Site Menu

Finally, an answer to the snake problem... Scents and Attractants

by Wildlife Control Supplies

Snakes obtain information about their environment via several biological mechanisms:

  1. Eyes - acuity varies by species and related to food sources. For example, snakes which feed on faster moving prey such as lizards tend to have better vision.
  2. Belly - can pick up vibrations through the ground as a result of movement nearby.
  3. Internal organs - snakes have the ability to sense changes in barometric pressure.
  4. Facial pits - many snakes have facial pits which assist the snake in identifying the size and distance of an object based on heat of the object.
  5. Tongue - the tongue is used to pick up air borne particles in the immediate vicinity of the snake. The forked tongue is extended out of the mouth to collect air borne particles. The forks of the tongue are then inserted into the roof of the mouth in the Jacobson's organ. This organ is very sensitive and near the brain which then interprets the particles for the snake. The tongue is the primary sense organ for snakes.

Some products include an attractant or scent which purports to lure a snake. This notion is illogical for several reasons:

  1. Snakes are carnivorous in diet. Some feed on insects; some on fish; and, most feed on rodents and other mammals. In order to present a "food lure", an odor of insects, fish, or rodents would have to be present.
  2. In the case when a snake encounters a scent, the scent must be fresh in order to stimulate the snake's feeding response or curiosity. Snakes are not like blood hounds which can track an aging scent trail. Scents which might stimulate a snake fade very quickly. Snakes are known as "opportunistic feeders". This means they crawl about until they encounter a fresh scent or a movement; i.e. the opportunity for potential food has presented.

The Snake Guard Snake Trap does not use scent attractants; but, relies on the snake's natural behavior to crawl against an object such as a wall or other vertical surface. Furthermore, Snake Guard, LLC would not wish to subject homeowners to the fresh smell of insects, fish or rodents. An attractant or lure is unneccessary for the Snake Guard Snake Trap to perform it's intended job of capturing unwanted snakes.

This page might use cookies if your analytics vendor requires them.