Snakes

Trapping snakes is one of our specialties. In Columbus, Ga, and surrounding areas, there are a number of both poisonous and non-poisonous snakes that cause problems when they invade the yards, homes and businesses of local residents. One of our goals is to trap and remove snakes that could potentially cause people problems.

Scientific Name: Suborder: Serpentes

Fun Fact:

Female anacondas can reach 15 feet in length and weigh upwards of 550 lbs.

Lifespan: Between 3-40 years depending on species

Description

Snakes are elongated, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes. They are cold-blooded reptiles and are unable to generate heat themselves. They need to warm up through an external heat source like the sun. All snakes are ectothermic vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more joints than their lizard ancestors, enabling them to swallow prey much larger than their heads with their highly mobile jaws. Most species are nonvenomous and those that have venom use it primarily to kill and subdue prey rather than for self-defense. Some possess venom potent enough to cause painful injury or death to humans. Nonvenomous snakes either swallow prey alive or kill by constriction.

Reproduction

Most species of snakes lay eggs that they abandon shortly after laying. However, a few species (such as the king cobra) actually construct nests and stay in the vicinity of the hatchlings after incubation.[60] Most pythons coil around their egg clutches and remain with them until they hatch.[62] A female python will not leave the eggs, except to occasionally bask in the sun or drink water. She will even “shiver” to generate heat to incubate the eggs.

Where Do Snakes Live?

Living snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica, and on most smaller land masses; exceptions include some large islands, such as Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, the Hawaiian archipelago, and the islands of New Zealand, and many small islands of the Atlantic and central Pacific oceans. There are over 2,900 species of snakes ranging as far northward as the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and southward through Australia. Snakes can be found on every continent except Antarctica, in the sea, and as high as 16,000 feet (4,900 m) in the Himalayan Mountains of Asia. There are numerous islands from which snakes are absent, such as Ireland, Iceland, and New Zealand.

Diet

All snakes are strictly carnivorous, eating small animals including lizards, frogs, other snakes, small mammals, birds, eggs, fish, snails, and insects. Because snakes cannot bite or tear their food to pieces, they must swallow prey whole. The body size of a snake has a major influence on its eating habits. Smaller snakes eat smaller prey. Juvenile pythons might start out feeding on lizards or mice and graduate to small deer or antelope as an adult, for example.

How to Get Rid of Snakes

Snakes follow food sources. Rodents are a snake’s favorite food source so getting rid of mice, rats, chipmunks and voles goes a long way to eliminating snakes in your yard.

Snakes also look for shelters like woodpiles and other clutter to live in. Removing debris outside will help keep snakes from establishing a foothold in your yard. Remember: Once they are in your yard it is only a matter of time until you find one in your home.

An easy way to try to get rid of snakes yourself is to purchase large snake and insect glue boards. They are an easy-to-use and inexpensive first step towards solving your snake problem yourself. You simply peel the paper liner off of the board and place it where snakes have been seen. Once the snake crawls across the board, it becomes stuck and unable to escape. If you feel so inclined, you can take the glue board with the snake to the woods, pour a small amount of cooking oil on it and the snake will eventually work its way free.

If you do not feel comfortable being near trapped snakes then have a qualified snake exterminator such as Jarrod’s Affordable Wildlife Eviction get rid of your snake friends and give you the peace of mind you and your family deserve.

SOURCE(S):

Wikipedia