Bamboo and snakes have commonly been associated with each other for a long time. While planting bamboo, most people are worried about the possibility of their bamboo graves drawing attention to dangerous snake species, and for good reason.
Outdoor bamboo plants and gardens attract snakes as the plants provide ideal living conditions for snakes to hide, feed, and absorb sunlight. A bushy bamboo grove beside a sunny yard can draw more snakes as they can easily hide within the bamboo.
Snakes can easily find something to eat such as eggs within a nest or a rodent, and then they can lay out in the sun while digesting the meal. This can further result in human snake conflict.
It is possible to control the occurrence of all snake and bamboo issues, but beforehand we need to know why snakes love to hang around bamboo plants.
How are Snakes Drawn to Bamboo?
Similar to other forests, a bamboo plantation naturally becomes a favorite spot of birds and rodents. Both these are perfect prey for the snakes and they, in turn, attract snakes in the bamboo groves.
After beginning a new patch, the young bamboo leaves out only when it reaches two to three feet height. This becomes a perfect hiding habitat for tiny birds and rodents which can also draw snakes.
These areas must be looked after for mice and bird activity. Do birds nest in young bamboo? If so, it’s best to check nests while removing them if no eggs were there. Sometimes a rodent bamboo activity can require hiring professional pest companies and traps as well.
Why are Bamboo Plants Prone to Snakes?
Leaf Litter – Any trees, such as bamboo, makes leaf litter that draws more snakes. Leaf litter is both considered a home for snake food (e.g. mice). It is also a perfect spot for snakes to hide in the open.
Tree Fruits – Here you shouldn’t get confused as it isn’t the fruit that draws snakes. Fruits draw rodents like mice, rats, chipmunks, and squirrels. Rodents make tasty snake treats.
Bushes – Heavy, thick leaf bushes provide natural hiding snake places for stalking their prey. Bamboo isn’t really classified under this category, as it can grow taller. When you’ve got bushes on the edges of the grove it can turn into a perfect hiding spot for the snakes.
Water Sources – These have a double purpose; habitat for the snake food and drinking water. A few simple preys here for snakes are tadpoles and frogs.
How to Keep Snakes out of Your Bamboo?
You can try the following to avoid human snake conflict:
Remove low bush along with leafy bamboo grove branches
Bushes are perfect hiding places for the snakes, especially when they are next to the location of full sun. Snakes like hiding places and places for lying in the sun for digesting the meals. Remove these will also result in the removal of snakes.
Check for bird nests and remove them
It’s best to move these out of the yard when no eggs are there. When eggs are there you need to wait as it is illegal to meddle with songbird nests.
Keeping the rodents away
For mice troubles, you can set traps and also remove them. When traps aren’t your thing, you can get the help of a good pest control company for helping in their removal. Also, you can seek help from a company to install wiring mesh in crawling spaces so rodents don’t get beneath them.
Drain all the still water near the bamboo grove or from near
When you’ve got water sources nearby the bamboo you can easily draw tadpoles, mosquitoes, larvae, birds, salamanders, or rodents, then it’s best to drain out all these. All such creatures are prey while drawing snakes. Additionally, snakes also require water sources.
Removing junk from the yard
Additionally, if you’ve got a pool with the pool equipment fixed in place, it’s best to consider adding mice and rat traps beside them so it doesn’t turn a house for the rodents that draw snakes.
The same would be true for random yard junk that you’re not using. The quiet place also makes perfect hiding spots for snakes and rodents.
Summary
Does bamboo draw snakes similarly to other trees and bushes? Bamboo by itself doesn’t draw snakes like other habitats.
When the bamboo is bushy and it draws nesting rodents and birds, it will draw more snakes.
Bushy groves of bamboo right beside the sunny yard is a perfect place for snakes as it becomes easy for them to hide and get something to eat such as a mouse or a nest, then digest their meals after laying out in the sun.
All the aforementioned measures discuss controlling these infestations and ultimately snakes won’t show up in your bamboo plantations!
Bamboo Group is a collaboration of individuals who love the world’s most sustainable and eco-friendly natural material. We believe every home can benefit from the natural colors and patterns of bamboo. We’re excited to see bamboo grow in popularity and get the recognition it deserves. Years of experience growing bamboo plants have taught us a lot we want to share with the world.