Snake Removal

Snakes can be a big problem for homeowners. Generally, they are not dangerous, but they can be. It’s always possible that an aggressive snake or a venomous species will find its way to your property. For this reason, removing snakes from your home is essential for the safety of your family.

This is another reason why we highly recommend calling a professional to do this work. At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we are snake removal experts. Our team has years of hands-on experience handling hundreds of snake species. We know what to look for – we know which snakes are dangerous and how to safely remove them.

However, if you want to try removing snakes for yourself, we have some recommendations. Just remember to use extreme caution and never handle a live snake unless you know the proper techniques.

Nuisance Wildlife Rangers have had lots of hands-on (well, gloved hands-on) experience in getting rid of snakes from human homes. We’ve dealt with venomous and non-venomous species alike, and have learned all the dos and don’t s on the topic of snake removal. And that’s precisely what we’re going to be sharing with you in this article.

Today, we’re going to take you through your options if you’re dealing with snakes in your attic. Why the attic? Well, the fact is, a  lot of wild animals are attracted to the attic area of a house, since most people use this as a storage space. This means there are usually a lot of boxes and things that make it easier for snakes to hide up there, and also offer comfy nesting space. Another attraction point with attics is that the residents will spend less time in the attic than they do in other areas of the house, which will further reduce the chances of detection.

Wear protection when you go up there.

Even a keen eye can deceive you, and so, it can be quite a hassle telling whether a snake is venomous or not. And since it’s impossible to get a guarantee before going in, we think it’s better to be safe, rather than sorry. In order to do that, you want to put on several layers of protection, in case you do find a snake or family of snakes.

You particularly want to protect your arms and legs. We recommend wearing long sleeves and long pants, as well as thick rubber gloves (to withstand a snake’s bite), and rubber boots, in case the serpent lunges at you. Now, snakes are generally less aggressive than we believe them to be, though they’re still quite likely to attack if you step on them, or if they feel threatened. So make sure you wear adequate protection.

Trap them.

We suggest investing in a live trap (or set of live traps, if dealing with more snakes). These are cages that will securely trap the snake, without actually harming them, and can then be used to relocate the serpent to an area where it won’t be able to bother you.

Be careful, do not attempt to handle the snake directly with your hands, particularly if you don’t have any experience doing this.

Figure out where they’re coming through.

Another important step of the process consists of inspecting the interior and exterior of your attic, and locating the entry point. You will then want to fix this promptly, using caulk, wire mesh, or other such resistant materials.

There’s little use in simply trapping the snake without fixing the hole they came through, since the problem will keep repeating itself.

Take preventive measures.

Try to figure out what’s attracting the snakes to begin with. Clean your attic regularly and try to keep it as tidy as possible. Remember, the fewer boxes, the fewer spaces snakes (or other wild intruders) have to hide in.

Call a wildlife removal professional.

As we mentioned, we’re often called to homes with a snake problem, and honestly, we think it’s best this way. If you don’t have prior experience handling snakes, it can be easy to get scared and make a wrong move, thus inciting an attack.

A qualified wildlife removal professional in your area knows how to handle the serpents safely and efficiently, without risking their life, and without harming the snake. So really, for everyone’s sake, you’d be better off calling a wildlife removal professional to get rid of the snakes in your attic.

Snakes can be very scary, especially when you find them in or around your home. Since these reptiles can be venomous and inject poisons in their victims, it’s very crucial that you stay very clear from them. However, if one gets into your home, you will want it trapped and removed right away. It goes without saying that the best approach to snake trapping and removal is by calling an expert wildlife control company like Nuisance Wildlife Rangers for a safe and effective snake trapping, but if you intend to trap a non-venomous snake yourself, below are the steps to follow.

NB: Never try to pick up or trap a venomous snake yourself because there is a chance of the snake fighting back and a clean strike from such a snake may be very severe.

Steps on How to Trap a Snake

Step 1: Get a snake trap

The most effective way to get a snake without getting excessively near it or genuinely hold it with your hands is by utilizing a snake trap. There are various sorts of snake traps accessible on the lookout. One of the most widely recognized is the snake stick traps, which is like a paste snare for mice yet intended for snakes.

To catch a snake in your home, you can get a snake glue trap. The trap uses smell to draw the snake into a box, where it is then stuck to the box. If you already know where the snake is, this method works wonderfully. If you set the trap in the wrong location, you might not get a catch. Because the trap is mobile and easy to set in different spots, you can move it as much as you need to. You can also purchase multiple traps and carefully arrange them in strategic positions throughout the house.

Minnow snake traps are a fantastic alternative to glue traps. Minnow traps are usually cylindrical and made of wire mesh, having holes at either end that invert inside the trap. To use as bait, simply place a few eggs inside. The snake will slither into one of the holes in order to obtain the eggs, but it will be unable to out.

The maze trap is another form of snake trap that also works pretty well. A snake maze trap is a box with a maze that the snake creeps through and is impossible to turn back once it reaches the end of the maze. A maze trap, unlike a glue board, does not use glue; instead, it encourages the snake to keep moving forward, but it is a dead end, and the snake will be trapped in there until you discover it.

Step 2: Set the trap in a good place 

Set up your snake trap in a place where you’ve observed snakes before. Garden areas, the attic, and the chicken coop are all good spots to set up traps. There’s no need to disguise the trap; simply place it in an area where you have observed the snake(s). When you’re ready to set the trap, double-check that it’s securely closed.

Step 3: Check the trap often

You’ll want to deal with a snake as quickly as possible after catching it. Make sure it doesn’t perish in the trap. Because the snake will quickly decompose, this is both inhumane and filthy. Every day, check the trap to see if you’ve caught anything.

Step 4: Relocate the snake

Finally, Go to a natural place where there aren’t many people. If you release the snake in a natural setting, it will have the best chance of surviving without bothering other people. To release the snake, go to a nature reserve or another location where there aren’t many people. It won’t wind up in someone else’s garden this way.

Snakes inspire fear in a lot of people, which is very understandable. These animals are long and slender with no limbs, yet the sight of a snake makes most people uncomfortable. This is no surprise because of the venomous snake species that can kill a human with a single bite.

However, not all snakes are venomous. In fact, there are more harmless snakes than venomous snakes, and you’re more likely to encounter a harmless snake than a poisonous one. The state of Texas is home to about 105 different snake species of which only 15 are venomous. From the numbers, it’s clear why you are more likely to come across a harmless snake. And most times, the snakes that show up in homes are rat snakes, garter snakes, milk snakes, etc. and they are all non-venomous and harmless to humans.

Just as we are uncomfortable around snakes, snakes do not want to stumble upon a human either. They are generally shy animals and prefer to stay out of sight. If you accidentally stumble upon a snake, your first instinct will probably be to get away, the snake will also react the same way. They generally want nothing to do with humans, but sometimes they show up in our homes in search of food. Snakes feed on small animals including birds, rodents, lizards, and other small animals.

Venomous snakes in Texas

The 15 venomous snakes in Texas fall into three primary groups; rattlesnakes, water moccasins, and coral snakes. Here are some of the most common venomous snakes in Texas

Timber rattlesnake

There are 10 species of rattlesnakes found in Texas and the timber rattlesnake is one of them with an easy-to-spot light brown base color with rusty brown stripes running down the center of their backs. Timber rattlesnakes are extremely venomous, but they are also unlikely to crawl into your home as they prefer woodlands and bushy habitats. These snakes are protected by state laws.

Western diamondback rattlesnake

Western diamondback rattlesnakes are the most commonly encountered rattlesnake in the state of Texas. They are found in a variety of habitats, from coastal plains to deserts, and are found in almost every part of the state.

Copperhead

This is a tan to brown heavy-bodied snake with dark hourglass-shaped crossbands down the length of its body. The copperhead snake is one of the venomous snakes encountered in Texas. They are commonly found in shrubs and woodland habitats.

Cottonmouth

Also known as the water moccasin, the cottonmouth is another fairly common venomous snake in the state. These snakes are found in water bodies and wetlands, and because of this many harmless water snakes are misidentified as the cottonmouth and needlessly killed.

Coral snake

Coral snakes have long, slender, and brightly colored bodies, they are highly venomous and belong to the Cobra family of snakes. These snakes usually have alternating patterns of red, black, and yellow (or white) bands or rings across their bodies. Coral snakes are found around sandy, marshy, and wooded areas. The patterns and coloration of the coral snakes closely resemble that of non-venomous milk snakes.

Although these venomous snakes in Texas are unlikely to show up on your property, you should treat every snake you encounter with caution. Never approach a snake or try to pick it up because it can strike out and bite you in defense. And if you accidentally get bitten by any snake at all, assume that it is venomous and immediately call 911 for help. A snake bite requires urgent medical attention, especially if you can’t tell whether the snake is poisonous or not.

How to safely remove a snake from your property

Before you attempt to remove a snake, it’s important to identify the species as this helps you to tailor your approach. Different snake species behave differently, and understanding a snake species and how it reacts in stressful situations is one of the key factors that determines safe snake removal.

Fortunately, our experts at Quality Pest & Wildlife LLC have years of experience in snake removal and understand how to properly handle different snake species, including venomous species.

Snakes can be captured by hand and removed. If the intruding snake is obviously non-venomous, wildlife experts can use glove-covered hands to carefully pick up the snake. However, the most common method of snake removal is using a snake tong to catch the snake from a safe distance. The captured snake is then placed in a snake bag for safe relocation.

One of the most common areas you’ll find snakes inside your house is the basement. That’s because these slithering ground-dwellers have easy access to the basement, but not only. See, if you’ve got some foundation crack, or a broken window leading to the basement, there’s a chance other nuisance wildlife like mice has already made their way inside. And since small mammals are natural prey for snakes, it’s only normal a serpent would come and investigate.

Obviously, you don’t want to host snakes on your property – while most snakes are actually more docile than we tend to imagine, they can still inflict a painful (if not deadly) bite if threatened. What’s more, living in close proximity to their feces exposes you to a range of viruses and bacteria that can endanger your health.

So let’s talk about how you can protect your basement from snakes.

We’ll focus on preventive measures to make sure snakes don’t get into the basement here. If you already have snakes living down there, then we’re afraid it’s too late for the measures below. The good news is, we at Nuisance Wildlife Rangers are happy to take your call. From an objective point of view, hiring a wildlife removal professional to handle your snake infestation is not only the quickest but also the easiest way to get rid of them. Especially since you don’t know if the snakes you’re dealing with are venomous or not, we would not recommend that you try to remove them yourself.

Tip: if you insist on going down there yourself, cover up as much as possible. Wear rubber gloves, rubber boots, and long sleeves, to reduce the bare skin open to a bite.

Step 1. Keep it trimmed.

It’s a good idea to keep your entire lawn trimmed and neat. First off, that looks nice, and second, it gives wild animals fewer spaces to hide from potential predators. Snakes (as well as most nuisance wildlife) generally dislike trimmed grass, as it leaves them exposed to attacks. So they’ll avoid such yards.

Even just trimming the area immediately around the house, and sprucing up bushes or hedges that are adjacent to the house can go a long way.

Step 2. Look for signs.

Understanding what attracts snakes is paramount for proper prevention. Most snakes will be attracted by prey, like small mammals, birds, fish, and such. So if you’re dealing with snakes on your property, it might be because you’re also hosting some of their dinners. Removing these animals makes it less likely that snakes will bother you.

Step 3. Check for cracks.

In protecting your basement, you also need to be on the lookout for potential entry points that the snake might use. Remember that these cracks or holes don’t need to be overly large, since some snakes are small and flexible. Seal any crack or hole as soon as you discover it.

Step 4. Clear out the basement.

There’s a reason why snakes (and other animals) like your basement – it’s that there are so many spaces to hide down there. By regularly de-cluttering your basement, you’re not only getting rid of a chore but making your basement less attractive to snakes. No animal wants to set up a shop in a place where it’s likely to be discovered and pursued.

Step 5. Get rid of water sources.

Like any other animal, a snake needs a constant water source. This may be a pond or a leaking pipe. Regardless of which it is, you need to remove that, if you want to keep your home wildlife-free.

It’s easier said than done, but the best way to remove snakes from your house is to prevent them from ever entering. Snakes come in all sizes, and some of them can be quite small. For that reason, it’s critical that you seal up any small gaps around your home that might allow easy entry.

Most snakes cannot climb, so focus your efforts on ground-level entry points first. Use metal mesh with holes no larger than 1/2 inch to seal off any larger gaps. For smaller gaps, you can use spray foam or water-based caulking.

We also suggest making sure that exterior doors and garage doors around your home are effectively sealed. You can easily install door jambs with rubber seals, or install some weather stripping.

Remove The Snake’s Food Source

At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, one of the main reasons we get snake removal calls is because homes are actually infested with other small animals. What we mean is that snake removal is a sign of another problem with small rodents or insects – these creatures are common snake food sources.

Preventing mice, rats, amphibians, and bugs from setting up shop in your home is key to prevent snakes from entering. If you remove the things attracting the snakes, then they will likely leave on their own.

Best Way To Trap A Snake

There are two main types of consumer snake traps: glue traps and funnel traps.

Snake glue traps are actually one of the best DIY snake trapping methods. These are not the same glue traps used for rodents or bugs. Snake glue traps are actually quite humane – the snake will stick to the glue, but you can easily free the snake in a safe location by pouring vegetable oil over the glue.

Snake funnel traps are a bit less effective but they still work well. The concept is like most other animal traps – the snake goes in and cannot get back out. If you choose this route, make sure you buy a high-quality trap that the snake cannot easily escape from.