Last Updated on December, 2024
Did you know that there are 145 venomous snake species in Australia? Here’s more bad news: of the 25 most dangerous snakes, 21 live right here!
The best way to keep these slithery critters out is by creating a snake fence. If you have small children or pets such as dogs or rabbits, snake fencing should be a number one priority.
Don’t know how? This article has you covered! We’ll show you how to build a snake fence, the materials you’ll need, and additional measures you can take to stop snakes from invading your property. Let’s dive in!
Quick Summary
- To prevent snakes from entering your property, build a snake-proof fence with materials like aluminum or PVC-coated galvanized steel mesh, as chemical repellents are often ineffective.
- Install the fence to a height of 700 mm and bury 300 mm underground to prevent snakes from climbing over or burrowing under. Angle the fence 25° outward, secure it with anchors, and ensure gates are fully sealed.
- To further deter snakes, keep your property rodent-free, clear nearby shrubbery, and ensure small weave openings (6.35 mm or less) to prevent snake entry or entrapment.
How to Install Snake Fencing?
Large, grassy yards are a favoured environment for snakes, as they can easily hide in the shrubbery. The presence of pets and animals also increases the risk of a rattlesnake or other venomous species entering your garden.
Many experts agree that snake-repellent products are rarely effective and will only give you a false sense of security. Your best course of action is to create a physical barrier.
You can snake-proof your property by adding wire mesh to your existing fence.
Snakes can get trapped inside chicken or bird netting, causing them to lash out and increase the risk of a bite.
As such, aluminium or steel mesh is generally considered the best at keeping snakes, rats and other vermin out of your garden.
For the latter, we recommend using PVC-coated galvanised steel for added strength and flexibility.
Proper height and depth are essential to building a functional wire mesh snake fence. The standard width for mesh rolls is 1,000 mm.
Attach the mesh to timber posts using standard staples. Use cable ties if you have steel posts. Remember to install wire mesh outside of the posts. Otherwise, snakes could climb them and gain entry to your garden or backyard.
Another important step is to angle the snake fence 25° outward. This will make it harder for a snake to climb your fence. Use anchors inside the fence line to secure it to the ground.
Ideally, fences should rise 700 mm from the ground with 300 mm buried in a trench below it.
Once you’ve dug the trench, lay the remaining wire mesh and ensure that the fencing touches the bottom of the trench.
This will prevent snakes from entering your yard from underground. You can also secure the remaining snake mesh to anchors and lay it flat on the ground.
For fences with external corners, the excess mesh folds need to be cut to maintain aesthetic appeal. For internal corners, carefully fold the mesh so that it doesn’t stand out.
Next, it’s time to add fencing to the gate. A major reason for ineffective snake fences is unsecured gates; snakes and other animals can crawl under them or through side gaps.
Use a wooden or concrete beam to seal the ground-level opening, then cover the sides with snake mesh.
Useful guides:
Materials You’ll Need to Build a Snake Proof Fence
Here’s what you’ll need to build a snake fence.
- Aluminium or hot dip galvanised snake fence mesh (1,000 mm)
- Standard staples or wire ties
- Metal pegs
- Cutting disc
Additional Tips to Consider When Building a Snake Mesh Fence
You may have to take additional snake-proofing measures to secure your fence properly. Let’s have a look.
Keep your property rodent-free: If you encounter a rattlesnake or brown snake in your garden, it may be because of a rodent infestation.
In addition to a snake barrier, consider installing wire mesh to keep rodents out of your shed or garbage cans.
Food smells can attract rats and other rodents, so make sure to store pet food in a safe place. You can also take other pest control measures, such as setting up traps or using pesticides.
Ensure that the weave openings are small enough: When selecting snake mesh, ensure that the opening size is 6.35 mm or less. A larger opening size could allow snakes to bypass your fencing or gate.
Moreover, large species like the western diamondback rattlesnake could get trapped in the fencing, causing them to die. This could lead to penalties, as it is illegal to kill snakes in Australia unless they pose a direct risk.
Remove shrubbery near gates and fencing: Clear any shrubbery near your snake fence. This includes long grass and overhanging branches. You should also remove large rocks or debris, such as brick piles or pieces of scrap metal.
Not only can snakes use them as hiding spots, but they could also use them to bypass your fencing.
Conclusion
If there’s one animal you want to keep away from your property, it’s snakes–and snake fences are a highly effective solution.
By adding wire mesh to your existing fencing, you can protect your garden and keep venomous snakes on the other side of your fence line.
Use our guidelines and get started!
