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Backyard Amphibians

Slithery and Sweet

Snakes provoke anxiety or fear in many humans - roughly 50% of the population. While it is wise to be cautious of snakes, many of them do not deserve the bad reputation. Iowa is home to 28 native species of snakes. Only four of those species are venomous, and their bites are rarely fatal if treated. Bonus, those four species are extremely rare. 

Snakes are vital parts of any ecosystem. This is just as true in Iowa. They are so vital, that it is illegal to capture or kill many of these species in many Iowa counties. So, what do you do if you want or need snakes around, but don't want to see them? You make them their own space that doesn't interfere with yours! Read on to figure out how you can happily share space with snakes, regardless of whether you love or hate them.

What good are snakes?

Snakes are vital to a healthy, thriving ecosystem. And they are great neighbors. Reasons to love snakes in your backyard:

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Pest control. Save your skin, garden, and sanity. Snakes will devour bugs, mice, and even ground squirrels, (plus the fleas and ticks they carry!).

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Species enrichment. Snakes are important to Iowa's food webs. They eat the pests mentioned above. Then, they are eating by other animals you may enjoy having around, like owls, foxes, and hawks. 

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Conservation. Out of Iowa's 28 snake species, five are listed as "Endangered", three as "Threatened", and two as "Of Special Concern" within the state.

What do snakes need?

There are a few things that all snakes need to thrive. You already have some of these things in your yard.

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Sunlight. The sun provides snakes with vital nutrients, a day/night cycle, and heat. 

  • Ultraviolet light provides snakes with vitamin D3, which is necessary for their bodies to use calcium.

  • Snakes are "ectotherms". They use their environment to regulate their body temperatures by moving between warm and cool spots.

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Shelter. Brush piles, bushes, logs, leaf piles, and burrows are all provide cool spots to help regulate temperature and serve as protection from predators.

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Water. All animals need water. Snakes drink water, but they can also hide in water and even absorb small amounts of water through their cloacas.

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Food. All living things also need food. Smaller snakes typically prey on insects and small amphibians. Larger snakes will eat insects along with smaller snakes and mammals (like mice, ground squirrels, and small rabbits).

What can I do?

A few small changes can go a long way. These steps help prevent snake fatalities:

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Avoid chemical sprays. Pesticides and lawn treatments can fatally build up in snake bodies through ground contact, water pollution, and exposed prey.

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Rethink your landscape. You don't have to sacrifice beauty for wildlife: choose both. Utilize permaculture concepts - create beautiful fences with brush piles or logs, add stump gardens, use native species. The options are endless!

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Mow less. Tall grasses provide shelter from predators and the sun. Mower blades that cut these grasses can kill hiding snakes or destroy their burrows. Choose a section of your yard to leave long, or go with some no-mow ornamental or native grasses!

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Plant natives. Iowa's amphibians are adapted to plants that are native to this region. Trees, flowers, and grasses attract yummy insects, provide shelter, and are generally less work.

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Supervise pets. Pet cats and dogs take a surprising toll on wildlife. What a pet sees as a fun, crunchy toy is actually reptile in distress. Keep pets indoors or confine their outdoor excursions to certain areas of the yard. 

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Add water and shelter. This does not need to be an expensive or time-consuming endeavor. Read on to find a few ways to roll out the red carpet for snakes!

Water Features

Snakes seek out close, reliable water sources. Install a fancy pond, or try making a container water feature.

Any container can work, like a 10-gallon mud tub (top right), a paint tray (bottom left), or an old food bucket (bottom right).

Nearby brush piles can be used for shelter and easy entry. Plants, like shrubs, grasses, flowers, and herbs, add shelter and lure insects. 

In the water, rocks, sticks, and stumps serve as exit ramps or basking spots. Vegetation, like duckweed or dead leaves, provide camouflage. 

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(Top) Choose quiet, shady places away from where the main activity happens in your yard. The top container sits behind a shed, under a volunteer mulberry tree. 

(Bottom) A developing prairie will grow to provide shade, shelter, and an ample supply of insects to dine on. This prairie was seeded with a mix of grasses and flowers.

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Stumperies

Fallen trees are natural nurturers in forests. If you have a beloved tree that has died, honor its memory by turning it into habitat for years to come. "Stumperies" add natural beauty to your yard and provide an ideal place for snakes to bask. Simply surround your stump with logs and plants (for climbing and hiding). The snakes will know what to do from there!

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Image from Fine Gardening Magazine

Debris Piles

Many snakes' patterns and colors blend well with a chaotic bramble of sticks, logs, and leaves: in other words, a brush pile. For minimal effort, pile your yard debris in a quiet, unused are of your yard, like behind a shed, under a deck, or in a far corner. 

Organized Brush. Start with a layer of leaves. These retain moisture and act as insulation for winter burrows. Lay larger logs or branches next. Alternate the direction of each layer, like Jenga tiles. This forms a solid base with pathways through the pile. Finally, fill in and top off the pile with a canopy of smaller branches.

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Useful Brush. Your brush pile can function for you, too. Organize brush to construct a privacy fence (left) or landscape edging.

Log Gardens. Pile a few large logs or branches on a bed of leaves. Surround them with flowers, herbs, or grasses, (top right).

Woodpile Art. Woodpiles can be functional and artistic (bottom right), whether or not you plan to use the wood later. They are prime spots for snakes to hide out in or catch mice and bugs.​ 

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Rock It

Rocks, boulders, and stone slabs are common landscape materials that snakes also find useful. A well-designed mix of plants and rocks has flat areas for basking, plentiful shelter nearby, and flowers that attract insects. Stone walls, rock gardens, and herb spirals are rock-based landscape designs that double as snake habitat.

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Extant Relatives

Iowa City, Iowa

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