How To Keep Snakes Away From Your Pool And Pool Area
Snakes are beautiful creatures that can pique the interest of anyone. But, having a snake in your backyard pool is not an enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, it can happen at any time and can lead to dangerous situations.
A swimming pool in the backyard is surely a blessing on hot summer days. This beautiful backyard sanctuary not only helps you have a refreshing time but also improves the overall look of your property. Your backyard will become the centre of attention with a gorgeous swimming pool, making your friends and neighbours envious of your home. Once you have installed a swimming pool in your home, it is crucial to keep it safe for your family.
What draws snakes into pools?
Snakes are attracted to swimming pools for numerous reasons. Some of them include:
During the shedding season, snakes love the water. It helps loosen the skin and makes the moulting process easier.
Snakes love a moist environment, which might prompt them to try a swimming pool on their way.
Snakes love to wander. So it is highly possible that the snake you find in your pool is simply there by accident.
Ways to keep your pool snake-free
By following some simple tricks, you can keep snakes out of your pool and pool area. Some of them include:
Keep your yard clean
Snakes love a messy yard.
They are known to burrow and hide beneath things. Snakes do this for numerous reasons. These places not only give them protection from their predators but also provide a quiet space to cool off and protect them from adverse weather. So, if you fill your backyard with junk, you are giving the snakes ample space to lurk unnoticed. You should also remove things like tarps or stick piles from your yard to avoid attracting snakes.
Clutter might also invite other animals like frogs, rats, and mice into your backyard, and there is a strong likelihood of snakes following these animals to prey on them. Hence, a tidy poolside is necessary to keep your swimming pool free of snakes.
Keep the plants trimmed
If your backyard and pool area are filled with thick hedges, plants, or bushes, it will give the snakes a safe place to hide unnoticed. You can avoid this issue by trimming the greenery to an appropriate height. This will help you easily notice a snake in case one has gained access to your backyard. It is better to do regular lawn maintenance, especially during the summer and spring, to prevent the overgrowth of plants in your lawn or garden.
Snakes are not too fond of coming into contact with humans, so if there is little to no hiding space in your pool area, snakes will make it a point to avoid it.
Keep the vermin out
All kinds of vermin like mice and rats play an important role in attracting snakes. These vermin mostly come to your yard looking for food.
Avoid keeping any leftover food or garbage bags in your backyard.
If you recently had a pool party or barbeque, make sure to thoroughly clean your backyard. Remove all kinds of food waste that might attract rodents. If you keep the rodents out, snakes will not come to your yard looking for food.
Pool enclosures will do the trick for keeping the animals out. Check out the best ones here!
Use auto sprinklers
Wild animals like snakes will immediately flee an area if they feel intimidated in any way. You can use auto sprinklers to discourage snakes from visiting your pool area. Most sprinklers have inbuilt infrared beams that can track even the slightest movement made by small or big animals. The snakes will be driven away by the quick influx of water from the sprinkler. They will also avoid visiting the yard due to fear of attack.
Use pool covers
People usually use pool covers to protect their kids and furry friends from accidentally falling into the swimming pool. Pool covers are also a great way to conserve the pool water and protect it from external contaminants. Apart from these, pool covers can also be used to avoid snakes from entering your pool. This is extremely helpful during the nighttime when your yard is empty and snakes may feel like it is a safe time to explore your pool area.
Grow plants that repel snakes
Snakes dislike strong odours that are unfamiliar to them. There are numerous plants that you can grow in your backyard to keep the snakes out. Some of them include:
- Garlic
- Onions
- Lemongrass
- Cinnamon plant
- Viper’s bowstring hemp
- Marigolds
Among these plants, cinnamon is the best choice to drive away snakes as they hate the pungent smell. Planting marigolds is the best way to protect the plants in the backyard from insects and snakes.
Use natural snake repellents
Using natural repellents like ammonia and white vinegar is a great way to drive away snakes. They will not be able to slither over these solutions as the snake’s skin can both lose and absorb liquids. You can sprinkle these solutions around your swimming pool and your backyard to avoid the slithering animals.
Call professionals
If you are still facing the snake issue after trying all the tricks and techniques, it is time to call in the experts. You can enlist the assistance of the local animal control agency. This is a crucial step if you find an alive snake in your backyard and cannot decide if it is venomous. Trying to handle venomous snakes is extremely dangerous for someone untrained. A snake can also cause harm to pets like dogs that may try to attack it.
In Conclusion
A swimming pool is a great place to relax and unwind with your family. You can add charm to parties and gatherings by having a swimming pool. It can also help you keep track of your fitness routine. But to make the swimming experience healthy and stress-free, it is important to keep the pool area safe from all kinds of dangers. Keeping your pool and pool area free of snakes is necessary to ensure the safety of your family and have a comfortable swimming experience.
