How to Trap a Snake

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This article was co-written by Chris Parker. Chris Parker is the founder of Parker Eco Pest Contrp, a sustainable pest control service based in Seattle. He is a Certified Commercial Pesticide Application Specialist in Washington State and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in 2012.

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If a snake is prowling around your garden, basement or chicken coop, trapping and releasing the snake away is an effective and humane way to deal with it. You can catch snakes with a high-tech trap or buy a cheaper trap like a snare and use the eggs as bait – this trap works just as well. This article will guide you through how to catch snakes and the next steps to deal with.

Table of Contents

Snake Trap

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Identify the snake if possible. When you spot one (or more) snakes and plan to trap them, it’s a good idea to identify the snake so you know what kind of snake you’re dealing with. Based on that, you will choose the appropriate trap and know how to be careful when handling the snake. You can trap the venomous snake yourself, but be extremely cautious. If you’re concerned that you have small children or pets in your home that might be bitten by a snake, you should call animal control to come pick up the snake.

In North America, there are 4 species of venomous snakes: rattlesnakes (usually in the Western states and characterized by the tip of the tail emitting a clicking sound), ghost cobra (with yellow and black stripes), cobra. water bear (usually found in rivers and streams in the southeastern United States) and coral snake (an extremely rare species of snake that is as brightly colored as coral). ^{[1] X Research Source} Rattlesnakes, ghost cobras, and water cobras are all venomous snakes and share common characteristics: thick bodies , triangular heads much larger than their necks, and pupils of a large size. straight lines instead of circles.
Most snakes you come across in your garden or basement are healthy and completely harmless. A 1 and a half meter long king snake appearing in the basement may frighten everyone, but in fact they are not harmful to people or pets. Healthy snakes do not have a bell tail and have round pupils. Common healthy snakes that you may encounter around the house include king snakes, rat snakes, striped snakes, rat snakes, milk snakes, and corn snakes. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Buy glue traps. This is the most common type of snake trap; It is both effective and humane. Glue traps are box-shaped and come in a variety of sizes and are placed in areas frequented by snakes. This type of trap usually has an attached bait placed in the trap to lure snakes into it. When crawling into the trap, the snake will be stuck to the glue at the bottom of the trap. Once you’ve trapped the snake, open the trap and pour oil over the snake to let it loose and slither away. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

You can find glue traps at garden supply stores. Remember to choose a trap that fits the size of the snake.
Glue traps come in many brands, but they all basically work the same. The trap can be made of sturdy cardboard or plastic. Some traps are reusable, others can only be used once. Some traps allow you to let go of the snake, while others are designed to throw the whole trap away without opening the trap.

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Trap snakes with gauze. This is another option if you need to handle a lot of snakes and don’t want to buy new glue to reuse the glue trap. The dipstick is a cylindrical tool made of iron mesh with two openings at both ends like a funnel with a small indented end. ^{[4] X Research Source} You just need to put a few eggs in the trap as bait. The snake will crawl through an opening to get into the egg, and it won’t be able to crawl back out.

Dum is quite cheap and easy to buy. You can find them in stores that sell fishing gear.
The only downside to this trap is that you have to have bait and it’s a bit harder to handle once you’ve caught the snake, as it will crawl away as soon as you open the trap. For this reason, you should probably only use stinging nettle to catch non-venomous snakes.

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Place traps in suitable places. Whatever type of trap you choose, you need to place it in a place where you’ve seen snakes. Common places where traps can be placed are areas in the garden, basement, attic, or chicken coop. You don’t have to disguise the trap – just place it where you’ll normally see snakes crawling past.

When setting traps, remember to close the trap tightly. If using a glue trap, be sure to lock the lid of the box.
If you’re using a trap, lay it down and place a few eggs in the center of the trap.

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Regularly check traps. When you catch a snake, you should release the snake as soon as possible, do not let the snake die in the trap. This is inhumane and unhygienic, as the snake will quickly decompose. You need to check the traps daily to see if any are caught.

If using a glue trap, you can open the lid of the box to see if there is a snake in it. Be careful when opening the latch. You can also lift the trap to see if it’s heavy or light.
If you use it, you will clearly see the snake curling up around the eggs and patiently waiting for you to release it.

Handling caught snakes

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Don’t touch the snake. If you’re used to snakes and know for sure it’s a striped snake or another healthy snake, it’s okay to touch them. But if you’re not sure what kind of snake you’ve caught, don’t touch it. Either way, you shouldn’t touch a wild snake. Gently place the whole trap in the trunk or an enclosed compartment and take it away.

Do not shake the trap or poke the snake. You should be careful.
Do not let children and pets near when you handle the snake for safety.

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Take the snake away from home at least 1.5 km. If you release the snake too close to the house, it will find its way back to where it was. Release the snake at least 1.5 km away from home if you want to make sure the snake doesn’t return. However, if you trap the snake in your house and don’t mind letting it roam around in the garden, you can simply take it outside and release it.

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Go to an area that is wild and not inhabited by many inhabitants. The snake will have the best chance of surviving undisturbed by humans if released in the wild. You can go to a national park or an uninhabited area and release the snake there so it doesn’t crawl into someone else’s garden.

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Release the snake. Usually you won’t be in danger of letting go of a snake. The snake will happily slither away without harming you. But in order to prevent unforeseen problems, you should wear long pants and gloves when releasing snakes. Watch the snake carefully and be ready to move away if it is about to attack. Depending on the type of trap, you have two ways to release the snake:

If using a reusable glue trap, unlatch the lid of the box and open it. Pour cooking oil over the snake’s body so that the oil covers all the glued parts of the snake’s skin. The glue trap is designed so that the snake can wiggle and break free of the adhesive when oil gets between the surface of the snake’s skin and the glue on the bottom of the box. At this point, you should stand far away to avoid blocking the snake’s way.
If you’re using it, you’ll need to wear thick gloves, as you’ll have to get a little closer to the snake (though still don’t need to touch it). Carefully open the sides of the trap to split it in the middle, leaving just enough room for the snake to get through. Step back so you don’t block the snake’s path as it crawls out.

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Only kill the snake if there is no other way. Snakes, including venomous ones, play an important role in the ecosystem, and should be released if possible. ^{[5] X Research Source} But if the snake is venomous and you are concerned that it will cause harm, killing the snake is also a solution.

If you’re using a cardboard glue trap, simply place the entire trap in a trash bag and tie it up.
If you’re using a decoction, you can soak the whole thing in water for a few hours before opening it. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Control the number of snakes

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Consider allowing healthy snakes to live near your home. Although you may be startled if you suddenly encounter a snake while weeding in the garden or walking in the yard, having a snake around the house is not a bad thing. In fact, you should be proud of this – the presence of snakes in the area is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Moreover, snakes also play an important role in preventing pests such as mice and hamsters from spreading. So if the snake won’t eat your eggs or cause trouble, consider letting them stay in your yard instead of trapping them and taking them elsewhere.

Rat snakes and rat snakes are especially useful. They are as good as cats at controlling rodent populations. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
King snakes are even better than that because they can even eat rattlesnakes. In fact, if you drive away the king snake, the rattlesnake will have a chance to move in, and then you will have to deal with an even more serious problem.

Advice

If you are not afraid of snakes, you can catch them by brushing them away in a bucket or trash can without using a trap.

Warning

Remember to learn about snakes, especially if you’ve never dealt with them. You may encounter venomous snakes; and then the knowledge of snakes can save you from danger.

Things you need

Snake Trap
Place to release snakes
Snake repellent

Steps