Snakes can find their way into your home with the greatest of ease, and in particular if you live in an area where they frequently hang out. Farm houses in particular are common homes that get invaded by snakes, and any home that has rodents is also a possible target. Removing a snake from your home is rather easy in most cases, but you need to know some things first. Here is how to remove a snake from your home safely and easily:
The first thing you need to do is to learn your snakes. In any given region of the United States, there are only going to be a handful of truly dangerous snakes. There are only four types of venomous snakes in the US, and each group has a few subspecies. They are the copperhead, cottonmouth, coral snake, and rattlesnake. There are a number of different types of rattlesnakes in the US, but usually only a couple of types in any specific location. Know the types of venomous snakes in your area. This can be found rather easily with some research, or through a visit to a local environmental center.
Once you are aware of the types of dangerous snakes in your area, educate yourself about them. Learn the various shades and colors they can be, what they look like, what the babies look like, and the general locations that they like to hang out in. The bottom line is that you need to know how to recognize a venomous snake when you see one. When in doubt, or when you encounter a venomous snake in your home, contact a snake removal expert right away. Often, if there is one, there can be more. You will need them to safely remove the snake, and then to search the home to make sure they are alone.
Assuming that you have a known harmless species of snake in your home such as a corn snake or garter snake, removing it is not that difficult if you are careful. The easiest method is to block off the snakes escape routes, and to then open the door and offer an exit. A snake is not wanting to encounter you in the least, and will take the chance to escape. Given this, you want to lead the snake out of the house with a broom or other long implement. If you leave the snake an opening to crawl under something else, they will. Fill in cracks under the stove, and any other low to the ground appliances as snakes will head there right off.
The method above is great if the snake is in a place that is nearby a door or window that you can open. If not, then you might have to get hands on. Please know that even a harmless snake will bite, and they do have teeth. Because they eat rodents, and other nasty creatures, there is always the chance of infection. With that said, take every precaution to not get bitten. If you are bitten, have the wound checked by a doctor just to be safe. Also, if you have any doubts whatsoever that the snake may be venomous, then leave it alone and call for help.
Picking up a snake is a task that is much better left to the pros, but sometimes it is the only way to get that pesky garter snake out. Ideally, you would want to put something long behind the snake’s head to pin it to the ground so that you can then grab it behind the head but up close to the back of the jawline. This method is not easy, and you have to take great care not to harm the snake. Also, many snakes will seem as though they are trapped and then suddenly slip out and bite so be careful if you try this method.
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Comment by desing arts — November 2, 2009 @ 12:33 am