Massasauga Rattlers

[Ohio4us]

Was wondering if anyone know of anything that works as a repellent on these. Found a couple of these rattlers last year in my backyard then last I week saw a couple of them in my back field when I was mowing. Wish that they would move on but just dont think that will happen.

[offtheradar]

Rattlers? Never heard of Massasauga type of rattler. Where I live we have Diamond back, timber and pygmy rattlers. My neighbor had a mongoose for snake control. If you have snakes that means there is a lot of food in the area. Eliminate the food will get the snakes out.

[Wyobuckaroo]

Could there be a site near that they are using to den ?

Like said, reduce the food source, eliminate the den area.

Snakes can be live trapped.......... There was a guy where I grew up that trapped rattlers and sold them to a reptile tourist attraction.

Good luck
Keep safe

[kammisue]

My Grandmother and Great Grandma always put moth balls around the perimeter of their property.. also put them under the house, around sheds/barns/etc.. They said moth balls would keep the snakes away.. I don't know for a fact that it works but it is worth a try..
We saw 2 timber rattlers while out horse riding the other day
Thankfully my dogs and chickens keep the snakes out of the yard

[offtheradar]

Chickens keep snakes out of your yard? They try to eat mine. What type do you have? Gotta get me some of them.

[kammisue]

Originally Posted by offtheradar

Chickens keep snakes out of your yard? They try to eat mine. What type do you have? Gotta get me some of them.

When a chicken catches a snake and runs around the yard with 10 other chickens chasing close behind to try and steal it away from the "snake catcher" it will SERIOUSLY make you LOL!!
Chickens love eating snakes and lizards
Of course an enormus diamondback rattler has the upper hand but little snakes are not a match for chickens

[bookwormom]

My chickens have never caught a snake, but I have lost lots of eggs and chicks to snakes. One year DH killed five big chicken snakes. He caught one that got into the coop, ate two chicks and then was too big around to get back out. Last year a snake stole the eggs right from under a setting hen. I understand pigs will eat a snake.

[kammisue]

Originally Posted by bookwormom

My chickens have never caught a snake, but I have lost lots of eggs and chicks to snakes. One year DH killed five big chicken snakes. He caught one that got into the coop, ate two chicks and then was too big around to get back out. Last year a snake stole the eggs right from under a setting hen. I understand pigs will eat a snake.

that really stinks!! I don't know about pigs??
Here is a video showing a hen with a snake and another hen chasing her... we've seen this time after time here on or farm
http://youtu.be/1Y2JmpUT9lQ chickens crack me up

[Catalpa]

When I was a kid back home on the farm we occasionally lost a cow or calf to a Massasauga snake bite. Never did see one in person though, good thing 'cuz I'd probably still be running! I hate snakes! (Said in my best Indy Jones voice)

[SevenCreeksSap]

Oh4us- Check into ODNR, it seems like I've heard they are an endangered species or protected in Ohio, but not 100% sure. then again, might want to be careful inviting big brother to take a look around your property. Hope theyre not in a wetland too.
I always thought they were down in the hill country part of Oh, not so much in NW Oh.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/spec...0/Default.aspx

[offgridbob]

I have heard of a Chattanooga choo choo but not the Massasagua Rattler.

[Ohio4us]

caught a couple and gave to local odnr officer. He tried to tell me that we don't have them in this area. A couple years ago a guys building burnt and He had some snakes in there nobody knows what he had or what all got loose. Know his neighbor found a coral snake in there garden and called the odnr to come and get it and it was red and yellow. I know that my Grandpa killed a Timber Rattler in the early 70's and been a few seen since them.

[leera]

The massasauga rattler is the only native species of poisonous snake we have in these parts(northern Ohio,Michigan,etc,etc...)

I've not seen any on my property,but have seen lots of them,here's an example:

I found this one in a local park...they are actually quite docile and tend not to bother you unless you piss 'em off.

The snakes are on your property because it has what they need,food and shelter....to get them to go away you would need to eliminate those two things....food being small rodents,etc,etc....shelter being hiding places....keep your grass cut short,your weeds trimmed up around buildings,etc,and make sure there are no gaps or spaces in buildings that they can crawl into....if you have feed bins keep them sealed up tight...

[offgridbob]

Why is it you people east of the Rockies have the most Poisson snakes and bad Ju Ju spyders ? Evan your turtles will snap your fingers off. Maybe the Rockies are to tall to cross over to the west side

[Faith123]

The Massasauga is supposedly in the U.P. also. It is protected, so encounters with it should be non-confrontational and reported to the DNR. I can't wait to see one. Send yours our way.

[leera]

That one just happened to be crossing a path my hubby and I were walking...that one was a fully mature adult,and it's rattler was a good 3-4 inches long on the end of it's tail.It never even stopped to look at us,just kept right on going....we reported seeing it to the officers in the park,and showed them the photo.They said that for sure someone was going to freak out about seeing that one...people are a lot more frightened of snakes than they need to be.

We've seen them of all sizes,down to less than a foot long....

The snake in the tank behind where I sit here and type is nearly 6 foot,but he's a King snake and they get much bigger...nonpoisonous though.lol.

[MYellowRose]

leera how big was the one in the photo? Looks huge to me. As my mother would say "They may not hurt you but they sure can make you hurt yourself" in getting away from them. My late brother used to greet people who knocked on the door with Red, his ball python, hanging around his neck if he was cleaning her cage. Used to really make the Jehova's Witnesses backpedal off the porch very rapidly.

[leera]

That one was about 3 feet or so,they don't get huge at all.It was just a very close up photo as I wanted to capture the pattern and head shape to use as an example when needed...comes in handy sometimes.

We also have a snake called a Hog Nose snake that is non-poisonous,but will put on a good show pretending to be a rattler.

[Ironclad]

Are you kidding me? Carry a shotgun and shoot the heck out of them until you get rid of them. Rattlesnakes have a tremendous range--miles or so. In the winter they will hole up in caves. Count yourself lucky if you can find their home/cave...like my Grandaddy did...pour cole oil down into that nest and burn em up!!

To Hell with Rattlesnakes!! Shoot em; Burn em... damn evil snakes!
Pigs are good for guarding your property from them, believe it or not. Pigs will kill a snake. That's a fact. So good are Guinee Fowl... get a flock of those loud obnoxious birds if you can stand their noise, and they will kill your snakes for you.

Ironclad

[CarolAnn]

I had to look them up also.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7...2995--,00.html
Has some good info. Looks like their favorite food is mice and voles. My guess is that the mothballs actually repel their food - then they'll go where the food is.

If you have mice in the field, there you go.

In Arkansas, I kept outside cats to keep the snakes down and they did a good job. Had a baby timber rattler waiting for me on the steps one night, and that was when I got some outside cats! (Where baby is found, Mama isn't far away, usually.)