SNAKE DETERRENT

Snake deterrent, Emu Ridge Eucalyptus oil Kangaroo Island

Here at Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery we are proud to stock 100% pure essential oils, all  produced in Australia. Our very own Eucalyptus oil is so versatile and we are constantly finding and documenting more recipes and uses. We have been producing 100% Pure Eucalyptus oil on Kangaroo Island since 1991. Eucalyptus oil is antibacterial and anti-fungal, removes oil based stains and sticky things, acts as a penetrating oil, as well as having medicinal properties. Therefore is an ideal natural product for in and around the house, in the workshop and for the body. One of our popular recipes has been to use it in a snake deterrent. Please read on for more information including the recipe.

SNAKE DETERRENT:

If you have snakes about we found this recipe.  If your wanting to look after your pets and family, a litre of this mix may help. You can spray it along property boundaries, pathways, rock walls, or around the house, sheds, garages, aviaries, etc, snakes do not like open spaces and will most likely be found along fence lines, at back doors and around house and shed foundations. This recipe is safe to use if you have pets.

The recipe uses our Emu Ridge EucalyptusT/Tree oil, and we also stock Australian Lavender . Mixing with water is fine, If your using water just shake the bottle and spray. Metho can be added, water and oil don’t mix that’s why adding the metho helps make it water soluble for people spraying large areas with a large sprayer that find it difficult to shake.

All you do is mix the essential oils into the 800ml of water to make one litre, and halve it for the half mix. If you wish to make it water soluble  add 400mls of  water or add of 400ml of metho and will make it water soluble and easier with a large sprayer that’s too hard to shake.

Beware of inferior oils. We are proud of our products and our prices, our oils are 100% pure and Australian! 90% of the worlds eucalyptus oil is from China and it is not pure. Always buy Product of Australia if you want to something that was produced in Australia, to compare prices you will find ours on our online shop, to give you an idea, 50ml Eucalyptus oil is $10.00, 50ml T/Tree oil is $12.00, 25ml Lavender oil is $36.00, 100ml Clove Bud oil is $20.00. These are the only oils that we stock at Emu Ridge that are in this recipe.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Snakes use their tongues to smell! Snakes have nostrils, just like humans. But a snake’s tongue is also very important. When a snake flicks its tongue in the air, it picks up tiny chemical particles. When the snake brings its tongue back into its mouth, the tongue fits into a special organ on the roof of the mouth. This special organ is called the vomeronasal system. The vomeronasal system takes those tiny chemical particles and tells the snake what they are. This way the snake “smells” things like dirt, plants, other animals and the deterrent!

How else can I keep snakes out of my yard and house?

You can take measures to reduce the attractiveness of your yard, house or shed to snakes by keeping it clean and tidy. If you have a rock wall or other structure that has the potential to house frogs, rats and mice, you are attracting snakes, discourage these animals by blocking holes.  Actively discourage rats and mice, and snake-proof your aviaries and poultry pens. It is also important to ensure that food scraps are disposed of properly to discourage rats and mice as snakes are attracted to places where they can obtain food. Bird owners should also discourage rodents by ensuring that aviaries are kept clean and hygienic and that the mesh is small enough to stop snakes entering. Blocking off as many potential access points as possible can significantly reduce the chance of snakes entering your house. Install screens on doors and windows. Block any holes around the house. Extra care should be taken during summer when the snakes are most active. In areas that experience flooding, snakes will move to higher ground during a flood. Take extra precautions at these times.

You can also call a professional snake catcher, they will do a great job. This person will catch and remove any snakes that you know of and take other actions necessary to solve your snake problem.

HOW DID WE FIND THIS RECIPE? We were recommended this mix by a reptile specialist whom did a huge amount of research on this subject for many years and was unable to produce it commercially due to huge government costs. It is said to be  much more efficient than the vibration devices. It is recommended that you spray regularly, but if its rained or you have had extremely hot days you may need to spray more often. If you have a smaller yard or area make up a half mix, you can reuse your leftovers for another time, just store in a dark cool place. Other references we have found that say they help keep the snakes away are cinnamon oil as a ingredient it maybe worth trying to!

One gentleman Graham from Brisbane just loves using only our Eucalyptus oil and water to deter Geckos from his car port, he said it does a fantastic job he sprays once a week. (500ml of water 25ml of Eucalyptus)

Please be aware that this recipe we were given is only a deterrent, nothing will keep them away completely unfortunately. The oils are unpleasant to them and disguise the smell of your chickens or food which is what they are searching for. Keep your yards clean so they have less areas to make their home. We dont recommend  spraying large areas with this mixture, it would be very expensive, its more to help around your home exterior, yard or camping etc.

TIPS: You can purchase or make a snake trap if you wish to catch the snake yourself. This YouTube clip shows you how to make a homemade trap.

Apparently minnow traps are well priced and can also be used for catching snakes, pop a few eggs inside. You can purchase them from fishing stores. Stay safe everyone!

minnowtrapsandwormbedding

TESTIMONIAL:

I ordered the snake repellent 2 weeks ago after having no success trying Scott’s wheelie bin cleaner (contains phenyl/phenol). I’d read that some people had success using the phenyl. In the meantime I purchased the ingredients from emu ridge for the snake repellent (my big guns). So when the snake (30cm juvenile eastern brown) reappeared 2 weeks ago after disappearing for two weeks (probably under some timber steps all along) I got the big guns out. I unfortunately got some of your repellent on the snake’s side as he poked his head out in-between two sleepers. He then retreated back under the timber steps and I continued to spray around the area (decked out in boots/jeans/jacket/safety gloves and pressure pack). That was on the Saturday at my shack near Mannum, when I returned the following Friday the snake was unfortunately “very dead” and I could even see where the repellent had caused a large wound (chemical burn maybe). The ants and flies did the rest. So now I’m topping up my ingredients in readiness for the next visitor, if and when they arrive or as a preventative spray just before Easter. It’s not my intention to kill them as I think they’re an amazing creature, I think red-bellied blacks are beautiful critters (I’m not frightened of snakes, just their venom) so next time i’ll spray the area without spraying directly on the snake. Thank you so much for posting this repellent, it’s been a great help. I don’t feel so helpless anymore.
Regards and best wishes Brett.

 

snake d No6

 

The above image of a Kangaroo Island Tiger Snake was taken by Nikki Redman Photography of Kangaroo Island.