Garden tarpaulins can attract snakes near your home

When putting out garden furniture in spring, firing up the barbecue and mowing the lawn for the first time, it is easy to overlook an inconspicuous item: a flat piece of plastic or metal left carelessly on the ground. Yet this seemingly minor detail can be highly attractive to snakes, drawing them close to the house, play area and patio.

How a simple garden tarpaulin becomes a snake lounge

Snakes are ectothermic animals. Rather than controlling their own body temperature, they rely on their surroundings. In spring, as they become more active after winter dormancy, they look for warm and sheltered places. A dark garden tarpaulin spread flat across the ground provides exactly that.

The reason is straightforward: dark plastic absorbs solar warmth effectively, while the soil beneath it retains heat and moisture. A small, sheltered microclimate develops between the ground and the cover – mild, damp and considerably more pleasant than the still-cool spring conditions around it.

“A seemingly inconspicuous tarpaulin can create a perfect warm spot – ideal for snakes emerging from winter dormancy.”

From above, it may look entirely harmless: a black or green plastic rectangle lying on the grass. Underneath, a harmless grass snake or smooth snake may be warming itself, sometimes only a few metres from a wall, patio or sandpit.

These common garden items are especially attractive to reptiles

Garden tarpaulins are not the only concern. Materials left lying around for months can create a range of hiding places that reptiles favour. A spring garden clear-out often reveals just how much has accumulated.

Typical reptile magnets in the garden

• Garden tarpaulins or covering sheets laid flat on the ground
• Old corrugated metal sheets or metal panels placed directly on the soil
• Fibre-cement boards or leftover materials from roofing and cladding work
• Wood piles stored directly on grass without a base underneath
• Compost heaps covered temporarily

All of these items have something in common: they lie flat, are relatively undisturbed and warm up in the sun. Gaps and cavities form beneath them, making ideal daytime refuges for snakes, lizards and other small animals.

Anyone with children, pets or people frequently walking barefoot in the garden should treat the immediate area around the home as a major spring clean and systematically remove these “ideal homes”.

Make the area around your house less appealing to snakes

The good news is that a few straightforward actions can significantly reduce the chance of encountering a snake directly outside the patio door. There is no need to make the garden sterile; it simply needs sensible zoning.

Practical measures around the house

• Put away unused tarpaulins: Do not leave them lying flat. Let them dry, roll them up and store them in a shed or garage.
• Raise wood off the ground: Keep logs and boards at least 20 centimetres above ground level on pallets or racks.
• Dispose of metal panels and offcuts: Do not store old sheets and boards close to patios, walls or paths.
• Keep grass short: Mow regularly around the house, play spaces and pond, as this removes cover for snakes.
• Limit clutter: Clear away makeshift covers, forgotten building materials and temporary storage areas promptly.

“The fewer flat, warm hiding places there are directly beside the house, the less attractive the area becomes to snakes.”

Many garden owners report that consistently raising wood piles and removing old tarpaulins around the patio noticeably reduces snake sightings.

Using and storing garden tarpaulins safely

Anyone who regularly uses covers for a pool, barbecue, garden furniture or firewood should establish a set routine. Tarpaulins that repeatedly end up flat on the ground can otherwise quickly become a persistent problem.

How to store garden tarpaulins safely from snakes

1. Brush or shake off loose dirt from the tarpaulin.
2. Hang it up or leave it spread out to dry, preventing mould from developing.
3. Fold it neatly or roll it tightly.
4. Secure it with a strap or rope so that it cannot come apart.
5. Store it in an enclosed space, such as a garage, garden shed or cellar.

It is also advisable to clear away other flat materials at the same time, including large boards, unused panels and temporary roofing offcuts. Anything that lies on the ground and heats up in the sun should be moved away from sensitive areas.

What to do if you find a snake

Discovering a snake under a tarpaulin catches almost everyone by surprise. Panicking is the biggest mistake at this point. Most species in Central Europe are harmless, and bites are rare; they mainly occur when the animals are cornered or hit.

Respond safely – without risk to people or animals

• Stay calm: Keep your distance and move children and pets away.
• Stand to one side: If the tarpaulin needs lifting, position yourself beside it rather than directly in front of it.
• Use a long handle: Carefully lift the cover with a rake handle or broom, never with your hand.
• Leave an escape route: Do not trap the animal; leave a clear direction for it to retreat.
• Do not strike it: Snakes are strictly protected, and killing one can result in substantial fines.

“The typical bite happens when someone reaches beneath an old tarpaulin without protection or lashes out at the snake in alarm.”

If you are unsure which species is in the garden, contact the local council, wildlife organisations or regional reptile specialists. Many now offer advice or even a collection service if an animal is in an unsuitable place, such as a cellar lightwell or directly by the entrance to the house.

Why a wild corner of the garden still makes sense

Despite these precautions, a garden should not be completely cleared and tidy. A structurally varied area with deadwood, stone piles and denser vegetation provides habitat for insects, birds, hedgehogs and, yes, reptiles too. The key factor is where it is located.

Rather than removing every natural refuge, it makes sense to deliberately move them towards the edge of the plot. A “wild corner” at the far end of the garden keeps animals away from the patio and play area without excluding them altogether.

• A natural area at the rear of the garden or along the property boundary
• A neat, closely mown zone around the house, paths and seating areas
• Clearly separated storage spaces for wood and building materials, ideally raised off the ground

This creates a compromise: people feel safer in the area immediately around their home, while wildlife still has places to shelter – simply where it will not disturb anyone.

Further risks and sensible garden precautions

Tarpaulins lying flat are not relevant only to snakes. Mice, toads, insects and spiders also use them as shelter. Keeping the ground tidy reduces several risks at once for people who are sensitive to such animals or have young children at home.

Sturdy shelving or homemade racks in the shed are practical for storing tarpaulins, boards and work materials. This keeps the floor clear, reduces trapped moisture and makes concealed animal shelters far less likely to form. It also makes the area easier to inspect and keep clean.

Anyone who often walks barefoot or lets children play in the garden should adopt a few basic rules: do not reach blindly into the edges of long grass, never lift old tarpaulins with bare hands, and tap wood piles once with a broom before moving them. It takes only seconds, but can prevent unpleasant surprises.