Using Lime to Keep Snakes Away

Will regular garden lime spread around the perimeter of my yard keep snakes out? Will it be harmful to my dogs?

Hardiness Zone: 9a

By Joan from Palatka, FL

Answers:

Using Lime to Keep Snakes Away

Lime will not keep snakes away nor will it hurt your dog. But it will be good for the soil. (04/03/2009)

By Deanj

Using Lime to Keep Snakes Away

You don't want to let them breathe what blows around on the breeze. I saw a situation where lime was used as bedding under goats, kicked around dry as they walked, it caused them all fatal pneumonia. (04/06/2009)

By Kim Churchman

Using Lime to Keep Snakes Away

You need a product with sulfur in it to keep the snakes away, BUT... if you have snakes, you also have a food source for them, be prepared for fighting off whatever the food source might be. (04/07/2009)

By Dee

Using Lime to Keep Snakes Away

Your kind of snake would be different than ours we would get. Here, having snakes in the yard means no mice or moles in the yard or house. We get garter (garden) snakes. They don't hurt anyone. You have to get rid of their sunning areas. They like rock, cement driveways, steps. They don't like 'contaminated' soil such as asphalt etc. Your choice. (04/13/2009)

By Grandma J

Using Lime to Keep Snakes Away

I just bought property with a dry bed creek next to it and 48 acres of woods behind me. I wasn't really thinking about snakes when I bought here. My new neighbors tell me I will likely see water moccasins, copperheads and diamondback rattlesnakes. Wish I'd known - I wouldn't have bought this house, but I'm here now and trying to deal with it. I was told by neighbors to mix lime, sulfur and crushed mothballs and spread this mix around my house (reapply after heavy rains). Spreading close at first as trapping a snake inside this perimeter will also not allow them to leave since they won't cross it.

So I bought all of the above. I went to a Seed and Feed store this morning and was told that the lime has to be "hydrogenated" lime and not just regular garden lime. I also used a granulated sulfur (organic) and the guy at the store told me to use a powder sulfur and mix with the "H" lime. I have seen 2 very small snakes (possibly just mud snakes) since applying the regular stuff. So now I have the new arsenal of the hydrogenated lime and powder sulfur so I'll see if that makes a difference. Hopes this info helps someone. (06/04/2009)

By Patricia