Snakes near creek Keller Tx (Houston: house, buy, allergies)

[ia1980]

Hello

We will be moving to a new development called Creekview in Keller, I just learned from the property manager regarding snakes in the creek which is about 200 feet away.

She mentioned water mocassins.


I am deathly afraid of snakes and have 2 young boys who will play in the backyard.

What preventative measures can I take??

We can't have pets due to allergies
I just want them to stay at the creek and not come near my kids

[ChristieP]

Keep your grass cut short. Snakes like the camoflauge of long grass, and they don't like to be out in the open.

Tell your kids to stay out of the creek.

[BobTex]

I grew up in a similar situation. We had snakes occasionally in the yard and from my memory it was always water moccasins. We also had a full size dachshund that always found the snakes first and would shake them to death (and never was bitten). Snakes will travel in search of food. I hear there are a lot of copperheads also in that region of Texas. Having a terrier type dog in the yard would be a good idea.

Teach your kids about snakes and don't instill in them the unorthodox fear of snakes that you have. Snakes play an important role in nature controlling vermin. I have grown up RESPECTING snakes but not fearing them ... big difference right there. Situational awareness (being observant) has served me well in my 60+ years as I have lived in high density snake habitat for many decades. You might could use some education on nature (you are invading the snakes' home BTW) or even some professional counseling to help with your ophiophobia.

I've never been bitten but have treated snake bite victims several times. I have killed numerous snakes and let poisonous snakes go many times also when I could have dispatched them.

[Mark Senior]

You can buy "snake repellent" like Snake be gone, or something like that in Lowes, Farm and Feed Stores. Also moth balls have been said to be very good repellent. Just place them around your fence line. Go online for much more information.

[Trainwreck20]

As a 7 year old, I spent many an hourhunting (and killing) water moccasins with a (probably too short) stick. South of Houston, though, and back when you could do those things. We let the copperheads/corals live, though the cottonmouths were like flies, there were so many....

[jpricewood]

Like the first poster said, keep your grass short and don't leave out any debris that they can use for cover. Teach your kids to be aware of snakes. I am a zoology professor that has dealt quite a bit with cottonmouths. Call a professional, such as myself or a TWC biologist, to come out and do a survey/removal if you are really worried.

[shiftiegears]

I've seen many of those snakes climb up the trees; it was kind of fascinating. Just be aware of your surroundings... and take good care of the yard and have the ground clear at bases of trees and bushes. use pebbles instead of mulch (helps keep water bugs down too) and eliminate their food source (mice).

[loves2read]

Originally Posted by Mark Senior

You can buy "snake repellent" like Snake be gone, or something like that in Lowes, Farm and Feed Stores. Also moth balls have been said to be very good repellent. Just place them around your fence line. Go online for much more information.

Those are worthless
Watch YouTube videos showing snakes crawling all over those products
Maybe new moth balls might deter for short time but they start to lose that strength immediately after going down...
Get a wood fence tightly built and have a metal edging or maybe brick set into the ground that the fence bottom can fit tightly against...not a guarantee but likely better than moth balls
Snakes come in all sizes and can compress their bodies into spaces we wouldn't believe so trying to block them 100% is about impossible...but snakes don't like people any more than people like snakes...

There are brown snakes that are water snakes...look similar to water mocasins (venomous/poison)
but brown snakes are not--they are aggressive though and will coil/strike vs run away around people...
And copperheads are as likely in this area as water mocasins--copperheads frequent flower beds looking for bugs/lizards
One reason I,like to use yard crews for bed work...

We have had three homes in past 40 yrs that backed to either a creek or open field...all had wooden fences
Only in one did I kill a venomous snake--rattlesnake I think--it was lying under our dog house and came out when I moved house to cut grass around it...
No way to tell how long it was there using house as den...
Have killed brown snake at current TX house in front flower bed and neighbor has seen more than one on their property--just throw back, over fence where creek/park land runs...

Worry more about brown recluse spiders and black widows
Harder to see, more likely inside house/garage