i havn't heard of snake traps - a deep hole in the ground? but a snake catcher on a very long pole can let you release any kind of snake other than a rattler. maybe you should check on what is attracting the snakes to your property. a rattler was eating my baby chicks until i made other arrangements for housing them. min

There are live snake traps you can use and I can find a link for you in a moment.

But in the meantime I think I can do one better.

Here is a link to a snake removal site, with herpetologists who will remove your snakes and in California they will remove them including the rattlesnakes FOR FREE. In California they will remove them for free and even if the contact info on there gets out of date, I think can find others who will remove snakes for free in California.

I recommend it for the rattlesnakes too! You won't need to risk getting bit by them and they'll be out of your hair and everyone wins.

Maybe a combination of buying a trap and having a handler remove the snake is best. I'll link you some livetraps next.

Also since kingsnakes eat rattlesnakes and compete in the same habitat niches with rattlesnakes you might consider only removing the rattlesnakes so that the non-venomous snakes (especially the predatory kingsnakes) can muscle out the rattlesnakes over time.

I'll send you live trap info next. Good luck!

Here is the link to snake removal. Go down to the California/Nevada contact. If you choose to try them and are in any way unsatisfied send me an email via gardenweb and I'll try to find you some other free snake removal folks to choose from.

Here is a link that might be useful: Free Snake Removal

Here is the link on live snake traps. I'd probably recommend the large trap. Even large gopher snakes very rarely exceed 5 feet (though they look plenty bigger) and those are the largest snakes you have, so no need for the expensive extra large traps.

Here is a link that might be useful: Live snake traps

thanks Wayne.

I really like snakes, I don't just kill them indiscriminately. I used to be involved in a local Herp club, and I bred boas for years. But when I bought land the rattlesnakes took on a new meaning. I care about my animals, and I don't want any of them (or me!) to get bit. I would never consider harming or removing a non-venomous snake. Gopher snakes are common on my land and I love them! I have yet to see any kingsnakes, but they may be there. Eventually I'd like to get into breeding kingsnakes and releasing the offspring on my property. I think both Cal kings and mountain kings are indigenous, so maybe I'll try breeding both...

I am going to contact the snake remover guy. But I will make it clear to him I do not want him to remove any non-venomous species.

btw, the bluebelly lizards are everywhere on my land. I love watching them. They get the coolest colors at the end of the day! They may be common, but I never get tired of looking at them. I want to start banding them, for future identification.

You're welcome! Sounds like you have some really cool property with lots of lizards and snakes.

still haven't heard from the guy listed as snake remover for California.

If you're in Southern California here is a free snake removal service. Of course if you're in Northern or Central California that probably won't be of much help. They have pictures and locations of the rattlesnakes they removed in 04 and 05.

Here is a link that might be useful: Southern California Snake Removal

Oops, the Southern California site I linked, unlike the first site, is not free. They charge $100 to remove a snake.

I've had four snakes removed from bird netting by animal control in the last twenty four hours. These guys are my heroes!

Here is a link that might be useful: my local snake remover

The link below has some information on trapping snakes using glue boards. We have lots of rattlers, but have never tried the boards. I currently just break the backs, and cut off the heads of the snakes. Does anyone have experience with the effectiveness of these boards?

Renais

Here is a link that might be useful: Snake traps

I thought about the boards, but I don't want to harm the non-venomous snakes.

On the site about catching rattlesnakes with the traps it shows at the end, a picture of a board and caulk gun I suppose with glue? I want to know can you make your own glue boards? The traps seem expensive especially if you have a number of snakes to catch.

I can now report that the homemade traps illustrated in the link in my earlier message on this thread are a good system. Much to my surprise, Wal Mart sells rodent and snake sticky trap material at $1.13 for a package of four cards of the traps. They are pretty easy to staple to an old piece of plywood, or cardboard in an arrangement of three down and the fourth one next to the other three. Placement next to walls, or other places where there might be snakes could not be easier. I am inpressed with how sticky these traps are. You can cover the trap with a piece of cardboard, or something else to make it dark and inviting to the snake. I'd suggest decapitation as the humane way of disposing of the unwanted snakes, but some of the extention service sites recommend leaving the traps in a closed container outside in the sun. I presume they recommend this to help keep people from being bitten. I think that once the snake is attached to the trap, it is not a big issue to decapitate.

Renais

God bless you Renais. I have been looking for a way to get rid of snakes by my home and this is a very easy ($$) way to do so. The snake traps with the sticky stuff are from $20-25 each snake. The sites said you can take the traps to another place and pour cooking oil over them to release them unharmed. I would find someone else to do that part for sure but would much rather them (live)--just elsewhare. Do you think full grown cottonmouths (6ft) would stay stuck to the board? Thanks so much again, molly

hello dale from the everglades you can make your own traps Iuse to collect reptiles for aliving but know a hobbie there are many snake traps around as a reptile hunter a snake trap is carpet fold up in big peices big plywood laid in tall grass or ground carpet in bushes big tin sheets on ground many more diff. things can be snake trap they look for shelter everywhere .you dont have to buy traps you make as a pro.reptile hunters as I HAVE DONE FOR MANY YEARS. NONE.DALE FROM THE EVERGLADES //////////////????????????

dale,
But how are you catching them? You didn't mention glue.

ellix. very carefull with my hands you dont need glue they go into the traps for shelter you have to know when to look in the traps like when it is too hot or when it rains or when it is cold out they need shelter from mother nature . PLEASE DONT TRY THIS WITHOUT EXP.CAN BE DANGEROUS VERY I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVE BEEN BITTIN IN MY FIRST YEARS .I COLLECT I DONT KILL.PS.SNAKES CAN TELL IF YOU CHECK THE TRAPS BY YOUR SCENT.IF YOU DONT WANT SNAKES AROUND ONE GOOD WAY IS TO PUT MOTHBALLS AROUND THERE LUNGS CANT HANDLE IT. BE SAFE.NONE.