The cold-blooded animal's dilemma prompted one home gardener to take action that has warmed the hearts of other Reddit users, and now the original poster is issuing a warning against the landscaping trend.
On the subreddit r/gardening, a poster shared footage of a garter snake being freed from bird netting meant to protect a raised garden bed.
“He was clearly desperate to escape,” they wrote, explaining that they returned home to find the snake in distress. “We need to rethink our bird defenses.”
“I hate snakes but you have a kind heart,” one person commented, before being quickly joined by another who highlighted how the much-hated creatures help control the populations of other animals that can spread disease, such as rats.
“Thank you for saving the snake,” another commenter agreed. “Snakes are really good pest predators.”
Other Reddit users supported the OP's decision to not use bird netting in the future.
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“I once had a snake die after it got caught in a net without me realising it. It was so sad,” said another. “I don't use those nets anymore because I don't think it's worth the risk.”
In a separate post, another heartbroken gardener revealed that a chipmunk living in her back garden had been strangled by a similar net.
While some gardeners may be put off by small animals munching on their lawn, planting native plants in your garden will contribute to biodiversity.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, rewilded native lawns not only save homeowners maintenance costs and time, but they can also serve as a natural buffet for organisms, including the pollinators that support more than a third of the world's food crops.
Native species vary from place to place, and the National Audubon Society's Native Plant Database is a helpful tool to find what's best for your area, but if pests are causing too much damage to your garden, there are plenty of companion plants that can help.
Growing trap crops such as marigolds and nasturtiums is one humane, chemical-free way to prevent unwanted pests from eating other things.
“Keeping the birdbath fresh and full seems to help,” shared another commenter, while another wrote that red pepper flakes keep chipmunks away. Another gardener revealed that she uses cayenne pepper and cinnamon to scare off squirrels.
However, one Reddit user took a different view, explaining that they wouldn't mind losing some of their crops as long as it meant the animals visiting their gardens were safe.
“I used that [netting] “I once planted trees to protect the blackberries, but it scared me so much that so many lizards and birds got strangled to death by the trees,” another wrote. “I had to remove the trees because I wanted the birds to eat the berries.”
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