Reply
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,981
Registered: ‎03-05-2011

Re: Advice for keeping snakes out of house


@colliegirls wrote:

@BalletBabe wrote:

@bosmamaa wrote:

For the last several years I have had probably a total of 5 snakes in my basement and 1 in my kitchen. I need advice please!!  I am already stressing for spring, as I am absolutely terrified of them!!!! I live in a area where they are very prevalent. I know they are harmless (gardener snakes) but I can't handle them, especially in house! My question is have any of you had this problem and what did you do? I know it doesn't take much for them to get in. What sort of thing do I look for? TIA!


They hate Mothballs.   


Who doesn't???  I would not want that smell in my house no matter what was coming inside!


You don't need to put them in your house.  Spread around the exterior of the house.  They keep a lot of things away.  You must find the entrance if they are getting in your house. 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,835
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Advice for keeping snakes out of house

I love the Ballet picture profile.................gorgeous..........I would put down glue boards that will hold a snake.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,627
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Advice for keeping snakes out of house

We have a lot of garter snakes around the house.  One evening I found a small one in my basement.  As I was trying to decide how I was going to pick him up and put him back outside, he exited on his own.  Right through my locked sliding doors.

 

The doors always looked like they were closed tight.  But, there was a small gap behind the trim.  He just flattened himself up and slithered right through the closed door.

 

We now have new doors, lol!  It doesn't take much of an opening for them to get into the house.

"I've been here since October 2006. Wow!"
Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,109
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Advice for keeping snakes out of house


@onlyshopsonline wrote:

We have a lot of garter snakes around the house.  One evening I found a small one in my basement.  As I was trying to decide how I was going to pick him up and put him back outside, he exited on his own.  Right through my locked sliding doors.

 

The doors always looked like they were closed tight.  But, there was a small gap behind the trim.  He just flattened himself up and slithered right through the closed door.

 

We now have new doors, lol!  It doesn't take much of an opening for them to get into the house.


Snakes can get through very small openings, like those made for cable TV or an exterior faucet is all it takes. Sometimes the openings are things you can't even see like a small gap between overlapping boards. Short of completely dismantling the whole house, or catching a snake in the process of coming or going, it's nearly impossible to completely lock them out. 

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,153
Registered: ‎05-22-2012

Re: Advice for keeping snakes out of house

If this is happening every year, I would hire an exterminator to look for and seal entry points.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,631
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Advice for keeping snakes out of house


@pattypeep wrote:

@bosmamaa  Do you have a pet? Cats or dogs will at least catch them if you can deal with the aftermath. I actually am fascinated with snakes and my dad used to love to tell anyone who would listen that I often had a gardener snake in my pocket.

 


@bosmamaa@pattypeep

 

Yep, my aunt used to have a problem with snakes in her garden....whenever she went outside to tend to her flowers, her siamese cat went with her to "stand guard".......the cat took care of any snakes.....

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,631
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Advice for keeping snakes out of house


@Desertdi wrote:

A .357 works.........but there can be an awful lot of collateral damage


@Desertdi

 

A friend lives in the Texas Hill country.....a chicken snake killed 2 baby squirrels she had been feeding.....they were about to go for her pet chickens, she got her gun and blew the head off that snake!!!

 

I have a field and woods and greenbelt behind me, so sometimes critters wander over---deer, racoons, opposums, skunks, .....once I saw a rat snake he crawled underneath a sidewalk.....I guess he was after field mice, but he has to compete with a couple of community feral cats.....I think one of the cats must have gotten the snake, never saw it again.... 

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,631
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Advice for keeping snakes out of house


@Puzzle Piece wrote:

Hi@Desertdi

 

I know you live in Arizona and snakes come with that territory.  Luckily you haven't had rattlesnakes aor the Mojave green rattler.  They are lethal. 

Get the experts to exterminate or move your harmless snakes and have them check out where they get into your home. 

 

You would never want to have a dangerous snake or any snake lay a clutch of eggs in between your walls.  That's the trouble with snakes - you may find one but if it laid eggs, they multiply.  Take care.


@Puzzle Piece  @bosmamaa and ALL---

 

Did anyone ever see the show INFESTED on Animal Planet---it dealt with all kinds of critters---roaches (that had traveled from an infested abandoned home to a families home), oppossuns, racoons, spiders......the creepiest one was scorpions that were so plentiful they would drop from the ceiling into the couples kitchen they were everywhere...ARRRGGHHH!!! But was creepy the couple also found a snake skin that a snake had shed.....they didnt seemed to be concerned at all about snakes that could be imhabiting their home....they did get rid of the scorpions.....but nothing about the snake.....I hope they called that exterminator back

 

watch if you dare......

 

http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/infested/videos/snake-house/

 

 

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,861
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Advice for keeping snakes out of house

[ Edited ]

This would be my solution.. and if you think I'm kidding, I assure you that I'm not. I couldn't even read through this whole thread.

 

I'm so sorry for those of you dealing with this.  I'm grateful for my 1250 sq foot town home with the tiny deck - no basement, no yard!

The $400/month maintenance fee is worth every penny - beautiful landscaping and someone else has to deal with the creatures.

 

 

house-for-sale-sign-clip-art-homes-for-sale-sign-mpraggtj.jpg

~ house cat ~
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,036
Registered: ‎07-25-2010

Re: Advice for keeping snakes out of house

After reading this thread I have never been so grateful that I live in a second story apartment!!!  I would never be able to stay in a house where I'd seen a snake inside....my worst phobia is snakes.