Whether you need to get rid of an unwanted guest in your garden or you want to take a closer look at a particularly fascinating specimen, you can be able to catch a snake even if you are not a professional. These animals are often dangerous, but by taking simple precautions, you can catch one safely.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Catching a Snake
Step 1. Induce the snake to enter a web
You can catch one of these animals using a long thin object, such as a tennis racket or mosquito net hooked to a long broomstick. After spotting the snake, get close quickly. Place the net in front of his head and, using the long object, push him into the net. The object should be long enough to allow you to stay at a safe distance from the animal when trying to catch it. When it has entered the net, lift it immediately to prevent it from crawling out.
- Make sure the net is large enough for the specimen you are trying to catch.
- Keeping the net in front of the snake's head is an effective solution, because the animal will consider it a safe place and will enter voluntarily.
- Approach the snake carefully and quietly. If you ran with heavy steps in his direction you would push him to run away, or worse to bite you.
Step 2. Use a garbage can and a broom
This is an easy way to catch a snake without having to handle it directly. Take a large garbage can and lay it on the ground on its side. Using the broom, push the snake into the bin. You can then move the container to the point where you want to free the animal.
Step 3. Keep the snake steady on the ground
You can do this by squeezing it right behind your head with a double-headed stick. The pressure you will need to exert varies depending on the size of the specimen, but it should be enough to keep it from moving without hurting it.
There are special forks for snakes that can do this more effectively than a simple stick
Step 4. Use the items you have around the house to catch a snake
If you want to quickly remove one of these animals from your home you will need to act quickly, with the items you have available. You can use an old shirt and pillowcase. Throw the shirt over the snake's head and upper body. Generally, the animal will get scared and roll up under the fabric.
Without hesitation, put the pillowcase on top of the shirt. Slide the edge of the fabric along the floor, picking up the shirt and snake. You can try this method if the pillowcase is large enough, if you are not afraid and if you know the animal is not poisonous
Method 2 of 3: Build and Use a Trap to Catch a Snake
Step 1. Use a sticky trap
These are common and inexpensive traps that you can find in many hardware stores. They consist of a box with adhesive on the bottom. They contain a lure that will lure the snake into the box, where the adhesive will prevent the animal from getting out. You can use frozen mice, available in pet stores, or common chicken eggs as bait.
- Be sure to check the sticky trap regularly. The snake will remain alive and motionless inside, but after a few days it will run the risk of starving to death.
- Choose a trap large enough for the snake you want to catch. If your chosen model is too small, the animal may still be able to get away, taking the entire trap with it - which could kill it.
- Use olive oil or vegetable oil to remove the snake from the sticky trap. Pour the oil over the animal in the place where you have decided to release it. You will dissolve the adhesive and allow him to escape unscathed.
Step 2. Build a snake trap yourself
You can do this using an empty two-liter plastic bottle, bait and scissors. Clean the bottle so it doesn't have any odors that might scare a snake. Make a hole in the plastic, large enough for the animal to enter. By the time the snake has fed on the bait, it will be too big to pass through the same hole it entered.
Step 3. Use a small fish trap
Net traps used for fish are also ideal for snakes. Place eggs inside them to attract the animal. The specimen will be able to enter, but not to exit.
Method 3 of 3: Catching a Snake with Your Hands
Step 1. Make sure the snake is not dangerous to humans
All snakes can bite if provoked, but some hurt more than others and are poisonous. If you are not an expert on these animals, it can be difficult to assess the danger of a specimen from a simple observation, so proceed with caution. If you suspect a snake is poisonous, don't try to catch it with your hands. Some of the most common venomous snakes in Italy and in the world are:
- Viper. It is found throughout the national territory, particularly in northern Italy. It is a species characterized by a triangular and pointed head, with a stocky body and a short tail.
- Aquatic moccasin. Specimens of this species are usually 120-210 cm long. They are dark brown or dull black. They have vertical pupils and a stocky body. They are mostly found in the southern states of the United States, Florida, and the Mississippi River region.
- Copper head. It is most commonly found in the central and eastern states of the United States. It takes its name from the characteristic copper-colored scales of the head, which fade along the rest of the body. They often have triangular-shaped spots.
- Coral snake. They are difficult to recognize because they resemble other snake species. You can find them in the eastern, southwestern, and southeastern regions of the United States. They can reach a length of about 75 cm and are colored in red-yellow-black-yellow stripes with a black head. They are poisonous, so be very careful if you come across one.
Step 2. Take the snake carefully
Catching one of these animals with your hands is not easy and you should only try very carefully. However, if you don't have any tools or screens available, you can try this procedure. Shake an object, such as a stick, in front of the snake's head to distract it. Firmly grab the animal by the tail and lift it, leaving the front of the body on the ground, but moving your legs and body as far away as possible. Immediately put the snake in a pillowcase or sack.
If you know how to safely approach a snake, you can also grab the snake behind its head to keep it from biting you. Getting that close to the specimen's head, however, can be dangerous. If you decide to do this, it's best to have a tool, such as a double-headed cane, that can hold the snake's head steady before you grab it
Step 3. Use gloves to handle snakes
In addition to being able to bite you, these animals also carry dangerous bacteria. Always use gloves to prevent the risk of bacterial infections.
If you don't have gloves, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after touching a snake. Do not handle food and do not touch another person until you have washed yourself well
Advice
- If you are afraid of getting bitten, wear thick leather gloves, as snakes rarely get their fangs out of this material. However, some species have enough strength to penetrate leather and gloves will only hinder your movements.
- While it is possible to catch a snake without distracting it, the distraction technique is generally the simplest and safest. In fact, it pushes the animal to turn its head away from you, allowing you to grab it in ideal conditions.
- If you can't free the snake near your home, you can put it in an old pillowcase and transport it to a more appropriate place. If you are traveling by car, remember to tie the sack that contains the animal tightly, or you may find it crawling in the car.
- Always be very gentle with snakes and, if possible, avoid making them angry. They are afraid of you and, in most cases, you will be able to drive them out of your garden without even touching them.
- Children should not attempt to follow the steps outlined in this article.
- Don't kill a snake unless absolutely necessary, for example because a snake is threatening a child or pet. Try calling Animal Protection first.
- If poisonous snake invasions are a frequent problem in the area where you live, you can receive specific training from a professional. There are courses on how to handle poisonous snakes (especially in Australia, where these animals are quite common).
- Wash your hands well. Snakes and other reptiles can carry bacteria. While this is often not a serious problem, there have been cases of serious illness and even deaths due to the bacteria carried by snakes.
Warnings
- Remember that snakes are wild animals, which can react unpredictably when they feel threatened. Getting close to them will make them feel in danger, so always be extra careful.
- Snake heads are particularly flexible. Avoid grabbing these animals by the head, as some of them (particularly poisonous ones) can bite you even when kept this way.
- Try to avoid taking snakes by the tail only. Most of these animals cannot roll their bodies to bite your hand, but they can easily reach your legs or groin. Use a long stick or other object to hold the 30 cm of the snake's body closest to the head away from you. If you are forced to take a snake by the tail only, grab it with a firm but delicate grip and hold the animal as far away from the body as possible.
- In some countries it is illegal to keep a wild snake as a pet. Being wild animals, they can feel fear in their new home and refuse to eat. If you keep a snake in captivity for more than 30 days and decide you don't want it anymore, it will have a hard time surviving in the wild once released, so make sure you're ready to accept the responsibility of caring for and keeping a cold-blooded reptile..
- Wrong advice can be fatal when handling dangerous animals. If in doubt, avoid keeping a snake with you.
