snake in my flower bed

[WildFlower]

There is a snake living in my flower bed...now I know snakes aren't bad and I should consider "him" a good critter, he probably eats the mice that try to run into our garage. The flower beds are by the garage/front step and his hole right by the ornamental grass and the step.

But he creeps me out..I was raking the beds of leaves and debris and he slithered away and scared me..then today I was raking again and wondering where that snake went, then I freaked out when something touched my foot. Of course it was a stick :giggle but later I did finally see him again. I figured he'd be out since it was sunny. He was poking his little head up from behind the crack in the step, like a little submarine. He ducked when he saw me. Later he just looked around when I went over to observe..

Ok..so is there a way to deter him? Make him move away? I am a little weirded out thinking I am going to step on him, rake over him or accidentally find him, every random time I work in the flower bed.

[gardenfreshmama]

Can you put on a pair of heavy gloves and catch him? Then maybe release him somewhere far, far away?

I would be freaked out, too :shifty

[3PeasInAPod]

well, it sounds like it's a gardner snake?
Honestly, I love it when i see gardner snakes around my garden, which I have seen up to 5 snakes at a time in mine during the summer. They do eat a lot of the bugs/spiders/small rodents/etc - so to me it's a good thing. And even though they're a little creepy, they always slither away fast when they see someone approaching. Unfortunately my dog will get a hold of them if they're not quick enough. Poor things!

[graceandmercy]

We had one under our couch! I would much rather have one in my garden than in my house! We actually put it out in my flower bed when we caught is a few months ago. They freak me out too! :shiver

[mountainash]

Mothballs repel snakes. There is also a product called snake away. It works pretty well.

[Macky]

I have no idea what keeps them away. DH relocates them and they don't seem to come back to the yard for a while. I know they're good, but they freak me out, too!

[Kiara.I]

CUTE! I'd love to have a garter snake around. :giggle They're pretty hard to find in our area.

What if you looked up what he'd like to live in and made him a "house" nearby? Then perhaps he'd go for living there instead of in random spots, and you'd be more sure where he is?

[Psyche]

They don't like small rocks and pebbles so maybe a border of that?

[gardenfreshmama]

We had one under our couch! I would much rather have one in my garden than in my house! We actually put it out in my flower bed when we caught is a few months ago. They freak me out too! :shiver

:shiver.

When I was a kid we came downstairs to breakfast one morning and there was a looooong black snack lazily hanging over one of our pictures on the wall! :shiver. Finding a snake in my house as a grown-up is one of my biggest fears!!

[graceandmercy]

:shiver.

When I was a kid we came downstairs to breakfast one morning and there was a looooong black snack lazily hanging over one of our pictures on the wall! :shiver. Finding a snake in my house as a grown-up is one of my biggest fears!!

OH MY!!!!! :wow My mom grew up with copperheads so I'm sure that is where my fear comes from! :doh