Outdoor Pest Control - what is the best snake repellent

Yesterday there was a 4-5 foot black snake at my back door:eek: I can not stand them at all. I was walking into the house with my two year old daughter and just about stepped on it. I know that it was only a black snake but, to me a snake is the worst thing in the world. Can anyone tell me what the best repellent is please and thank you?

The old stand by is sulphur.This would be in the form of a garden soil additive.Pour a band of it around an area you don't want them to pass through.Note it will need to be reapplied regularly including after rains.

There are specific products on the market.Many have sulphur as an ingredient but are mixtures of other things and are designed to repel more than just snakes.One well known product is SnakeAway.

I'm glad you understand the relative value of black snakes.If you must repel them try to just shoo them from the exact area you need them not to be in as they are valuable to the environment and pest control.

I agree with spdavid. Thankfully you didn't make an attempt at killing him/her. While the snake may be offensive to you, its benefits are enormous. You probably don't have any rats or mice under your house or porch. Just use a broom to shoo them away or use the sulfur to keep them away, and good luck with them.

Thank you guys for your help. I understand that it is just a black snake and it is good at what it does and is not harmful to humans. I just have a phobia of snakes and can't even get close to them to shoo them away. I would rather just not see them at all. Thank you again for your help.