Before you decide to get rid of a snake in your house, remember that the snake was here first, and almost all snakes are on the Endangered Species List....

So before you push the panic button and go to great lengths to make your home less snake friendly, consider the following facts:

Snakes are beneficial creatures. They eat small rodents, bugs, birds, eggs and small fish as well as other snakes.

They are essential to the eco-structure. If at all possible, and you are not dealing with a poisonous snake, try and trap the snake and re-release it in a wild area away from people.

Farmers have been coexisting with snakes for years, understanding their role in the environment and learning how to dwell peacefully with them.

If you have a snake inside your home, call on an expert pest removal service. They serve several purposes. They are skilled at removing all snakes and getting rid of the intruder, and if it is a poison snake then chances are good, the snake will be turned over to a venom collector.

Remember, most snakes are protected and found on the Endangered Species List.

Although you should not tackle getting rid of a snake all by yourself, you can take measures to prevent a snake from wanting to take up residence with you:

Seal all openings and cracks that are near the ground, to prevent snakes from seeking a den.

Remove any debris from your yard. Take care when stacking firewood, make it orderly and neat and when you do remove the cords of wood, wear gloves and heavy shoes (if you are in snake country).

If you live in a trailer or mobile home, be sure the skirting around the base of your home is secured.

Sprinkle mothballs under your home, or in places you suspect a snake might be lurking. Be careful though if you have small children or pets, for these mothballs can be dangerous to them.

Sprinkle sulfur powder around the base of your home. You will need to reapply it after any rain shower.

Plant Marigolds-

Keep your grass mowed

Cats are effective, not for hunting snakes, but for keeping the rodent population down. Although some cats will hunt snakes as well.

Turkeys and geese are known to sound the alarm when snakes are around

Snake repellent on the market:

Snake-Away: World’s first EPA tested and proven repellent for snakes. Comes in a four pound plastic bottle-

If you see a snake, the best way to capture it is with a broom and a deep bucket. If the snake is not venomous, you can sweep the snake into the bucket then cap the bucket and remove the snake to a safer location or call the authorities or a pest control company to come and pick it up.