Many homes in the Paphos district sit next to fields, carob trees and stone walls, which is exactly where snakes live. Most of them are harmless and keep well away from people, but nobody wants to find one on the terrace, in the garage or near the children's play area. Here is what you need to know about snakes around Paphos and how to keep them at a distance.

Which Snakes Live Around Paphos?

Most snakes in Cyprus are not dangerous to people. The ones you are most likely to see are:

• Black whip snake: the large snake people see most often. Young ones are brown with markings and turn black as they grow. It is not venomous, but it will bite if cornered.
• Cat snake: slender, yellowish grey with darker blotches and vertical pupils. It hunts lizards at night and is often found near houses and walls. Its mild venom is only a danger to small animals.
• Montpellier snake: long and fast, usually seen in open, dry ground. Like the cat snake, its venom is aimed at small prey.
• Blunt-nosed viper: the one venomous snake in Cyprus that is dangerous to people. It is thick bodied, grey to brown with a darker pattern, and often rests in stone walls, rubble and long grass.

You can see photos and descriptions of each one on our snakes page.

Why Snakes Come Close to Homes

Snakes follow food and shelter. Gardens with rodents, lizards, birds or frogs give them food, and piles of wood, stones, building materials and thick plants give them cool places to hide. In spring snakes come out of their winter rest and look for food and mates, and in the hottest months they look for shade and water, which is why many sightings happen near pools, irrigation and water tanks.

Practical Ways to Keep Snakes Away

• Keep grass short and clear long weeds along fences and walls
• Remove piles of stones, wood, rubble and old building materials from near the house
• Control rodents, since mice and rats are one of the main reasons snakes visit
• Seal gaps under doors, around pipes and in garage and storeroom walls
• Trim plants and branches that touch the house or hang over walls
• Fix leaking taps and irrigation that keep areas damp and attract prey

Snake Repellers

Snake repellers create a barrier that snakes prefer not to cross. Placed correctly around the edge of a garden, along walls, near doors and around storerooms, they help discourage snakes from entering the areas you use most. They work best together with the steps above, because a tidy garden with no rodents gives snakes much less reason to come in the first place.

ProPest can advise which areas of your property need protection, supply and install snake repellers and combine them with rodent control for a complete solution.

What to Do If You See a Snake

• Stay calm and keep your distance. Snakes bite mainly when they feel trapped
• Keep children and pets away from the area
• Do not try to catch or kill the snake yourself
• If it is inside a room, close the door and block the gap underneath if you can do so safely
• Watch where it goes and call a professional

If someone is bitten, keep them still and calm and call 112 straight away, especially if there is any chance it was a blunt-nosed viper.

Snake Control in the Paphos District

ProPest Management helps homes, villas, farms and businesses across Paphos, Peyia, Coral Bay, Polis and the surrounding villages. If snakes are a worry at your property, call us on +357 99 711791 or get in touch and we will arrange a visit.