A range of devices is being sold in the market as a repellent against wildlife infestation. Perhaps one of the most recent deterrents would be ultrasonic devices. According to the manufacturer, it releases a sound that only wild animals can hear. It allegedly causes distress to the animal and will prompt them to leave our premises. The ultrasonic device for snakes releases not only a high pitch sound but also vibrations that will alert them. However, there are some reasons why it will not work against the slithering creature.
Why Ultrasonic Devices that Emit High Pitch Sound Will Be Ineffective Against Snakes?
Ultrasonic repellents are devices that emit sound higher than 20kHz. Snakes can only sense the frequencies that are no more than 1kHz. No other species of a serpent will have a higher hearing capacity than this. Last 2001, the FTC (Federal Trade Council) already announced that there is no evidence that ultrasonic sound will keep away insects or other wildlife animals, like snakes. The authority has already sent a warning to the manufacturers to provide scientific proof of their claims.
Why Ultrasonic Devices That Release Vibration Will Not Work Against Snakes?
The concept of the ultrasonic devices is to create stimuli that will deter the animal from visiting our area. However, the ability of the animal to adapt to the stimulus is pretty quick. It will only take a couple of days for them to get used to this disturbance. Additionally, the vibration of the device may also not work on some occasions. For instance, loose and irrigated soils will not carry such sound. Vibrations will only spread on the dry and packed ground. Note that the snakes like to remain in damp and dark places, so installing an ultrasonic gadget on that place will be trivial. Even on the off chance that the snake will move away from this area where you will install the device, you still cannot control where this creature is heading.
What Are Some Issues that Come with Ultrasonic Devices?
Since these repellents will have to be introduced outdoors, they will mostly rely on solar energy. If you plan to use this during the daytime when there are elevated human activities, the chance of encountering a snake is relatively low. It has already been reported that the majority of the snake bites (especially in agricultural areas) happen at night. Moreover, for the alleged function of the device to be effective, you will need multiple gadgets all over your house that need to remain operational 24/7.
What the community needs these days is to raise the public’s awareness of snakes and snake bites to lower the occurrence of accidents related to this creature. Ideas and new technologies are great, mostly if it has been based on scientific grounds and application. We will never be against innovation, particularly in the wildlife removal industry, as long as it delivers successful, efficient, and convenient results to the people who need them.
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