Snakes are quite common in the US, especially in the southern states. People have become used to seeing snakes in their gardens and on their farms. But when a snake is venomous, it can hurt other animals.

It is also dangerous for humans to be around venomous snakes. To protect themselves, their garden, and animals from such snakes, people often get a black snake.

What Are Black Snakes?

The term black snake refers to different kinds of snakes. But the black snake that you can find on farms is known as the black rat snake. It is a nonvenomous snake, which means its bite can’t kill you. Like most wild snakes, if you don’t approach it with hostility and just let it be, it won’t even bite you.

Humans view snakes as dangerous and creepy, but in truth, they can be quite helpful. The black rat snake is the biggest example of helpful snakes. Rats and mice can harm your crop. But if you have black rat snakes on your farm, they will kill and eat all the rats and keep your crops and livestock safe.

However, if there are too many black rat snakes on your land, they might start preying on helpful insects. In that case, you will have to come up with a plan to get rid of the black snakes.

The Dangerous Copperheads

A copperhead is a venomous snake that often ends up on farms and gardens. It can also show up in your backyard. Since it is venomous, a bite of copperhead can kill your animals. Copperheads are not lethal to humans, but they are still dangerous, which is why it is important to get rid of them.

Various farm animals, and even common pets, have become victims of copperheads. Smaller dogs and cats are more likely to die from the bite of copperheads than big animals. Copperheads are also known for dry biting. When they dry bite, no venom gets injected into the body of the one who was bitten.

In states where the copperhead population is quite high, people go to great lengths to keep these venomous snakes away from their property. It is important to remember that you should not try to kill the snake yourself, it will make the copperhead angry. Although its bite won’t kill you, it will still hurt a lot. So, it’s best to let the snake be.

Common Myths About Black Snakes

There are many myths about the black rat snake. Some people believe that they mate with copperheads. While others think that black rat snake bites won’t hurt. Although the snake isn’t venomous, its bite can still hurt and cause a skin infection if not treated on time.

Since they have proven to be so useful to farms and gardens, people have also come to believe that they can also help with the copperhead problem.

But the biggest question about this species remains. People want to know do black snakes keep copperheads away because no one wants the dangerous copperheads on their property. Unfortunately, that is only a myth. The black rat snake in your backyard cannot keep venomous snakes, including copperheads, away.

The Helpful Black Rat Snake

There are different types of black snakes. The black racer snake is known to kill and eat other snakes. But the black rat snake, which is more common in the US, does not kill other snakes. In fact, it hibernates with other snakes sometimes.

The black rat snake is highly effective against rodents. Since its diet mostly consists of rodents, birds, and bird eggs, it can drive mice and rats away from your property. When there are no mice around, you won’t have to worry about the flowers in your garden or the crop in your barn.

Due to their effectiveness against rodents, many people welcome black snakes on their properties. Since black rat snakes are nonvenomous, people don’t have to worry about their animals either. But it is best to keep an eye on the black snake population on your farm. If the population of black rat snakes gets high, they will become aggressive and begin biting your animals.

How to Rid Your Property of Copperheads

Even nonvenomous snakes can become a problem when there are too many of them. But when it’s a venomous snake, you wouldn’t want even one of them on your property. No one would want their family, pets, or livestock to become the victims of copperheads. But if black snakes cannot keep copperheads away, what other option is there?

The one thing you should not do is try to kill the copperhead. There are various methods of getting rid of a copperhead safely. Here’s what you can do if you see a copperhead in your backyard or on your farm:

• Call Animal Control or the Fire Department

In some states, it is the duty of the animal control or the fire department to handle wild snakes. If you are not sure whether the animal control can help or not, you should give them a call. Explain your problem to them and ask if they can help. If they tell you, they don’t handle copperheads, you can move on to the next option.

• Find a Pest Removal Company

Your second-best option is to find a reliable pest removal company. You can do an Internet search to find the best pest removal companies in your area. Once you have found the right company, you can get in touch with them and ask them if they have experience dealing with snakes. If they do, they can help you get rid of a copperhead.

• Resolve Your Rodent Issue

Eliminate the food supply of copperheads by treating the rodent issue on your farm or in your garden. Copperheads are highly likely to leave an area if the rodent population disappears as mice are their primary source of food. You can lay out traps to take out the rodent population, and then wait for copperheads to leave your property.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to keep snakes as pets to ward off others. There are a lot of myths about all the species of snakes, particularly when it comes to the question of do black snakes keep copperheads away.

Instead of believing and relying on them, it is better to take on the right approach. You can easily get rid of copperheads with the help of animal control or a pest removal company. However, it is good to have a few black rat snakes on your property as they will keep the rodents away.