Glue traps and minnow traps are both effective snake traps that can be used to capture snakes. They can safely and humanely trap a snake, allowing you to transport it to another habitat.
Snakes are vermin you’d never want in your home. Aside from being potentially venomous, they can be sneaky creatures, taking refuge in hard-to-reach crevices around your house. Handling the situation may seem daunting, but there are ways to manage it.
In this article, we’ll help you choose the best snake trap available, how to use them, and pertinent information regarding the art of trapping and capturing these snakes.
Table of Contents
What is the best trap for snakes?
When determining the best snake trap, you’ll have to weigh three main factors: strength, price, and ease of use.
The strength of the trap is essential to guarantee that the snake won’t be able to escape. If you’ve seen a large snake around your premises or live in an area with large snakes, buying a heavy-duty trap that can accommodate their size would be best.
The price is another consideration you must take into account. While having the top-of-the-line trap would be ideal, it isn’t the most practical solution. You can find cheaper options that can do the job just fine.
Finally, you’ll have to consider the ease of use, especially if you’ve never used a snake trap before. If you want something that’s easy to set up, look for traps that come pre-assembled. You’ll also want to ensure no other stray animals or pests get caught in the trap.
Selecting the Right Trap
Now that we’ve gone over what to look for in a trap, it’s time to take your pick. There are two main traps that beginners should select: the minnow trap and the glue trap.
Minnow Trap
The minnow trap is one of the most popular choices for those looking to catch a snake. It’s a live metal enclosure trap where bait is placed to lure the snake in. Once the snake is inside, the minnow trap’s door will shut, preventing it from getting out.
Glue Trap
The glue trap is another favorite amongst snake trappers. It’s a flat tray coated with a sticky resin that traps the snake when it slithers on it. The nice thing about glue traps is that they can be placed anywhere around your home, making them perfect for areas where snakes like to frequent.
If the snakes in your area are venomous, it’s always best to seek professional help to reduce your risk of harm.
How to get up a trap?
Here are the steps for using the minnow trap:
- Secure one funnel end of the trap using pliers or plastic ties.
- Undo the latches of the trap and open the door.
- Add snake bait like eggs or fish inside the trap through the opened end.
- Close the trap and secure it in place with some string.
- Wait several hours, or up until the point you get the non-venomous snake.
Here are the steps for using the glue board trap:
- Set up a snake box and insert the glue inserts inside it.
- Put snake bait in the middle of the trap, such as fish or eggs.
- To release a captive snake, pour vegetable oil on it to let it slither free.
Where to place a trap for snakes?
The best place to place a trap is wherever you’ve seen the snake prowling. If you can’t trace the snake’s origins, check areas with a lot of cover or potential hiding spots.
You can also put the trap near entry points where snakes might come in, such as cracks in any walls, holes in the foundation, or vents.
Other ideal locations a snake may call home include:
- Attic
- Basement
- Garage
- Yard
- Coop
- Shed
- Garden
When setting up the trap, keep children and pets away from it to avoid any disturbances.
Do mouse traps work on snakes?
Mouse traps are not intended to be used on snakes. In fact, they can be quite deadly if a snake gets caught in a trap like a mouse glue trap.
However, live enclosed mouse traps resembling minnow traps may be viable alternatives if you deal with smaller snakes.
How do you attract a snake to a trap?
While you’d want to extract the snake infiltrating your home, you wouldn’t want to invite more to the scene. Make sure you’ve put snake repellent around your yard.
To attract a snake to a trap, you’ll need to use bait that snakes would love.
Some of the best snake bait include:
- Fresh eggs
- Frogs
- Mice
- Crickets
- Worms
Snakes don’t eat dead critters, so make sure the bait is still alive when you put it in the trap.
Can a snake get off a sticky trap?
Snake glue traps are very sticky, so it’s unlikely a snake will be able to get off of one once it’s stuck.
However, it’s always the humane option to let go of them as soon as you are alerted of their presence. Pour some vegetable oil on it to loosen the adhesive. You may see some loose snake skin stuck to the trap, but this is completely normal snake anatomy. They’ll grow it back again once released.
What to do once you trapped a snake?
Upon catching a snake, you’ll first want to identify the kind of snake you’re dealing with. This can help you determine if it’s safe to handle or not.
If the snake is non-venomous like a copperhead snake or rat snake, you can release them into the wild or relocate them far away from home.
Some states have laws like the Endangered Species Act that prohibit and penalize people who kill certain species of snakes. If you’re unsure of your next approach, your best bet is to call pest control or an exterminator for assistance.