Have venomous snake clients, did a ton of research into what has been studied and tested as effective both for physical barriers and chemical type.
There are good extension pubs based on research that suggest for most rattlesnakes 1/4" hardware cloth is effective, and there are folks offering this
type of fence commercially. I had a client who was bitten (before they called us) who wanted to exclude the whole garden area where this occurred. Thanks to this clients ordeal, I learned a lot more than I had known about snakes. We used info provided through extension pubs and through brown tree snake research (a serious climbing snake) to provide fence advice to this client.
The chemical barriers that have all been tested (and yes I know many folks insist theirs work and if they do great) suggest low efficacy and the need to re-apply materials often. Many people buy "snake away" and other products and put down a thin line around gardens or houses. Most research showed that unless the snake is detecting the odor as it crosses this line, it won't even notice or be deterred in the least. This includes all chemicals discussed on most threads, and includes things like king snake gland odors and other things meant to elicit a predator/prey escape response from snakes.
There are folks who guarantee a snake free environment and again, more power to them, but I will only go as far as to come remove rattlesnakes when their death is nearly 100% if left on scene. Due to the bulk of yards being incredibly hard to exclude and other human factors (leaving the gate open), I wouldn't guarantee no snakes to anyone.
Then you have the folks who don't even want to see a non venomous snake, in my state though we have nearly 37 of these, the gopher (bull) snake is the most common and climbs anything you can think of better than you'd imagine. So snake phobic folks are the greater challenge.
Some folks of course use the "snake fence" which is actually bird net and catches and kills snakes ultimately if not checked daily and even then sometimes the netting is too constricted and has already killed the snakes. I understand folks wanting to protect kids, themselves and their pets or livestock, but the garden netting perimeter is a tough one for me, have now to date in the last 2 years released over a dozen gopher snakes that would have otherwise died poorly and without any need.
Forgot to add in, what DaveK I assume means, is are the products you are putting down considered "treatment" under your states pest control applicator licensing? Lots of gray area to get into a heap of trouble calling something what it is not legally.
Justin
Last edited by HD_Wildlife; 04/23/13 10:48 AM. Reason: extra info
