Brian,
Is the snake problem in your yard or the yard of a paying customer? I ask because that's important to know before you go throwing "mothballs" around. Mothballs are an EPA registered pesticide. Nowhere on the mothball label will you find directions on how to use it for snakes or how to apply it around the perimeter of a house. Not following the label directions of an EPA reigistered pesticide even around your own home is a violation of Federal law. Not following the label around a paying customer's home is an even bigger violation of Federal and State law as well. And it gets even worse if you are applying a pesticide, including "mothballs", for a paying customer and you are not a licensed pesticide applicator.
Dr. T's Snake-A-Way is an EPA registered pesticide. It is labeled for certain species of snakes with directions on how and where to apply it. You really should know what kind(s) of snakes you are dealing with before you apply Snake-A-Way becasie it may not even work on the snakes you have. You need a pesticide applicator's license to commercially apply Snake-A-Way and all other EPA registered pesticides. One of the active ingredients in Snake-A-Way is napthalene, which is also the active ingredient in SOME mothballs, but not all. Some mothballs have the active ingredient paradichlorobenzene which is NOT registered for use as a snake or other wild animal repellent. The possibility of misusing paradichlorobenzene is yet another reason why the advice to use "mothballs" is just bad advice.
You need to be careful using napthalene inside of a buidling. First off, I don't believe Dr. T's is labeled for indoor use so by doing so we're back to the whole not following the label violation of Federal law thing. Second, some individuals, particularly of Mediterranean descent are genetically predisposed to being so sensitive to naphthalene that they are at risk of developing toxic blood poisoning from exposure to it. Rendering some poor customer's house unliveable because of using napthalene mothballs or Snake-A-Way inside of it would be a real expensive mistake.
Bottom line is this....always use a product that is labeled for the species and location you intend to apply it and only on your own property unless you are a fully licensed and insured commercial pesticide applicator in which case you can charge others for the service.
Mike Dwyer, President
Critter Control, Inc.
"Protecting People, Property & Wildlife"
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