Re: Snake Scenario

I had a call similar to that on Friday. Seems the local air conditioning contractor refused to work under a mobile home because he seen a snake.

Well after ten minutes I harassed the snake enough to show himself and pulled him out with tongs. I got lucky many times the snake is long gone when I arrive. It was just a harmless black snake.

In your case I would try chimney or vent brushes if he is hiding amongst the equipment or a slab. Harass the snake and get it moving. Put a little strategy in it and try to work ahead of the snake and you can corner it. [and a little luck] Glue boards can help with this.

I've used glue boards and got mixed results both good and bad.

I try to educate the customer on how to snake proof and prevent future issues.

I had a customer who every year complained about water moccasin "nests" along his lake out back. Actually he would call if he seen them getting sun out on his yard. I finally recommended a habitat modification for him and leave them no place to hide on his property. It worked and now I don't get his calls anymore but I get his neighbors.

Florida has a lot of problems with exotic pests released into the wild. Snakes are no exception here and every call I wonder if I will see something exotic.

I get a lot of snake calls and rarely do I ever run into any venomous snakes. My biggest problem is the snakes are usually gone before I get there unless there in a structure.

But I always get my trip charge!

NWS,
Based on your location, I was guessing that it would be one of the garter or ribbon snakes. However after looking at
http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/subsite/glfc-amphibians/lizard-snake , I see that it could be something else. Glue traps can be very effective for some smaller snakes and large glue traps can be purchased for larger snakes. I see that some of your resident snakes are protected by law or regulation. So caution should be exercised.

Funnel type traps are very effective for snakes. Close all of the holes going under the AC unit except one. Use hardware cloth, metal flashing, boards, or back fill the area. Set the funnel trap over the remaining entrance.

Of course the snake may no longer even be there. It may have left five minutes before you get there. There may be other entry points around the house. It may not even leave the house. If there is adequate food and water available, it may stay there for months or years. I have seen many shed skins in some attics and crawlspaces. The snake(s) had been there for some time.

Most of the homes, around here, have so many potential entry points that I do not offer a warranty on snake exclusion. Some of the rat snakes can climb a brick wall. Any hole anywhere on the house can be an entry point.

Ron Fry

I have caught many a black rat snake (up to 8 ft) or the black racer( up to 6 ft) in similar situations. You have both in your area. They go in to cool down. More common than you realize. I get about a dozen or so calls a year just like yours. Careful using a hose that you don't flood out something you shouldn't. I use a slender 1/4" rod with a sharp hook welded on it. I've pulled a lot of snakes out where I couldn't use my snake tongs.

NWS,
I can't read!

Ron Fry

Can't read? Oh, well... that explains a lot of things then....... Ha!

I use my various brushes, snake hook and tongs, and glue boards. I have used a water hose as harassment

Take a paper towel and loosely wad it up and tuck it in the hole. Now ask the home owner to keep an eye on it. Don't be too quick to seal up a snake!

Great idea!

Don't know if this a practical idea, but...

My Dad used bird netting for years on different things in his garden and orchard.

On his death, we cleaned out the home place, and I brought the netting home with me.

I rolled the netting up longways, and stored it in my barn. I found several gray rat snakes tangled and dead in the netting. What was happening was that they pushed their way into the rolls, and thru the mesh. Their belly plates would not allow them to "back" out, and their body size would not allow them to move forward - sort of similar to a gill net.

I gave the netting away. I like the grays around my barn and buildings, and the netting was killing too many of them.

Maybe someone can figure out a way to utilize this stuff.

Adios,
45/70,

One of the stranger calls this season. A snake on a roof. Get to the house and realize find not only a snake but a pigeon problem as well. The homeowner had made an effort to screen out the pigeons and failed. The pigeons were actively nesting and the rat snake decided to have eggs for lunch.
Snake somehow got through the netting scarfed down two eggs and got stuck on the return trip through the netting.

I have also found snakes stuck in landscaping mesh. It can kill them.