If you live in an area where snakes are abundant, you'll want to take special precautions to keep them out of your yard and away from your home. Here are a few strategies you can use to keep these slithering pests away from your house and family.

Maintain Your Yard

Snakes will look for places to nest or find shelter. This means they may try to hide under piles of leaves, stacks of firewood, or around other items that might be sitting in your yard. Keep the grass free from obstructions, and mow the lawn regularly to keep the blades short. Short grass will provide less cover for snakes hiding from predators. If you have shrubs or plants near your home, consider removing them or transplanting them to the opposite side of the yard. This can help to prevent snakes from making their homes next to yours.

Seal Entry Points

Snakes can squeeze their way into your home through cracks in the foundation or door frames. Inspect the exterior of your home and eliminate any potential entry points. Add new seals to doors and caulk around first-story windows on your home. If you have screen doors, inspect them for holes and replace any damaged screens.

Call A Pest Control Expert

Even if you don't have a snake problem currently, you may want to hire a pest control expert to help you prevent problems down the road. Snakes will go where they can find a food source, and if you have mice or other rodents in your home or yard, they offer snakes an invitation to dine on your property. It's a good idea to have mouse or rodent traps in your kitchen and basement, and if you suspect you have these tiny creatures in your house, call a pest control expert to have them removed. Once the source of food is gone, snakes may decide to look elsewhere for their meals.

Deter Small Animals

As stated above, snakes will seek sources of food they can find on your property. If you have a bird feeder or you put out stale bread to feed squirrels and birds, you may be inadvertently asking snakes to visit your yard. Eliminate these sources of food, and avoid keeping bowls of dog or cat food out for your pets. The food can attract rodents, which can in turn attract snakes.

Your pest control expert can inspect your property for signs of snake problems, and he or she can point out any issues you may have that could be an invitation for snakes to begin living on your property. For more information, contact companies like Kettle Moraine Pest Control.