TYLER, Texas — Many around the area are starting to see that the warm, wet weather over the last couple weeks has brought the snakes in East Texas.
"We’re noticing snakes more this time of year because it’s typically warmer in the daytime and a little cooler at night," Boyd Sanders, Tyler State Park resource interpreter, said.
During springtime, weather and climate conditions have become more ideal and the snakes of East Texas love it. According to Sanders, there are about 30 different species of snakes living in the Tyler State Park alone.
Dallas Goodwin, a reptile keeper at the Caldwell Zoo, said the most common to come across is the rat snake, but there are venomous snakes to look out for as well, namely copperheads, cottonmouths, coral snakes, and two different types of rattlesnakes.
Experts say if someone comes across a snake in the wild, the snake is probably more frightened than the person is.
"I know it might not feel that way, but you’re huge and they’re really small. So if they see you and they just kind of dart off just give them some space. If they don’t move, a lot of times camouflage is their thing. So they’re just going to stay still. If they feel like you don’t see them, then they’re just not going to move," Goodwin said.
In East Texas, snakes can be found in the tall grass, in the water or in the trees. And unfortunately, getting them to go away and stay away can be pretty difficult.
"I really don’t know of any snake repellent that actually works. They’re gonna come through your yard hunting for whatever they like. Really there’s not a whole lot that’s going to keep snakes away, other than keeping their food source away," Sanders said.
Sanders specifically named pet owners that feed their animals outside – that pet food can attract rodents, which in turn attracts snakes. Perhaps most importantly though, he said when it comes to getting rid of snakes: don’t be a hero.
"Best thing to do is keep a safe distance from it. Number one way people are actually bitten by a snake are when they’re trying to kill it," Sanders said.