products that work well as snake repellents. Some of the more common ones include:

Napthalene: Napthalene is a common ingredient found in many commercial snake repellent products. It is one of the most common snake repellents. If you don’t want to spend money on a commercial product, napthalene is also the main ingredient found in moth balls. The smell of napthalene irritates snakes without harming them. Place mothballs in holes, cracks, crevices, or any other areas around your property where snakes may be a problem. One caveat to using moth balls is they can be toxic and fatal to children or pets if they are ingested so use caution or avoid using them if you have pets or children in your home.
Sulfur: Powdered sulfur is a great option to repel snakes. Place powdered sulfur around your home and property and once snakes slither across it, it irritates their skin so they won’t return. Sulfur does give off a strong odor so consider wearing a mask that covers your nose and mouth when applying it.
Clove & Cinnamon Oil: Clove and cinnamon oil are effective snake repellents. These should be mixed together in a spray bottle and sprayed directly on snakes for maximum effect. Use caution as snakes will often run in the opposite direction of the spray. This mixture can also be used in a diffuser indoors as a fumigant, as well
Garlic & Onions: The sulfonic acid in garlic and onions (the same chemical that makes us cry when we chop onions) repels snakes. Mix these with rock salt and sprinkle them around your home and yard for effectiveness. You can also infuse garlic into any essential oil and use to fumigate rafters, basements, and other hard to reach places.
Ammonia: Snakes dislike the odor of ammonia so one option is to spray it around any affected areas. Another option is to soak a rug in ammonia and place it in an unsealed bag near any areas inhabited by snakes to deter them away.
Vinegar: Vinegar is effective at repelling snakes near bodies of water including swimming pools. Pour white vinegar around the perimeter of any body of water for a natural snake repellent.
Lime: Create a mixture of snake repellent lime and hot pepper or peppermint and pour it around the perimeter of your home or property. Snakes don’t like the smell of the mixture and the fumes are also itchy on their skin.

If home remedies to keep snakes away aren’t working, consider calling a wildlife control company for snake removal, snake prevention recommendations, and possibly other exterminating services like rodent control that could be contributing to the issue.