While most of us accept that snakes have a purpose in the general scheme of nature, the vast majority of us prefer not to engage directly with these and other reptiles. Some go to extremes to keep these unwanted visitors far from their homes and properties in an all-out effort to protect their loved ones and pets. If properly thought through, snake proof fencing offers an effective defence against all snake species, poisonous or harmless. Here, we examine some factsheets when planning the extent and optimum layout for a snake proof fence in a given area.
SIMPLE MEASURES
Before we get started on analysing snake-proof fences, here are five tips to help reduce the risk of unwanted snakes in your yard:
Keep your lawn and a 10-foot band around it cut as short as possible. Snakes are covert and dislike areas devoid of adequate cover. Trim tree limbs, bushes, shrubs and hedges neatly. Low-hanging growth provides natural snake climbing and hiding opportunities.
- Clean your yard and rid it of snake-friendly hiding places and shelters. Snakes are generally shy and reclusive reptiles that seek out cool, quiet spots to rest during the heat of the day. Remove piles of rubbish, rocks, bricks, firewood or logs.
- Treat your property for vermin and insects on a continual year round basis. Use natural or chemical controls to eliminate other pests that snakes hunt. Larger snakes prey on animals such as frogs, toads, lizards and even smaller snakes attracted to your yard to feed on insects. Monitor rodent traps carefully.
- Try to avoid excessive watering of lawns and gardens. Remove outdoor water sources to deprive snakes of necessary moisture. Eliminate pooling water. Fix leaking pipes, taps and hoses. Moist environments are highly attractive to insects and rodents, and this serves as an invitation to snakes.
- Let your dog or cat patrol suspicious areas of your yard. These pets are highly effective snake predators. Their frequent presence sends the right signal to roaming snakes.
IS THERE A REAL SNAKE THREAT?
As with any capital outlay, it is prudent to establish if there is sufficient snake activity in your area to warrant the cost and effort of erecting snake-proof fencing. This may deter these and other intruders from roaming freely around your property but is the cost justified? CCTV coverage is one way of doing this but a far simpler method is to build a few simple monitoring stations using sand patches at strategic points along the intended fence line. These will confirm if snakes are active in or around your property as they leave a discernible track as they glide over the sand – you can even determine the direction in which the snake was heading.
COSTING AND PLANNING THE PROJECT
Once you have ascertained the need for a snake-proof fence, measure up the area you intend protecting and draw up a basic plan. The next action is to get some quotes from a snake-proof fence expert in your area. They will survey and quote on all the materials you are going to need for the job. Most local authorities will insist on approving a proper plan and motivation before the work can start. This is to safeguard the interests of your local community, and to ensure that minimum standards and safety issues are compliant, before commencing building work.
THE DOS AND DON’TS OF SNAKE-PROOF FENCING
Keeping unwanted snakes out of your property by using a fence is quite a tough assignment. To achieve the desired effect, a proper physical barrier (fence) needs putting in place. We design our snake-proof fencing with the sole objective of keeping out unwanted reptiles, but you also get an improved level of home security with our system. When considering snake proof fences it is imperative to choose a company that knows the proper installation process, one such as ours. Unfortunately, it is not as simple of stapling a finer meshing to an existing fence structure – snake-proof fences require proper designing and installation in order to function as intended. There are numerous technical aspects to address and all components and materials should be snake proof in nature.
EVALUATION
The decision to install snake-proof fencing can vary from one property to the next, be it residential or commercial property. The fact is that snake-proof fencing does not suit every situation and that is why it is important to arrange a proper survey and quotation from a supplier like ourselves. Justifying snake fencing can only come from a proper situational inspection. The motivation can be for a number of reasons and includes personal safety, snake phobias, the safety of your kids and pets or your proximity to a school. Snake-proof fences offer the additional benefits of keeping your dog inside your property, while controlling vermin at the same time.
FENCE LAYOUT
The snake fence layout needs careful consideration if the finished work is to be effective and cost efficient. The best fence layout should be determined based on terrain, erosion patterns, soil types encountered along the way and, of course, the preferences of the landowner. Try to take into account any migration corridors of the local wildlife, including your neighbourhood snakes.