You're Making A Cozy Hiding Spot For A Snake By Skipping This Daily Chore

Children love to play in the yard, but they don't often love cleaning up after themselves. While toys left outside may seem harmless, they can become the perfect hiding places for snakes. If you don't want unpleasant surprises the next time kids go out to play, make sure to clean up any toys and keep them safely stored away.

You may have seen the scary photos posted online of ball pythons under a toddler's rolling scooter or even a rattlesnake enjoying the shade under a wagon. It seems that everywhere you look, you might see a reptile lurking. That's why, if you want to keep your yard or garden a snake-free zone, it's a good idea to keep your yard clear of anything that could be used as shade.

Larger push toys, like play lawnmowers or cars, and any debris that creates shade are definitely common backyard features that can attract snakes to your yard. Since these reptiles are cold-blooded, they can't control their body temperature by themselves. On hot days, they can only really survive for about 20 minutes in the open sun, so they need the cooler shade, stat. That's where a kid's toy can come in handy for a cool, little shade break.

The last thing you want is for a child to get bitten by a snake when they run out to play with their toys in the yard. So keep toys tucked away, either in a garden shed or garage, when they're not in use. If you're worried about clutter, you can always try installing hooks on the walls of your shed or garage where you can hang toys. Up and off the ground is best. Keeping toys stored in sheltered areas will help them last longer, too, since they won't be as exposed to the elements.

It's also a good idea to keep any other clutter in the yard cleaned up, like trash or stacks of old wood. These offer the same shade incentive to an unwanted visitor. It's a good idea to refresh yourself on the plants that could be luring garden snakes into your yard as well, just to make sure you're not rolling out the welcome mat for reptiles.

Picking up toys is one preventative measure, but you can also do other things to make your yard less appealing to snakes. One way to do this is to make it less appealing to some of their favorite prey: Mice. Since leftover dog and cat food can attract mice, feed your pets indoors. Similarly, messy bird seed can bring in mice, too, so be sure to clean up around bird feeders or move them away from where your kids play.