Snakes aren’t visitors to wait for in your campsite. Even so, there is a big chance of accidental encounters especially when you camp near their natural home. So what else would work other than getting properly prepared? Here we help you to keep snakes away from campsite bringing the best 9 tips.
- Choose a snake-free camping site
- Avoid camping in woodland or bouldery terrains
- Store food as it should be
- Keep a clean campsite and follow self-hygiene
- Make some noise while in camp
- Snake repellents
- Check your tent in every time you are getting in
- Stay close to your campfire
- Try out a trick!
Animal-friendly sentiments are highly appreciated and fine but no one plans on meeting snakes from your campsite. There is no 100% promise to keep snakes away from campsites. But the tips could reduce the chance to ensure you are safe from snake experiences.
What are the 9 ways to keep snakes away from campsite?
Whether you camp for fun or professionally, it is a challenging lesson to keep snakes away from your campsite. Even this guide will not promise 100% protection, the tips can help to avoid snakes in the next camping experience.
Choose a snake-free camping site
Choosing the right camping location is the easiest way to keep snakes away from your campsite. Land areas with open space and short grass are good if you need to avoid snakes as it is difficult for snakes to hide in such environments. Keep in mind that snakes are highly cautious and dislike getting exposed.
Precisely the US –Alaska and Hawaii are the states in the USA that have no resident snakes. And plenty of other parks and recreation areas have snakes that are not venomous. In fact, camping destinations like Olympic National Park and Acadia National Park are having lesser venomous snakes when compared to places like Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Park.
Did you know; a majority of North America’s poisonous serpents reside in dry and hot locations, rather than in cold, wet settings. So taking this a fact you can choose a colder climate if you are thoroughly on snake phobia.
Avoid camping in woodland or boulder terrains
By picking the right campsite you can obviously lessen the chance of snake encounters as there is no chance of a total stop. Make sure you avoid ideal snake habitats that are as,
- Areas near rock piles or boulders
- Areas having deadfall and full brush
- Areas that head-to-head with water sources
Snakes and serpents choose to hang out in boulder or woody land as they need to hide themselves to not to get exposed. So it is good to go with an open campsite small enough rather than a tent in a forested locality. If you start planning your camping from a snake-avoidance perspective, it is really important to check the campsites, facilities, weather, and everything.
Store food as it should be
It is not a secret that snakes are not fans of human food. So there is no trouble with what food you pack in when camping as snakes do not get attracted to them. But unfortunately, rodents, mice, and other critters do and snakes do love to prey on them. So snakes will sneak in and around your campsite making trouble.
In regard to that, storing your camping food is really an important thing to keep unwelcome visitors away. Make a priority to keep your food out of reach of rodents and others as it indirectly takes snakes into your campsite. Using hard-sided coolers and choosing rodent-proof containers is also a fine option.
For added convenience, follow up with the following rules,
- Do not leave trash bags outside the tent even if they are properly wrapped
- Store your food in hard-sided containers
- Dispose properly
- Think twice and check about putting crumbs near your tent
- Clean gears thoroughly after you have used
- Put all the waste food/crumbs in air-tight containers and better you keep in high areas like in a tree branch to ensure they are out of reach of rodents and others
Keep a clean campsite and follow self-hygiene
Just like storing camping food properly, keeping a clean campsite is an indirect method to keep snakes away from campsite. In fact, a messy campsite will be a good hide spot for snakes and also other critters. This is really important if you are camping in snake terrains.
A messy campsite will not invite snakes. But if you got a lot of stuff inside your small camp tent, that will create a perfect hiding spot for these snakes and other creatures.
To make this not a big issue and take a tip to keep snakes away from your campsite, keep things organized well and tidy. Make sure you do not over-pack. And keep camping chairs, tables away when not in use, and every night pack things in your backpack so as not to leave any place for snakes to hide in.
On the other hand, personal hygiene is important to preserve even when you are away from home. Dirt and human smell could attract creatures to your area just like they attract food waste. There, a chance appears for snakes to creep in. Therefore, maintain self-cleanness by taking the best camping showers and other stuff needed to stay clean while camping.
Thinking about getting fresh; read about how to wash hair while camping
Make some noise while you are in camp
Fans of snakes are very few and the majority of us are afraid of them. So as us snakes are too afraid of humans and they only attack to survive. Many snakebites happen when a snake is startled by a human. There, making some noise is a good way to alert them and keep them away from your trail. Once they know humans are around, they hide as they are normally feared of getting exposed.
In regard to this, making noise while camping is helpful to ensure your safety. But excessive noise is not an idea that works. There, have a casual conversation when walking down a trail, sing and play a guitar, play a game around the campfire, and even can take your Bluetooth speaker to have some decent sound around especially if you are a solo camper.
Snake Repellents
There are different snake repellents in the market today and you would definitely come across them when spending time online. They are made to keep snakes away from campsite with conviction. But do not get caught; they aren’t that super!
Snake repellents play a big part in the market but they do not work that effectively. And they are not scientifically proven for their job of keeping snakes away. These repellents are effective in keeping pets away but do not seem to be an effective solution to keep snakes away. The odor is what makes it work here as it sometimes helps to ward snakes off.
On the other hand, Snake repellents are harmful to humans and pets if you have any in your campsite. Therefore, using snake repellent needs a lot of caution as it is dangerous to the environment. My experience says the avoidance is better as other tricks could work really better to keep snakes away from the campsite.
Like to try a DIY Snake Repellent; just use ammonia. Snakes tend to hate the smell of ammonia and you can use this as a trick if you are interested in trying this option. Soak some rags in ammonia and keep them in uncapped plastic bags in places you expect to see the snakes. As to some, this works fairly well and sounds even better than spending on snake repellents in the market.
Check your tent in every time you are getting in
No matter what tricks you do to keep snakes away from campsite, you are highly recommended to check your tent every time you get in. snakes are smart and they can find your tent a warm, comfortable hide spot in the wilds. Therefore, keep things properly organized in your tent and do not mess with them. If your tent is over-packed or messed, it can advantage snakes and critters getting in.
The consideration on this needs to vary accordingly where you wish to camp in. if your camping is in a snake country this time, you should thoroughly check your gear like sleeping bags, hiking shoes, boots, and anything inside. But be careful when checking as they are quicker than us to possibly attack for survival.
Stay close to your campfire
Campfire is one of the main ways to complete your camping journey. And it is a working way you can keep snakes away from campsite together with other critters and rodents.
As you already know animals and all kinds of pests are scared of fire and they keep the right distance for their safety. So this works for your safety as well when camping. Make sure you are taking the best fire starters and necessities to have a great campfire near your tent.
You can spend more time around a campfire especially at night when you are not too alert about what happens around you. And this is helpful to have a good sleep without fear of snake or animal attacks. However, be cautious when arranging your campfire as you need no any other accidents while camping.
Try out a trick!
Did you know; snakes hate humans just as much as we do. So by alerting them that humans are there, you can simply keep them away. While noise is one way to let you know about the humans around you, hair can also play a magical trick.
Save your hair when combing and from your hairbrush and simply sprinkle around the campsite. When snakes smell your hair and get to know humans live there, they will remain out of reach. This is a good way you can try adding to the above mains. And this takes nothing complex or extra effort.
What should I do if I see a Snake near me?
Snakes are not chasing after humans and they attack only when they find a life danger. But there is a chance you see a snake near your campsite or even when hiking. If so, what should be the first thing to do?
- If you see a snake in nearness, just freeze and watch its reaction. If the snake is cornered, you should slowly back up. The slow movements you take are less threatening to them and good for your safety
- Never irritate a snake as you notice it. If you stabbing it with a stick or pushing it with your foot will make it move. They are going to attack if they feel disturbed. And as snakes are quick it can attack you even from a distance
- In case if you step on a snake on the way to your trail, move away as fast as possible
- There are snake fans who really love seeing them even though they are not welcomed in your campsite. But be careful not to go too close if you see snakes on your path. There are some species that could strike quicker than you expect
- If you notice a snake fairly distant from where you are, it is safe to stamp your feet. This will let it know humans are around and let it leave. But never stamp feet if you are too closed as it could seem as a threat and it will likely attack
- Even after death, snakes are venomous. So even if you see a dead snake on your way, keep the right distance for your safety
- Baby snakes are equally dangerous and can be more threatening as they are harder to notice. So be on the alert especially if you are camping in snake domains
What should I do if I get a snake bite?
With the right medical assistance, snake bites are rarely fatal by today. But they are life-threatening and you should follow the right steps to keep the effect minimal until you get the right medical treatment.
- Contact 911 for emergency medical help
- Stay still and keep the affected area below the heart. This is to reduce the speed of the spread of poison
- Wear an immobilization bandage, tightly wrapping the complete limb. This needs to do immediately
- Never suck out poison
- Do not clean the wound as it should be as it is to identify the poison by the hospital to treat right
Most of the USA states are home to many species of snakes. Generally, more is found in the south than in the north. Although not all of them are venomous, no one wants unwelcome visitors to your campsite. Hope you get the right idea to keep snakes away from campsite to ensure safety throughout your outdoor adventures.