# Are cats good Snake killers?



## Kitdragon2000 (May 28, 2012)

Ok,

So i like snakes, dont have anything agenst them, but we are planing to move to some property soon, and that is one thing i am worrying about, i was really thinking of adopting some barn cats to take care of any rodents, and (hopefully) snakes. if cats arnt good what are decent Animals for snake killing? I refuse to use any types of poison, i have treated to many rat / snail poisens for my lifetime, i no longer like / care / will ever use man made poison, hence the animal deterant, killer. 

Sorry if i ramble, its late is my only excuse x.x


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## secuono (May 28, 2012)

If you keep the grass low where you don't want them around, it helps.
My two cats have even quit going after mice....But my chickens have stepped up and now catch mice and moles all the time. 
I hear Guinea can kill them.


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## Goatherd (May 28, 2012)

> I hear Guinea can kill them.


You're right.  French Guineas are the best killers of snakes, although all guineas will do their best to destroy them.  They work as a group to do it.


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## HankTheTank (May 28, 2012)

It depends on the cat. My cat is a great hunter and gets quite a few snakes, but the others can barely catch a mouse. If you're adopting one (  good for you!!) then maybe the shelter has one who they know is a good hunter.


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## boykin2010 (May 28, 2012)

My turkeys kill snakes.  I have heard all turkeys are great snake killers though.  Mine are royal palms


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## Kitdragon2000 (May 28, 2012)

yeah there is a program around here that ferals or semi ferals are placed in barns, and land properties so they get taken care of, and are not horrible stressed  
I have heard that guienia's kill snakes, but i have also heard they are stupid? are the french ones the same personality aswell? what all is diffrent between a french guinea and a normal?

Thank you for replying!! Really appreciate it!

@boykin2010 Havent heard about the turkeys!! Thats great, are the royal palms smart?


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## HankTheTank (May 28, 2012)

*This is my personal opinion and please please please no one get mad at me* 
Guineas are not bright. At one of the farms I work at, there are about 100 of them, and if you're driving a mower or the Mule or whatever they will run out in front of it. They THROW themselves at you. On one of the mowers, there are two wheels that sort of stick out in front of it- if one of them gets between those, no matter how far in front it is- they apparently can't get out from between them. Every single vehicle that enters that farm, THEY HAVE TO RUN UNDER. Also, they are really really obnoxiously loud (then again, there are 100 of them) That being said, they do eat ticks and things. I personally don't like them, but that shouldn't stop you from getting them if you want.

ETA: No, they're not really dumb, it's just frustrating when they hurl themselves at you


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## spunkey daisy (May 28, 2012)

My cats will eat snakes as long as they Are not biting snakes:/


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## Goatherd (May 28, 2012)

> I have heard that guienia's kill snakes, but i have also heard they are stupid? are the french ones the same personality aswell? what all is diffrent between a french guinea and a normal?


The difference between the French and standard guinea is namely size.  Also, they only come in the pearl mutation and no other colors.  They lay a larger egg and are known to be better natural brooders and mothers.
Regarding "stupidity" of the guinea, I have a very strong opinion about this as well as any other fowl.  So many labels placed upon fowl are a result of people not being able to understand the dynamics and instincts of said birds.  If you take the time to observe them closely and see the motive behind the activity, you might have a different opinion when it comes to intelligence.  People tend to apply stigmas to birds and animals as they would another human being.  This is ludicrous as fowl and animals do not think or relate to human behavior as it is not inherent in their biological make up.  If animals were as stupid (and I never use this term to describe any animal) they would have made their species nonexistent or extinct should they not be able to think or reason.
One problem with guineas is that many are penned and not free-ranged which enables neurotic and unnatural behaviors.  Seeing them in a natural environment doing what they instinctively know to do would probably change your mind.
If you've never seen a flock of guineas "working" a field you would be impressed given the opportunity.  They line themselves up in a row and go back and forth, similar to a typewriter, looking for insects and other natural foods.  
They defend their flock and alert themselves and other fowl to suspicious behavior.  Humans benefit from this behavior and that is how they have earned the reputation of being  a guardian of their property and environment.
Guineas are excellent mothers but are unable to prove it living in environments foreign to them.  To be more exact, guineas come from the arid country of Africa and they hatch their chicks during the dry season.  This is an important fact to remember as guineas who live in areas where rain and even heavy dew is common, have a very difficult time keeping their hatches alive.  Moisture, water, rain, etc. are the kiss of death for a young guinea chick.  Mother guineas lay their eggs usually in tall grasses or brush piles.  When they start to move their chicks and let's say the grass is loaded with dew in the morning, the chick succumbs to this moisture and usually develops pneumonia and dies.  That is one of the prime reasons guineas have the reputation of being poor moms, when in fact they are not.  Female guineas will lay their eggs in a communal nest and share incubation of the eggs.  They also guard the chicks with groups of adults rather than a single hen.
I could go on and on but hope you can understand that guineas are not dumb, stupid or whatever label you chose to put on them.  If you can relate to them, you will understand their natural behaviors.


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## HankTheTank (May 28, 2012)

Sorry I called them dumb  As I said, it's just frustrating when you're trying to mow and all 100 of them are right there in front of you, not moving for love or money


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## Chirpy (May 28, 2012)

I have a couple of cats that kill snakes (small, garden snakes).  So, I agree it's the personality of the cat.

I loved my Guineas!   Mine did free range every day but were raised with chickens so they would go back into the coop to roost every night with their chicken family.   The only negative thing I have to say about them is THEY ARE REALLY, REALLY LOUD!!!!  My husband just couldn't handle the LOUD talking they did all day long so I had to rehome them.

My mom had Guineas in Iowa and loved how they ate the bugs and ticks and gave them fresh eggs every day.  Hers also free ranged all day and would roost in the trees at night.  Guineas are known to be good snake killers... BUT THEY ARE LOUD!!


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## Kitdragon2000 (May 28, 2012)

I apologize, stupid was not the right word.  i have heard they are not very cautious about motor vehicles, and that really does worry me, i dont want any of my animals getting hit, so if i think they arnt street save i wont bring them in. i really do want to do best by anything i bring into my home. but thank you for the info!   

yes my family doesnt like loud either... so i dont think guenia's will fit in the family.... they have threatend my imajinary rooster who knows what they would do with something else?   how much noise do turkeys make? If they kill snakes that might be my best shot...


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## boykin2010 (May 29, 2012)

My turkey hen does not make any noises except for the occasional cluck like a chicken hen. However, during breeding season ( February - October here) the male will gobble. It is not a nonstop gobble, he just does it when something is surprising, loud. or new to him. I used to let my turkeys free range but they became so friendly they started to come in my garage and sleeping on top of the cars so we had to build them a pen. They do very well in a pen though.  Another good thing about turkeys is they are good mothers, lay lots of eggs and are great lawn ornaments. Everyone loved watching the turkeys run around and scratch. 

Hope you decide you want some turkeys. They are great. 

I sell hatching eggs from them so if you want some, PM me


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## Kitdragon2000 (May 29, 2012)

I was really thinking of turkeys, now more so!! It wont be for atleast a year, but if you still have some ill pm you when im ready!


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## Queen Mum (May 30, 2012)

Ferrets are great snake killers.  They are smart and trainable.  But you would need to keep them out of the chicken pen.  They eat eggs.  You can leash train them.  

On the other hand, snakes kill mice and are relatively shy creatures.  If you manage the grounds and farm the snakes shouldn't be too bad of a problem.  If you have cats to kill the mice and other pests the snakes should stay fairly far away.  They don't like people that much.  

This is coming from someone who just had two of them invade her house.  I am surrounded by them.  Cotton mouths, rattle snakes, coral snakes, etcetera.  AND I live on a turtle farm between 6 turtle ponds and a swamp.  

The snakes aren't the problem.  It's the rabbits, squirrels and flies that bug me...  The snakes can live in harmony on my place.  Of course, now that I have said that, someone will probably find my carcass in the swamp dead from a coral snake bit and surrounded by cotton mouths and water mocassins, being eaten by rats while bunnies hop around eating all the grass and my goats cry out to be milked.


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## redtailgal (May 30, 2012)

lol Queen mum.

Coral snakes are beautiful!  And while they have a highly potent neuro-toxin as a venom, they also have very weak jaws and VERY short fangs.........they would literally have to GNAW on you to deliver a fatal bite that would leave you rotting in the swamp (even at gnawing, chances are they couldnt bite through a pair of jeans).  They are also very shy and would prefer to escape rather than bite.  Leave them alone and they will run from you.

Those cotton mouths on the other hand..........they WILL chase you down and gnaw on you, delivering an intensely painful bite that can cause lots of problems.

Cats will kill snakes, but usually suffer a few bites in the process.  If one will learn to identify the snakes around them, any snake with a black skin is a good snake to have (rat snakes, common black snake, black and grey racer, and esp kingsnakes of all types).  These snakes will kill and eat poisonous snakes.

If you want to put out a snake deterrent, moth balls placed every six inches or so will work pretty good.  Dig a small trench, about an inch deep and "plant" your moth balls in there.  Snakes smell by sticking out their tongue and allowing the proteins that cause the odor to stick to the tongue, then they pull the tongue in and "taste" the smell.  Mothballs have a particularly uncomfortable taste-smell to snakes, and many will not pass thru this odor barrier.

If you do see a poisonous snake, please dont kill it with a hoe........shoot it. Most snakebites happen while the snake is being killed, so find a long distance way to do it.


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## Kitdragon2000 (May 30, 2012)

@queen mum Lol love the part about the bunnys hoping and goats crying  hopefully the snakes wont attack you for saying you can work well around them. 

@redtailgal Thank you about the mothballs!! I havent heard that one before! Honestly my main concern is the rattlers, and they are comming out something fierce this year!! and i would just get it in a garbage can and Move them away, i wont kill it unless there is no other choice. 

Im usually good with working with  nature, im planing on making a lot of enclosures to keep all the  animals safe at night with coyote's around, its just i have a red tail so i know what tiny little holes they can get through so i just worry a bit. Thank you for all the info!!!


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## Equusrider (Jul 27, 2012)

Why would you are needing to kill snakes is my first question? If you are dealing with poisonous snakes and you or what you raise are in danger, I understand. But poisonous snakes would kill the cats just as quickly maybe more quickly than the other way around. If your lively hood depended on what the snakes eat like eggs and chick, I could understand to a point, Id argue for a balance, because snakes are GREAT rodent/pest control animals if you are a farmer. Garter snakes when they are young keep the snail/slug and insect population down; when they are older, mice are fair game.  In California, Gopher, King, and Racer snakes are your best friend if you need to keep the rodent population down. King snakes are one of the few snakes that will take on and eat other snakes as in rattlesnakes. Identify what kind of snakes are you trying to get rid of and why and go from there.


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