Rat snakes are medium to large constrictors found all across North America. Also referred to as the black rat snake and chicken snake, these snakes hunt rats and mice and kill them by constriction. If you live in an area that has a lot of rodents, you might find a rat snake on your property.
Unlike other species of snakes, rat snakes emit a foul odor when they feel threatened, but they usually are not dangerous to humans. This does not mean their presence is not a nuisance, as having snakes in your yard can be annoying.
If you keep finding rat snakes on your property, you might be wondering what you can do. If you are looking for rat snake removal near you, you have come to the right place. Professional wildlife removal companies like Nuisance Wildlife Rangers can help you trap and relocate rat snakes.
What Do Rat Snakes Look Like?
There are different colors of rat snakes out there. Most commonly, you will find black rat snakes in North America. They are black on top with faint hints of white between their scales. Their bellies are always white.
Yellow rat snakes are greenish or yellow with four dark stripes running down the length of their bodies. You might also come across gray rat snakes, which are dark to light gray with brown blotches.
All rat snakes have a body cross-section that is loaf-shaped instead of round. Their scales are also weakly plated and they have a divided anal plate.
Unlike other types of snakes like copperhead snakes or timber rattlesnakes, rat snakes are not venomous. They pose very little threat to humans, which means you should avoid hurting them.
What Attracts Rat Snakes to Your Yard?
Like most other snakes, rat snakes might come onto your property in search of food, water, or shelter. Understanding why rat snakes are attracted to your yard can help you take some steps to decrease your chances of an infestation.
Rat snakes are attracted to human’s yards for the following reasons:
Food Sources
Rat snakes usually eat a few times per week when they find food. Rat snakes usually snack on rodents like rats or mice, hence their name. If your yard has an abundance of their favorite food, you might find them roaming around.
To prevent rat snakes from coming onto your property in search of food, consider the following:
- Inspect your yard for signs of rodents
- Clean up your property and remove any old food or garbage rodents might be snacking on
- Keep your lawn mowed and bushes trimmed to prevent rodents from hiding in them
- Avoid stacking up wood, as rodents tend to hide in wood piles
- Remove food sources like bird feeders or bowls of pet food
Water Sources
Rat snakes need water to survive. If you have a lot of water features in your yard, rat snakes might be attracted to your property. This means bird baths, ponds, water fountains, pools, and even lakes could attract snakes to your yard.
To prevent snake infestations, consider covering water features when you are not using them. If you have water features for aesthetic reasons, you might want to pick another type of decoration if you are worried about snakes.
Shelter
Rat snakes might come onto your property in search of shelter. They tend to like cool, dark, and humid environments. Rat snakes might be attracted to tall grass, overgrown shrubs, or shaded areas of your yard.
To prevent snakes from seeking shelter in your yard, consider the following:
- Keep your landscaping maintained
- Ensure that your grass is mowed short
- Use a weed whacker to prevent long grass along fence lines
- Avoid overwatering your yard, as this offers a humid environment for snakes
- Keep shrubs and bushes trimmed to avoid contact with the ground, as this offers a shady and dark place for rat snakes to hide
Where to Find Rat Snake Removal Near You
If you have encountered a snake, you might be wondering what to do. You might even be tempted to get rid of snakes on your own. While rat snakes are not venomous, you could still get bitten or hurt if they feel threatened.
Additionally, many people try to use snake repellant to remove snakes from their property. Unfortunately, this method rarely works. Instead, you will need a professional company to set up snake traps and offer animal control services.
Rather than trying to remove the snakes on your own, consider calling a pest control company. If you are looking for an answer to your snake problem, Nuisance Wildlife Rangers is here to help. Whether you have a snake in your home or need assistance sealing entry points, we can get the job done.
Nuisance Wildlife Rangers provides snake removal services to almost every city in the state of Florida, including:
- Boca Raton
- Bradenton
- Brandon
- Cape Coral
- Clearwater
- Coral Springs
- Davie
- Delray Beach
- Dunedin
- Fort Lauderdale
- Fort Myers
- Hollywood
- Largo
- Marco Island
- Miami
- Naples
- Palm Beach
- Parkland
- Plant City
- Punta Gorda
- Safety Harbor
- St. Petersburg
- Tampa
- Temple Terrace
- West Palm Beach
Get Connected to a Rat Snake Removal Company
If you or a loved one is suffering from a rat snake infestation, Nuisance Wildlife Rangers is here to help. We can offer expert snake removal services all across the state of Florida.
Contact us today to learn more about our rat snake removal services.