Snake In The...

HobieMarty · 07-20-2021, 05:17 AM

Apparently we have a snake that has decided to take up residence under the pad that our heat pump sits on. The pad sort of overhangs on the back side and is a plastic/composite material, when we had a new system installed a couple of years ago, the technicians placed the new pad on top of the old concrete pad and the newer one is bigger than the old one therefore the newer pad has a few inches of overhang. Anyhoo, a snake has decided to make the space his/her new home. The drain for the a/c also empties there, so it has a nice little home there with water and there used to be Toads around but I'm sure it ate them all.
So I am wondering how should I get the snake to move on to somewhere else? Since the drain for the a/c in in the same area, I poured a cup of bleach in the drain line in the hope that as it drained the snake would smell it and leave, but so far, it is still there or at least I think it is still there, took my dog out this morning and I didn't see it. My son tried fo get a picture of it yesterday so we could see what type of snake it is, it would stick it's head out from under the pad but when it would see him, it would go back under the pad. I don't want to kill the snake but I don't want it to live so close by either. Anyone have any suggestions as to how to get the snake to go back to the woods?

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jyl · jyl's Garage

Unless it is a rattler or the like, I’d leave it - free rodent control.

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

I believe that snakes don't have a "sense of smell" just taste. The flick their tongue to taste the air.

Once you get it to leave, fill that void with dry concrete. The water in the soil will harden it and it does not need to be structural, just a plug for the area.

Just get a bore-scope that uses your phone as a viewing device. Most come with 12 foot lengths. Slide that in, and see what is in there, and if it comes out all the better. Unless it is a copper-headded-rattle-mosacan, with a coral tip it will just leave.

vash · vash's Garage

rattlesnake roundup (or rattlesnake rodeo?) guys, to the chagrin of every environmental activist on the planet, will spray diesel fuel into rock cracks to chase out snakes into their snake-grippers.

i remember diesel (i was 17 or 18 at the time) but my google search says gasoline. dunno. i bet chitty cheap bourbon would work.

masraum · 07-20-2021, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

Unless it is a rattler or the like, I’d leave it - free rodent control.

Yep, most likely it's not venomous. You're in FL, right? For some reason, that rings a bell.

If you are in FL, the options for venomous are copperhead, cotton mouth/moccasin, rattler and coral snake (basically the same as Texas). I'm sure that you've got far, far more "harmless" snakes around, racers, rat snakes, coach whips, etc.... Pretty much all of the snakes eat pests (rats, mice, etc....) and a bunch of them will eat other snakes (non-venomous will eat venomous if they can over-power them)

Try to get a picture. We'll get it identified.

Also, your best bet for getting rid of it is to wait until it's not there, and then fill it's spot with something else (gravel maybe).

Chocaholic · 07-20-2021, 09:56 AM

Toss a few mothballs under there. Cinnamon powder works also.

masraum · 07-20-2021, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Toss a few mothballs under there. Cinnamon powder works also.

Everything that I've read since moving to the country indicates that that sort of thing doesn't work. You can even buy "snake repellent" which also isn't supposed to work. I've never tried any of them.

guinea hens, chickens, and cats are all supposed to work.

Sooner or later · 07-20-2021, 01:57 PM

Make yourself a snake catcher pole. An eye screw in the end of a broom handle. Thread both ends of a heavy cord though the eye screw to make a loop. Tack one end to the handle and use the loose end to tighten up the loop. Have a 5 gallon bucket with lid handy.

Get a water hose or two and flood that sucker out. Snag him in the loop when it avoids the flood. Transfer to bucket. Transport to new home. Easy peasy.

I have used that technique several times in the past.

HobieMarty · 07-20-2021, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masraum

Yep, most likely it's not venomous. You're in FL, right? For some reason, that rings a bell.

If you are in FL, the options for venomous are copperhead, cotton mouth/moccasin, rattler and coral snake (basically the same as Texas). I'm sure that you've got far, far more "harmless" snakes around, racers, rat snakes, coach whips, etc.... Pretty much all of the snakes eat pests (rats, mice, etc....) and a bunch of them will eat other snakes (non-venomous will eat venomous if they can over-power them)

Try to get a picture. We'll get it identified.

Also, your best bet for getting rid of it is to wait until it's not there, and then fill it's spot with something else (gravel maybe).

Grew up in the Florida panhandle, in Alabama now.

Thanks for all the suggestions as they are very helpful. Didn't see the snake today so maybe it already moved on, if so, I will fill in the area where it was hiding. It is probably a king snake. I've seen some black rat snakes around but this one was a white/grey color with a pattern on it. Last time I saw one like it was a couple of years ago I saw a baby one, same color and all, nearly stepped on it by mistake, it wasn't aggressive at all. Anyhoo, hope this one has moved on.

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stomachmonkey · 07-20-2021, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HobieMarty

Grew up in the Florida panhandle, in Alabama now.

Thanks for all the suggestions as they are very helpful. Didn't see the snake today so maybe it already moved on, if so, I will fill in the area where it was hiding. It is probably a king snake. I've seen some black rat snakes around but this one was a white/grey color with a pattern on it. Last time I saw one like it was a couple of years ago I saw a baby one, same color and all, nearly stepped on it by mistake, it wasn't aggressive at all. Anyhoo, hope this one has moved on.

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If you have snakes that means there is a food source for them.

For the non venomous like Rat Snakes that food source includes the Nope Rope variety such as Copper Heads.

Put another way, there is a reason it's there and generally the reason is worse than the snake.

When the reason is gone the snake will be gone.

HobieMarty · 07-20-2021, 05:09 PM

^^^ yes, there used to be a few toads around in that area. I noticed that I had not seen any toads around for a week or so, then the snake appears. I would say it had been living there for a few days. No more toads now and appears that the snake may have moved on.

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rwest · rwest's Garage

What, no one suggested the obvious solution? Get a badger of course.

Arizona_928 · 07-20-2021, 06:53 PM

Snake kill rodents. Snake good. No step on snek and you'll be good. Look for a rattle. Here's a pair of black az rattlesnakes i saw yesterday. Notice the rattle on the right.

HobieMarty · 07-20-2021, 10:52 PM

Yeah, no rattlers round here as far as I know. I used to have an Eastern King Snake as a pet many many years ago, I think this one was a King snake.

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ckelly78z · 07-21-2021, 03:18 AM

I had to laugh at this recent video....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeOZgz_FzYw

masraum · 07-21-2021, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

I had to laugh at this recent video....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeOZgz_FzYw

Ozzyman is always funny. Wow, they definitely had a rat problem!