Hi! I am not sure if my question belongs in this category, but I just came back from the barn and found out a gopher snake lives about a foot away from my horse’s stall. The snake is about 3ft. long. I had been told people had seen one in my facility’s cross country area, but I generally avoid that area anyway, so I was not concerned until I took my horse out to walk for 15 minutes (she’s on limited walking/stall rest). When I was sponging her off the snake slithered out from the indoor area of the stall to the outdoor run. I’m not a snake person but I have heard they are not venemous. The barn wants to let the snake be and told my to direct it out of my horses stall with a shovel if it happens again. Regardless, I wanted to get some other people’s opinions on what to do. I really hate the idea of a large snake living so close to my horse so if anybody knows how to help keep it out please share!!
A gopher snake is no threat to you or your horse. If you live in rattlesnake country, it is a huge asset, in that it eats rattlesnakes. It will also keep rats and mice under control by eating them. Let it be.
Leave it alone as the BO has requested. Gopher snakes are NOT venomous. They keep rodents under control. They generally are pretty happy to avoid people. They will NOT bite your horse and it sounds as if your horse could have cared less about the snake:)
PLUS as long as there are “friendly” snakes hunting out the rodents, there won’t be any viper snakes around because viper snakes can’t move as fast; with nothing to hunt, they won’t come around:)
friendly snakes have have round eyes and rounder snouts, while poisonous snakes have slanted eyes and more pointed snouts.
Good to know! Thanks for the info! Don’t think my horse noticed the snake but wanted to make sure it wasn’t a threat!! Will let the snake be
I haven’t seen a gopher snake here in Florida for more than 20 yrs or so. I read they’re on the Endangered List, probably
due to loss of habitat. We always were glad to have them around as they took care of many unwanted pests. And
they’re not aggressive at all, quite mild mannered in fact. So yes, let him enjoy your barn.
Barn is correct, the snake is completely harmless & is also a valuable helper, by happily taking care of rodents who steal food, chew up your stuff, and create nuisance burrows. It wants to avoid you as much as you do, so a nudge with a tool handle will encourage it to move along.
You don’t have to love the snake, just let it coexist, your horse won’t mind. You can even shriek - snakes don’t have ears.
(I am a wildlife biologist, so I promise this is all true)
ETA I didn’t see what state you are in, they may also be protected species (there are multiple types of gopher snake), in which case it would also be illegal to harm or harass.
Those must be the equivalent of our rat snakes! The only way it’s going to bite you is if you try to pick it up and mess with it.
I know they are harmless. I still scream when I find one in the chicken coop. Or nearly step on one thinking “Who left the water hose lying out… OMG THAT IS NOT A WATER HOSE!!!”
The usual rules apply if you know there are snakes around. Watch where you step. Don’t stick your hands in places you can’t see, and if you pick up something lying flat on the ground, reach for the FAR edge and pick it up so that it is between you and anything that may have been under it.
Thank you all for the info! I really appreciate it 
:lol::lol:
We had soo many gopher snakes living in the barn in CA! I still almost pee myself anytime I see a snake!
Frogs/spiders/rodents don’t scare me at all…
I have yet to see a snake since moving north but I know there’s lots of rattle snakes around here and not much else…
Gopher/rat snakes are completely harmless. Still grosses me out 😂
