snakes in the tractor shed

what do you guys use around the tool shed and shop to keep the snakes away.

I have cats and they will hiss at them sometimes, but are no match for a big copperhead

what about mothballs spread around in the barns?????

I am up for most anything, as I hate snakes and apparently they do not like me.

Just about impossible to keep them out. Best option is to make that area less attractive to them.

Snakes and rodents (their food supply) both like to stay out of sight. If there is nothing for them to hide under, they will go elsewhere.

That can be a tall order for a shop (especially mine!), but keeping the floor clear and the area around the outside clear of brush, weeds, and anything stored on the ground will help.

You have to get rid of the rodents, then the snakes will go somewhere else.

I put mice bait all around,
But still open a file cabinet and find a mouse nest built out of paper,
I never leave my cat food box open so other than some bird seed bags left open I do not know what they eat,

One year I spread powdered lime around my house shop and tool storage barn, but did not like that as I would step in it sometimes then when it rained it was desolved,

Guess it's just a merit of living in the woods, also have plenty of coons and possums, I am always catching those food stealing destructive animals,

mebbe try spraying all around and inside shed with Clorox ?????

Put the birdseed in a steel trash can or similar, that stuff will draw mice from a long way off. There's probably scent marks,(urine) where it does not rain, under the roof, mice have keen senses of smell. That will attract them as well. If those bags of seed have been accessible to them for any amount of time, you'll find cache's of seed in all kinds of places. Killing or ridding the place of mice will not do it, they'll find the stashes of seed again, + older scent trails. Peppermint oil they do not like the odor of it, you can make up a mix of that and spray around the shed or similar.

thanks for the tip:
had not thought about the bird seed being a draw to the mice,

am on my last bag of bird seed, as grass is green here, the birds can fend for themselves

will buy some peppermint oil and spread it around, for sure its worth a shot
I tried bounce fabric softener sheets last year, spread them around, but man o man did they have a strong odor, maybe I placed out too many, as I think the only thing they kept out of the shops was me.

I prescribe to the old formula, if a little is good, then a lot is much better.
may have to change my thinking,

We use old sump oil around barns and firewood sheds , snakes don't like the smell and tend to stay away . I don't like the smell , or the environmental effect either but it does work .
This one decided to visit the cottage at my farm , the tool box is four feet wide .

An old remedy used in the South USA was to spread Sulphur around the perimeter of building to repel snakes.

You can buy a product at Wally World called Snake Away. It really works good.

I would move :lol: I hate snakes and spiders. More of a technology man then a nature one.

I am so glad here in the UK the biggest snake is more of a worm :shock:

Mice love birdseed and I love to watch the birds. I had a 66 Chevelle that I was restoring. I had the top radiator hose off in the garage. The mice stuffed the motor full hiding the seed. Flushed it out and thought I got every bit out. Put it all back together and it overheated with a quickness the seed swelled up and pluged up the radiator. What a mess. New radiator was in order, nothing could be done with it. As for the snakes I can't help you there.

Got an old newspaper pic and article of an 87 lb. rattler that was 5 1/2 inches between the eyes. BIGBOY! If I ever run up on one that big I'm getting him stuffed and coiled up at front door.

I've used those dryer sheets in the cabs of 2 trucks that have sat in my yard for years, they do work well or so it seems. The birdseed if they have access to it will draw not only the mice but several other critters, either for the seed or the mice, and it can go right up the chain with predators such as coyote and bear. The other thing is with the bird seed is what falls on the ground from the feeder, that has to be kept cleaned up too. I enjoy seeing the birds at the feeder and providing in the winter, as well as the summer, but you have to be diligent about keeping the area clean and the feeder taken down at night if its vulnerable. I think with mice that philosophy works, more traps, more deterrent, more clean up and consideration to eliminating habitat etc.

I have an abundance of white footed or deer mice in this area, I've kept a few over the years and studied them to learn how to deal with them. Their dried out droppings can contain hantavirus, so be cognizant of dry dusty areas that have mouse droppings. I've killed 30 at my front door this year, darned things have a path up the brick and there are 2 holes where the soffit meets the trim at the double front door. I keep killing them, wait for a lull and have planned to close these small openings, but I forget, hear them in the attic, keep 3 traps at the head of the door on a ledge and they sooner or later come back. Having a large woodpile in the yard does not help, I have too much environment for them still and the numbers show. I use cascadian farms granola in snap traps, its hard and crumbly, but just get one solid piece in the bait holder loop, just push it in, and it will last weeks or months, kill after kill if it stays in there, not messy like peanut butter. Darned birds go for it too, I've unfortunately caught some in these traps. These mice are very intelligent, have keen senses of smell. One thing I have noticed is that a certain frequency of a squeak noise I can make with my mouth will disturb them immensely, if theres any around and I make that noise it will definitely get their attention, they hate it and there has to be some validity to those devices that generate sound they don't like. On the other side of that, the few pet voles I have will react the same way, but eventually get wise to it and it does not bother them. They also know when there is danger around, you can easily tell by how they act. I use their bedding/manure to make compost with my firewood sawdust and fines, it's really made a difference in my one small garden patch. These small critters are very intelligent, I've learned a lot from observation over the years that most would not know about, including me prior too.

Based on your posts, the birdseed is your problem, it really attracts all kinds of rodents, either from being dropped by you or the wast from the birds.

Get rid of the seed and don't bring it back.