I know that I have snakes, but how can I get them gone?
Answers:
snakes need food, water, and shelter just like any other animals. I would start by being very diligent about keeping small rodents out of your yard to cut off their food sources. set rat traps in places that your daughter can't get to, but that rodents can. having an outdoor cat is a good way to do this too. my parents cat was the Queen of killing chipmunks in their neighborhood.
don't leave any standing water in pots and stuff and don't leave piles of wood or other things overturned in your yard that snakes will want to crawl under and take a nap.
having a fence that the snakes can't climb or get under (mesh is good for this) would be another option too, but that might get a bit pricey.
there aren't repellents and stuff that will keep snakes away, so your options are a bit limited. experts say that moth balls have absolutely no effect on snakes, just so you know. hope this helps!
Other answers:
call st. patrick.
call st. patrick.
Talk with SPCA. They may have some ideas.
Well you can call a pest exterminator but for snakes that can get expensive. I would try some things like moth balls and camphorated chemicals that you can buy at home depot or Lowe's that have camphor in them you put it in bands around your house in months when snakes are active and it repels them quite well.
Get a dog or a cat!
Snakes won't stick around if there's a pet in the yard. Fence the pet in, and the snakes will stay out of the fenced in area!
Get a ferret for a pet.
I've always heard the smell of honeysuckle vines were indicative of copperheads. Copperheads generally are not an 'aggressive' snake, they instinctly freeze on sensing danger. Copperhead bites are more frequent from venomous snakes but have the mildest venom. The copperhead prefers vines, brush, and debris piles to live in. The adult copperhead will reach about 30 inches in length and be about 2 inches in diameter.
Cottonmouths are much more aggressive and also prefer to live near water. Be careful, cottonmouths will defend their ground and attack. The cottonmouth venom is more toxic than the copperhead. The adult cottonmouth can reach about 48 inches in length and are closer to 4 inches in diameter and sometimes larger in length and diameter.
Below are a few links for you, the first is info on the copperhead, the second is a picture of a copperhead, and the third is a picture of a cottonmouth or water moccasin.
The safest action is to avoid all snakes, but the quickest identifier of a venomous snake is to look at the head, a poisonous snake will have a triangular shaped head.
As for getting rid of them....you're in their habitat....I don't know what to tell you except keep brush and vines well trimmed, elminate any debris piles, and keep you lawn cut. Avoid any contact with any snakes. If you are in an area which would allow, I would consider keeping a firearm available, preferably a shotgun...or keep a garden hose handy as this could keep a snake at bay long enough to retreat to safer ground.