What might attract snakes to my home?
Snakes are often attracted to yards and houses, where food and shelter are unknowingly
provided by the human inhabitants. Some snakes such as the Eastern Brown feed on
rodents and are attracted to farm sheds and suburban backyards to hunt rats and mice.
Carpet Pythons regularly find their way into bird aviaries and chicken pens to prey on the
roosting occupants. They are also found in roof cavities hunting for rats and possums.
Brown Tree Snakes are specialists at invading outdoor birdcages, often becoming trapped
inside after they have consumed the bird. These snakes can also be found at night hunting
geckos around window sills in the home. Common Tree Snakes actively hunt frogs and
lizards during the day and are often seen around the house and garden where they occur.
Houses and yards can also provide snakes with a good source of shelter. Carpet Pythons
are regularly found curled up in ceilings, enjoying the security and warmth. A variety of
snake species are often encountered in places such as timber piles and under sheets of
corrugated iron.
How can I deter snakes or keep them out of my yard?
Firstly DO NOT purchase “snake repellants” they are a waste of money and DO NOT
work. You can employ measures to decrease the attractiveness of your yard or house to snakes.
Rock walls or other similar structures have the potential to house frogs, lizards and rats,
thus attracting snakes. Discourage this by blocking holes or finding an alternative material to
build retaining walls. Avoid creating habitat for snakes by keeping a tidy, well-maintained
yard and shed. Things to avoid include long grass, unmaintained gardens, green waste,
woodpiles and leaving materials such as sheets of tin or corrugated iron lying around.
Keeping pet food in sealed containers ensuring that food scraps are disposed of properly
will discourage rats and mice, remember snakes are attracted to places where they can
obtain food. Bird owners can discourage rodents by ensuring that aviaries are kept clean
and free of fallen seed. Mesh and wiring should be small enough to stop snakes entering.
What can be done to snake proof my house?
Snakes cannot generate their own body heat and thus need to regulate their temperature
by moving into warm or cool places during the hotter or colder extremes of the day, as a
result they are attracted to the stable climate provided by your home.
Stop snakes entering your home by installing screens on your doors and windows. In
addition to this keep doors and screens closed and seal up all potential entry points. Cat/
Doggy doors also provide a potential way into your home. If you are especially worried or
have a property where this measure is suitable you could dig your fence into the ground or
border your entire boundary using materials snakes cannot pass through up to 1m high.
This will offer some added protection as terrestrial (ground dwelling) snakes will generally
opt to go around instead of up and over.