WHAT TO DO ABOUT A SNAKE IN MY ATTIC

Snake in The Attic

Most people only know snakes to be ground-dwelling creatures. They normally expect to see them on the lowest level of any structure. However, to most people’s surprise, there are actually situations where a snake is able to climb different surfaces. In some cases, you can actually find a snake in the attic of a house. So how do they get up there? They are likely a lighter snake specie like the Yellow Rat Snake. These lighter snakes are able to crawl up on certain surfaces leaving homeowners surprised when they find out there are snakes living in their attic. As surprising as this may be, when you stumble across a snake in your house, don’t panic. It is important to exercise caution and carefully deal with snakes accordingly. There are some snakes that will attack and bite if they feel cornered, and even worse, there are some snakes that are venomous which can be extremely dangerous.

Why Are Snakes Living in The Attic?

The main reason for the presence of snakes in your attack is often because they have found shelter, or more commonly because they have found food. In the majority of cases, this is an indicator that there are rodents like mice and rats in your attic living among snakes. In fact, there are very few cases where there is a snake infestation without the compliment of a rodent infestation. In the event that both are not true, it is likely that the snakes have just finished feeding on the last of the rodents in the area.

Eliminating the Food Source

When attempting to get rid of snakes in your attic, it is almost imperative to eliminate the main attraction which is the food source for the reptile. If this is not taken care of, more snakes will keep congregating in this region of your home simply due to the presence of rats. To eliminate the rats, you can examine the infected area to identify the high traffic spots. These will usually be where you find grease smudge marks on the walls and wooden beams of the attic, chewed wood or electrical wiring, torn paper, small pellet feces, and a strong smell of urine. All of these signs point to the likelihood of a rat infestation in your attic. If you can identify any of these signs, then you should set up several snap traps in the high traffic areas and check on them regularly.

Problems Caused by Snakes in an Attic

One of the major issues of snakes living in your attic is that they can reproduce. In the event that you have a female snake that is loose in the attic and has been dwelling there for a long period of time, she can give birth to multiple baby snakes. If this happens, the snakes will begin to explore their new home which can lead them to enter into other parts of the house. In most cases, homeowners are not aware of the presence of snakes and therefore can accidentally frighten or make a snake feel cornered which can lead to a snake bite

Trapping and Snake Removal

The first key to note when dealing with snakes or trying to trap and remove them is that you should always practice caution. A trapped snake can be dangerous especially when frightened or agitated. It is important to avoid any opportunities that will allow the snake to lunge at you or attack you. Some snakes have very long striking ranges and can lunge further than you would expect. For this reason, it is often recommended to use a sticky trap when trapping snakes. Sticky traps hold the snake in place on a sticky pad which eliminates their ability to lunge and strike. This also gives you the opportunity to safely move and relocate the animal. To release the snake, simply pour vegetable oil over the snake and the adhesive, this will dissolve the stickiness of the pad, setting them free as they safely crawl away.

Repair and Disinfect the Attic

After you have handled all attractants including rats, and you have successfully removed the snakes in your attic, you will need to look into any potential damages for repairs. The good news is that snakes do not cause much damage to the actual structure of your house, however, the presence of rodents means you likely need repairs. Rats and rodents will often chew wires and supporting beams to your attic which can cause a slew of electrical and structural damage to your property. You will most likely also need to replace any sullied insulation materials and also clean, spray, and disinfect the entire attic. This will help to kill any present bacteria in the attic making the area safe for people to be in again.

Tips for Preventing Snakes from Re-entering

Seal the Attic

Make sure your attic is completely shut and sealed to prevent other animals from getting in. Look around the attic and scope for holes, cracks, and crevices that rats and snakes could potentially use as an entry point into your house. When you find these areas, quickly seal them off using sturdy materials like metals to prevent rodents from chewing their way back in. You should also check all exterior points of your building in case there are multiple entry points.

Act Quickly

As soon as you come across any sign of pest or wildlife activity inside or outside of your home, you must act quickly. Immediately take action and promptly lay the appropriate traps to catch any rats or rodents. This will help to reduce the scent of rats in your attic which attracted the snakes in the first place.

Monitor Regularly

Regularly monitor your attic for any signs of rodent activity even when you have just taken care of the issue. Staying vigilant will ensure that you act quickly before there ever is a problem. Deal with any signs of rodents or snakes accordingly based on the previous instructions above.

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