Does diesel keep snakes away?
Reptiles such as snakes are dreaded wild creatures that would freak out a lot of people. This is even worse when they get into homes or other human spaces. Deadly snake bites have resulted from such close encounters.
However, there are ways to avoid this from happening. Keeping snakes at bay can be done in many ways. One of them includes the planting of repellent plants.
Using Diesel Fuel For Snake Control
Our focus here is quite different. People will do whatever it takes to keep snakes out of their homes. As such, we’re interested in finding answers to this question.
About Diesel
Diesel is one of the most readily available fuels that powers diesel engines. Such engines include those trucks, generators, boats, barges, and trains among others.
Apart from being used as a fuel, other uses have been found for it. This includes serving as a snake repellent.
Will Diesel Repel Snakes?
Is there really truth to the many rumors about diesel serving as a snake repellent?
The answer is not! There’s no definitive proof that this engine fuel can serve as a snake repellent. So far, there has been a lot of speculation with people claiming it can be sprinkled or poured around the home.
The problem is, pouring diesel around in itself is a bad and inefficient way to deal with a snake problem. That is if it even works to repel snakes. Likely environmental laws are guarding against such as the ecosystem becomes polluted.
The only way diesel will keep snakes away or kill them is if it burns down your property. This is a fire hazard you want to avoid at all costs, hence the need to be careful.
Some form of accident may result when using this fuel as it could ignite to cause more problems.
If Diesel Doesn’t Repel Snakes, What Works?
Several proven strategies exist and can be used to keep snakes at bay.
However, you’ll need to first understand snake behavior. Snakes get attracted by food. As long as these reptiles sense a food source around your home, they’re likely to come calling.
Snakes prey on rodents and are also cannibalistic. In other words, certain snakes eat their own kind. Other possible attractions to snakes around your home could include the presence of sufficient cover or hiding spots.
That is the presence of brush, clutter, or debris.
So, when your home has an active rodent infestation as well as an unkempt surrounding, it’s likely to serve as an attraction for snakes.
Although snakes are scary creatures for many, they perform an important pest control function. You’ll have to get rid of such pests before they do.
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Finding A Lasting Solution to Your Rodent Problem
Rodents and other similar creatures found near homes are an attraction to snakes. This is a double concern as rodents are known to cause significant damage to property as well as spreading disease.
You don’t want snakes to come calling as you or your kids are at risk of being bitten.
Additional critters targeted by snakes include bugs, small lizards, and insect pests. All of these can be found around homes when the conditions are favorable.
The surest way to get the job done is by calling for professional pest control. Professional pest management services adopt multiple approaches for rodent extermination.
The severity or condition of infestation determines the extermination method or strategy used.
With rodents and other creatures out of the way, you’ve successfully removed one major attraction for snakes around your home. However, this isn’t enough.
Like snakes, rodents, to come around for a reason. They get attracted to food sources in your home.
This is even worse when there are cracks or entry points through which they can get it. Such entry points can also be used by snakes. Proper food storage and hygiene should make your home unfavorable to rodents.
By also sealing up all cracks, before treatment, you’ll succeed in excluding them from your home.
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Tidy Your Surroundings
As stated earlier, the condition of your home’s surroundings can serve as an attraction to snakes. Your best bet for snake control is to adopt preventive measures.
This includes keeping your surroundings clean and tidy by clearing all debris lying around.
Brushes will need to be cleared or trimmed off and overgrown grasses mowed down or removed. Your hedge could also be serving as a hideout for snakes. These would need to be well trimmed and maintained to keep snakes away.
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Growing Snake Repellent Plants
One of the best ways to deal with a snake problem is by growing snake repellent plants around your home. This is an effective natural response to snake presence that makes your surroundings or home unattractive.
This section won’t be complete without providing you with a few snake repellent plants to grow. These include Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, Marigolds, Onion & Garlic as well as West Indian Lemongrass plants.
Others are Mugwort, Snakeroot, Pink Agapanthus, and Andrographis paniculata. No single snake-repellent plant can get the job done alone.
A mixture of these should serve your needs. Luckily, these plants are also a great addition to your home’s landscape.
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Eliminate Hiding Places
Snakes would easily take up residence in your home when food, as well as ample hiding spots, exists. These reptiles love damp and dark places which are mostly found in crevices holes and cracks.
Now, if you’ve not paid close attention in the past, you should.
An inspection of your home’s surroundings will reveal such cracks and holes. Finding and sealing these is a great and natural way to keep snakes away. You’ll need to look for damaged gutters, ventilation ducts, and piping too.
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Natural Predators
Just as snakes prey on other creatures, so also do other natural predators prey on them.
Natural snake predators include pigs, foxes, raccoons, guinea hens, and turkeys among others. You might want to start by sprinkling fox urine around your home’s perimeter or suspected snake hideouts.
So far, we’ve seen that diesel doesn’t keep snakes away.
This may be a disappointment if you’ve wanted to adopt such a method. Luckily you won’t have to waste your precious time by using an ineffective snake repellent method.
The other options provided are tried, tested, and reliable.