# Snakes in Day Care centre grounds



## Lesterz (Dec 18, 2015)

A Day Care centre my partner is involved with has recently had two sightings of red bellied black snakes among the children within the grounds. A number of parents & staff have suggested fencing the grounds with a snake proof mesh of some sort. Some of our queries are as follows.

How high a fence & how small a mesh would be required to keep out snakes? Indeed, is it possible to prevent snakes actually entering the grounds even with mesh attached to the fence? Currently there is a swimming pool type fence around the outside to prevent kids getting out. Any mesh would need to be substantial enough so that kids cannot kick, climb or bend it over time.

Can poisonous snakes climb fences, tree etc? There are trees & shrubbery around the outside of the current fence. Would these need to be cut back to a certain distance?

How dangerous are young snakes & is it possible to keep them out without actually building a solid wall all around? I mean that they are obviously thinner & would get through even a quite small gap, especially near gates.

Are electrical deterrents any good at keeping snakes away?

Any & all comments & suggestions most welcome thanks.


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## cement (Dec 18, 2015)

Hi Mate, I get snakes out of schools and day care centres here on the Central Coast.
Yes you can get a snake mesh, its a 6mm by 6mm wire mesh, but the problem is that the snakes are there because their food source is there. Rodents do quite well at schools and day care centres because of the bins and the dropped food etc. The snakes are following the scent tracks of the rodents, so basically the question is can you fence well enough to keep the rats and mice out?? I have absolutely no faith in the repellants that you buy from the supermarkets Bunnings etc, I get black snakes from yards where they have these all the time. 
If you can keep the snakes food source away, you won't get snakes. Easier said then done.
All teachers/carers on site need to be aware that snakes have been seen and be fluent in snake bite first aid. I don't know wether the kids are old enough or not to be told or taught that the protocol if they see a snake, is to go directly to a teacher and tell them. 
Find a local snake relocator and keep their number handy, and if someone sees a snake, please have somebody watching it at ALL times until it has either gone by itself or someone gets there to remove it.
Keep the grounds as clutter free as possible, don't let mulch build up around fences, under ramps, etc, and also keep the bins clean and the yards clean of food stuff.

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Also, your question about small snakes.... they have the same venom toxicity as large snakes of the same species but a smaller quantity, but not knowing where you are located or what species you have around other then red bellies, some species don't need much quantity to ruin a persons day.


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