# Gartner Snakes in Pond - What to do



## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

I saw a couple of Gartner Snakes in my pond this morning. In the water swimming around. They freak out my goldfish, and my wife, and well I'm not that fond of them myself. Any ideas on how to keep these rascals out of the pond? I've tried putting snake repellent around the pond but it doesn't work, and they even seem to love it - practically rolling around in it like a cat with catnip.


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## John Allman (Jan 2, 2008)

once they eat all the fish, they will leave. Doubt that helps but there it is. 

On the other hand, you will have to catch them and dispose of them elsewhere. They don't bite (much) and arent very aggressive. If you really want them out of there and don't just shoot them, you can catch them with a forked stick and put them in a trash bag. Take them anywhere else and let them go... 

Oh, and don't forget to say "Crikey, would you look at the fangs on this one!" when you pick them up...


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

They are harmless--they will eat smaller fish and then move on. They can't really hurt you--they have tiny teeth that barely break the skin.


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

My dad has them in his pond and they don't eat the fish. They do keep the bug population down though. While a bit creepy, they are pretty much harmless and if in fact are a gartner snake, they are not poisonous. When they are sunning you can catch them with your hands, leather gloved if you prefer. Put them in a bag or wraped up in an old towel and let them go somewhere else. If for some reason they do bite they usually let go, if not pry them up like you would open a bottle. Don't shake your hand around to get them off as then things can get messy. 

Personally, if they are not eating the fish or bothering you i'd leave them be. Sooner or later they'll move on or get eaten by something bigger then them.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

They MIGHT eat fry, but mostly eat bugs. A bug will keep a snake fed for a long time. They're harmless to people and to pets. There's no venom and tiny teeth that won't even give you a pinprick. Caleb once pestered one to the point where it bit his finger. It was a pretty funny as neigther snake nor boy quite knew what to do next. (He was 3 at the time). It didn't readily pull off his finger, but Susan helped him get the snake's mouth open to get off. They're pretty easy to catch, as Caleb found out.


If you try to hold one, it'll tend to slither out of your hand, but if you loop it around a finger so its body crosses itself, it can't until you let it go. 


Caleb also found a very easy way to kill one. You hold its head and go "whee!" as you spin it around. 


To verify that's the kind of snake you have:











Some might be more greenish and some more brownish. Same snake.


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Jim,

Well, it _is_ a garnten, isn't it?









Ol Vulp


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

John wrote: "Crikey, would you look at the fangs on this one!" when you pick them up..."

The problem is, those kind of snakes have small barbs on the ends of their fangs. And to make it worse, no snake has a lip, so you can't get the fangs out of your hand by peeling the snake's upper jaw back. You need a beer can opener for best results.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

50 years ago in Astoria Ore. we had a cat one day fill the upstairs bathtub with about 30 garter snakes. Freaked my mother out! 
Yep the fearless 9yr. old got them back outside...after teasing my older sister with a couple. 

Fangs? What fangs? 

John


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

John,

I goofed on my earlier post re 'fangs'. When you see this symbol







it means the statement prior is meant as humor or a needle job. Torby has one of those small, evil-grin icons, but I can't find one. I forgot to put the bat at the end of the post, which was a sendup all the way. I believe everyone knows garter snakes are fangless and harmless (unless you live in viper country and see one out of the corner of your eye). In _that_ suitation, they can put quite an uptick in the ol' pulse rate.

Ol Vulp


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, I just went outside tonight just by chance to pick up a tool I left in the yard and counted no less than 8 (eight)!!! Luckily I put some netting over the pond earlier today! A couple were trying to get in the pond. I'm getting mixed info on the Garter snakes, do they eat fish or not? What I've read doing some research is they do. I've read they try to eat fish but aren't that good at, but I've read that several can gang up on a fish or frog and take them out that way. This is getting pretty creepy. We've had one or two in the past and I can deal with that, but 8 or more is getting to even me.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Posted By Les on 17 Aug 2009 05:39 PM 
John,

I goofed on my earlier post re 'fangs'. When you see this symbol







it means the statement prior is meant as humor or a needle job. Torby has one of those small, evil-grin icons, but I can't find one. I forgot to put the bat at the end of the post, which was a sendup all the way. I believe everyone knows garter snakes are fangless and harmless (unless you live in viper country and see one out of the corner of your eye). In _that_ suitation, they can put quite an uptick in the ol' pulse rate.

Ol Vulp








Good luck on that one Buddy, me remember somebody else's clever symbol for the lol symbol.....

Anyway I was jest tagging your joke with mock bug eyes







, but couldn't in quick post... 

Ol' Vulpe? Naw I've seen the smilimg dog, go pull some one else's leg....

I live in Rattler country and have a layout Diamondback in residence.... suddenly there are fewer cute critters.

2 days ago I had a Roadrunner in the yard attempting to catch a dove or quail. They come in for water and seed.

Me peepers ar always peeled!









John


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Jim, 
I've heard a snaping turtle will keep them out..... 

just a thought....and they can be so 'cute' when young, though not a petting friend....


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I understand that snakes swallow their food whole, so I doubt if several would gang up on a critter bigger than they can swallow and take bites of it. BUT, they can swallow a creature that is around twice their own diameter... leaves a big bulge until it gets digested! I remember seeing a TV show many many eons ago about a python that was captured because it had slithered into a pig's pen and eaten it, but then it could not slither back out because the pig could not get between the slats of the pen sides so neither could the snake with the pig inside!

They will eat SMALL fish (babies) but not anything much bigger than the diameter of the snake's body so full sized fish are probably safe. (Depending on the snake and fish involved!)

I am trying to figure out how you sealed a net over the pond that could keep the snakes out. They can slither through some very small holes!


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Are they really tiny? I wonder if you have a nest of eggs somewhere hatching. Otherwise, they may be gathering for mating. They mate in a huge "Mating Ball" wad of snakes, which is likely what they were doing in the bathtub. Otherwise, they're rather solitary and you woudn't see them together.


Snakes come out, catch something, swallow it, and go hide for a couple weeks to digest it. They don't bite off pieces or team up to tackle larger prey. They're actually not the smartest things God ever made.


The only thing they'll do to you if you catch them is poop. It's their defence to make a predator say, "Oh gross!" and give them a chance to get away.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Torby, 
Our cat gathered them in the tub.... they were all about a foot long and harmless. It wasn't a love in!


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

I assume there was a hatch of them earlier in the summer. They seem to be of different sizes. The biggest about 4 feet and the smallest about 2 feet. We've had the second wettest summer on record in Denver, so probably why there are so many. I'm thinking there were more than 8 last night, as it turns out I stepped on a couple and didn't even know it until I saw them dead in the grass this morning. It was dusk and I couldn't see that well, but it appeared the earth was moving there were so many. How could the earth be moving - ran through my head for a split second. It reminded me of when Indiana Jones was in a pit of snakes. 

Three were trying to get into the pond again this morning, laying on top of the netting. I scared one off. Of the other two that wouldn't get out of the pond. I grabbed the big one and hauled him off to the nearby park - hopefully it was far enough. I came back and tried the same thing with the small one but apparently it was caught in the netting and I didn't realize it until it was too late, that one was not so lucky. 

The netting I put over the pond has 3/8" holes - my research showed that was the best size. I have flagstone pieces around the edge of the pond, so I picked up the flagstone then laid the netting over the pond and then put the flagstone back down over the netting. Made a very snug fit. Another good thing about the netting is it is supposed to keep out the Herring. I've only see one in the last couple of years, back when I didn't have fish, but it wouldn't take one of those long to clean out the two fish. Also supposed to keep leaves out, which last Fall I had a ton of. 

The local ACE has some different snake repellent than I've tried before so I going to get some today. I've figured where they are coming from - under my neighbors deck. So I'll put the repellent near the fence where I saw some go through yesterday. 

So why the big deal over two lousy fish? Don't know, but I've named them, and I enjoy them as they are actually a bit amusing to watch. I've come to think of them as pets I guess.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

You could always catch one of the bigger snakes, tie a small baby ratlle on the tail, then release him. Invite Aunt Wilma or Grandma over to watch your trains run and if the big snalkes comes out, well you might get an interesting reaction from the older folks. Just a thought.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 18 Aug 2009 09:13 AM 
Torby, 
Our cat gathered them in the tub.... they were all about a foot long and harmless. It wasn't a love in! 


Oh! What a trip. And I thought I had silly cat stories!


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Pete Chimney on 18 Aug 2009 11:55 AM 
You could always catch one of the bigger snakes, tie a small baby ratlle on the tail, then release him. Invite Aunt Wilma or Grandma over to watch your trains run and if the big snalkes comes out, well you might get an interesting reaction from the older folks. Just a thought. 

Instead of a "Baby Rattlesnake" you'd have a "Babyrattle Snake". (It's all in the length of the pause between sylables!)


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Call Samuel L. Jackson? 

Anyhow, I would not worry about it too much. My brother and I used to make money getting these things out of neighbor's houses. Got paid and a snake to play with for a few hours out of the deal! 

What IS worrying is when I am in my dark and cool "crawlspace" (emphasis in crawl, it is a fine tribute to the film The Great Escape) and I find a 6+ foot skin in there with me.....but I do not find field rats!


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Jim,

Down in the hills, King snakes were prized, as it was thought they ate copperheads and rattlesnakes.

My great-uncle Bill, who was with Black Jack Pershing on the Mexican incursion, allowed that the best way to get rid of snakes is to put axle grease down. They crawl into a patch of it and lose all traction, as you can readily see. Then in the morning you can sack 'em up and haul 'em off.









Ol' Vulp


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Total,

Speaking of snapping turtles, a long time ago when I was about ten my Dad, my Great-uncle Bill and I were on an all-night fishing trip. The turtles were taking our bait a lot. My great-uncle told a story: Once he and my grandfather were night fishing, and Granddad caught a big alligator snapping turtle. He cut off its head and heaved the rest back in the water. (Well, snapping turtles keep moving for a long time w/o a head). He said that all through the night, about once an hour, that turtle would crawl up on the gravel bar, drag along in a big half-circle, and go back into the river. Said it kept waking 'em up.

That story creeped me out so badly I didn't sleep the rest of the night. For years, when I thought of it I'd shudder, even knowing by then that was a 'fish story'. 

Les


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

We had 2 snappers in our pond. A little one, about 8 inches across named "Darth Vader," and a huge one about 2ft across.


One day Susan was out fishing, and the big one took her lure. She had quite a fight on her hands 'cause that was her favorite lure and she didn't want to loose it. Yes, she got her lure back and the turtle survived the fight. Never underestimate a determined tomboy!


Hours after you chop off the head, the head will still see and snap, and will be very angry.


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## barnmichael (Jan 2, 2008)

From what I've read, snakes don't go very deep or stay under very long to catch fish. Be sure you have some deep spots and some hidey holes for them to escape to. Also helps with herons, *****, etc. I don't think there is a screen made that will keep the snakes out that doesn't look like the state pen.


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## KYYADA (Mar 24, 2008)

It's not very humane but if you can't catch them and they are eating your fish you could use a minnow basket with some bait inside to kill them......they can get in but will drown before they can get out. If all else has failed....I'm like others here and wonder if gartner snakes would be a problem. 

Johnny


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

I talked to a local pond guy and he thinks my fish are big enough that the size snakes I have won't be able to eat them. I did see one snake watching the fish in the pond. Then another day I saw one snake actually strike at one of the fish, but missed. It kind of freaked the fish out for a short while but the fish didn't appear harmed in any way and still eats really well. 

Another snake got caught in the netting. I was able to free it after a bit of surgery on the netting, and since then I've removed the netting, too many snakes getting caught in it. 

I've tried another brand of snake repellent, it's a spray instead of the granules. It's very potent smelling but so far I haven't seen any snakes today.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Name it "Nessie" and list it as a feature of the railroad.


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Ky,

I bet I'm gonna catch flak, but here's my take on animals that cause me grief: kill them and toss 'em in the creek for the minnows, crawdads and other scavangers.

Ol Vulp


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Torby,

I guess I'm just some ol' hillbilly, but if I had kids/grandkids around, and snapping turtles, guess which species would get eradicated. (Hint: not the grandkids. Kids, well ... mighta gave one that some thought...







)

Now, I really hafta say I admire Susan's grit. You didn't give her age, but I expect she had to be big enough to get the job done--or figured she was.









Either way works.

A boy--in my pre-wuss generation--the ones I grew up with--woulda slicked that ol' head off with his pocketknife and got out his lure back, with immense self-satisfaction, cheered on by his father.

I can understand Jim's reluctance to kill harmless garter snakes. I won't, now that I live in the City where there aren't any poisonous snakes, and am old, but there was a time when, not. I just couldn't afford the glitch in the ol' nerves. There're times when slices of a second count for a lot, which I'm satisfied you already know.

Take copperheads: they _will_ go for you. They lack the retiring attitude of most snakes. I was baling hay one hot afternoon, and ran one out of a windrow ahead of the baler. My buddy Jamsey, (now a preacher) was riding the tractor, helping me wear out the end of a long day and a coupla sixpacks. I reacted automatically and ground everything to a halt and we jumped down. I had a big 12" Crescent wrench and I threw it and missed. That dam' snake went for me. I stood there, stupified with surprise, weariness, and yes, some beer. But mostly surprised and tired. Next thing I knew, I caught this meathook in the chest where ol' James swung a backhand at me and knocked me a couple of steps back, then stomped that thing's head. He'd just came back from 'Nam, and was sorta fearless or crazy, take your pick. He was in the bush, not an REMF.

Ol' Vulp


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

my beagles eat anything that moves in the garden (except for the trains).


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