[Conni]

Hello All,
do you have experience with snakes in HK? I live in an old house directly at the side of a mountain and I heard, that some neighbours have had snakes in their apartments. I prefer to keep the windows open, but slowly I don't feel comfortable anymore...I am so afraid of snakes. What can I do to keep them away? Thanks a lot for your advices.

[Valencia1]

I've heard sulphur keeps snakes away.

[penguinsix]

My home in the states is near the water, and as a result we get our fair share of snake visitors each year. Most are black snakes, which, after the initial shock, are relatively harmless. I actually purchased a pair of snake handling tongs to remove them from my yard. I have a shotgun (it's the US) should any copperheads (poisonous) come around. I hate them too, but basically they are just wild animals just doing their thing.

There is no 100% "snake proof" formula or material. Sulfur is rumored to work, but I can tell you from experience it does absolute wonders at destroying vegitation and very little at preventing snakes. Snake-a-way is an American chemical designed to keep away some varieties of snakes, but again, not a 100% cure.

Your best bet is to seal all possible entry points to the home. Check under sinks and make sure pipes do not have gaps, no holes in the cabinets, etc. Snakes have a very keen sense of smell and will follow the scent of food, so you may want to invest in a good quality trash can to keep down odors.

Any animal will attack if you hit it, corner it, piss it off, etc. Snakes are no exception, so please be careful.

My recommendation is to review the images of the different types of snankes found in Hong Kong so you can have a basic level of familiarization. I'm not sure how many are poisonous. Should you be confronted with one in your house, and are uncomfortable dealing with it, I'm not sure who you would contact. There are probably some rodent removal services that deal with snakes.

If the whole thing creeps you out, you can always move.

[Valencia1]

In case you have to remove a snake, you can always contact the Agricultural and Fisheries Dept. They'll send an expert to do it for you for free.

[cosmokat]

I've had a few gecko visitors in my place...erugggh!!! They are scary too Anything you can do about those?? Do they sell gecko traps? :-P

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by cosmokat

I've had a few gecko visitors in my place...erugggh!!! They are scary too Anything you can do about those?? Do they sell gecko traps? :-P

They're not scary!

I think they're pretty cute, They're totally harmless and will help rid your place of bugs.

I have a family of three living in my apartment and I leave them pretty much alone, But one died yesterday! RIP

[cosmokat]

OMG Jimbo...lol. They really freaked out, just knowing one was crawling around somewhere in my flat is not a good feeling! Alright, next time I see one, I'm gonna call you to take it up to your home..lol. I'm SERIOUS!!

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by cosmokat

OMG Jimbo...lol. They really freaked out, just knowing one was crawling around somewhere in my flat is not a good feeling! Alright, next time I see one, I'm gonna call you to take it up to your home..lol. I'm SERIOUS!!

o.k o.k!

they seem to love bathrooms by the way as its usually nice and humid in there so thats where they're likely to be.

[jayinhongkong]

heh, snakes don't like vibrations...loud music would keep em away but itll keep you up, too...i often see snakes when traipsing around in the forests here...

[vmlinuz]

Originally Posted by jimbo

They're not scary!

I think they're pretty cute, They're totally harmless and will help rid your place of bugs.

I have a family of three living in my apartment and I leave them pretty much alone, But one died yesterday! RIP

Yeah, geckos are great. They're cute, friendly, curious little things, and completely harmless unless you're an insect. Our company house in Sri Lanka is full of them, which is a good thing for me as I get bitten to shreds by the mozzies out there...