How To Deal With Snakes Around Your Home

Avoiding Snakes

Although non-venomous snakes are beneficial, they can be unnerving to have in your yard. The venomous varieties are the ones you should be most concerned with.

Steps to Avoid Snakes

To reduce the likelihood of encountering a snake, remove potential food and shelter from your yard. Here are some steps to make your property less attractive to snakes:

• Eliminate rock piles, brush piles, and mulch piles.
• Keep your grass well-mowed and trimmed.
• Remove piles of lumber, debris, firewood, tin, and plastic.

Since snakes can enter structures, and they usually do so from ground level, consider sealing any low openings or spaces on your home or outbuildings.

To have a snake removed from your property, call Universal City Animal Control at 210-658-0700.

A Few Things to Remember to Help Avoid Snake Bites

• Although most snakes in Texas are non-venomous, avoid handling or playing with snakes unless properly trained.
• Keep your landscape well-manicured.
• Wear long pants and boots in areas known to have snakes.
• Watch where you step and place your hands when outdoors. Avoid placing them in areas where snakes might be resting unless you can see it is safe.

First Aid for Snake Bite Victims

If someone is bitten by a venomous snake, seek medical attention immediately. Call 911 or the Texas Poison Center Network at 1-800-222-1222 for information about medical centers with appropriate antivenin. Identifying the type of snake that bit the victim is also important.

What to Do:

• Move the victim safely away from the snake. If you see the snake, remember its appearance or take a digital picture if it’s safe. This will help the doctor determine the appropriate antivenin.
• Do not attempt to capture the snake. If it is dead, place it in a suitable container and bring it to the hospital for identification. Avoid contact with the dead snake's head, as it may bite reflexively.
• Keep both the victim and yourself calm.
• Remove jewelry or constricting clothing from the victim quickly, before swelling begins.
• Keep the bitten limb level with the heart. Raising it above the heart could spread the venom; holding it below the heart could increase swelling.
• Clean the bite wound with soap and water if available.
• Call 911 and seek medical attention immediately. If transporting the victim to a hospital, call ahead so the medical staff can prepare the antivenin.

What NOT to Do:

• Do not attempt to suck venom from the bite wound.
• Do not make cuts over the snake bite, as this can cause additional tissue damage.
• Do not apply a tourniquet or other constrictive device.
• Do not apply a cold pack or ice to the bite.
• Do not apply an electrical shock to the bite.
• Do not take pain relievers or other medications unless instructed by a physician.
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages.
• Do not administer antivenin in the field. Treatment should be conducted in a medical facility.