Snake(s?) In the attic

[strantor]

What's more likely? Two snakes vacationed in the attic and shed at the same time? Or one snake lived (lives?) there long enough to shed twice?

I googled about this and it said they are probably rat snakes and probably visit for the purpose of free pest control, which I am thankful for. Makes sense, I thought I licked the mouse problem a couple months ago but looks like I took unfair credit.

Just can't let the wife know. She wouldn't sleep in the house if she thought there was a snake slithering overhead.

 

[ponytug]

While the free rodent control is, I am sure much appreciated, I'd be wanting to find the hole(s) that everyone is using to get in and, hopefully, out.

Fun photo!

All the best,

Peter

 

[2manyrocks]

Looks like a pair of rat snake skins. What's odd is the skins being lined up like that as if they both shed their skins at the same time right next to each other in the same place.

Saw a live one crawl under one of my storage sheds yesterday probably going after the mice inside.

 

[EddieWalker]

I never seen two skins next to each other, that's very odd.

Best way to get rid of snakes is to get rid of their food. For me, cats have done a great job eliminating the mice. I have chickens, mice love chicken food, and it didn't take long for the snakes to show up once the mouse population exploded!!!!

 

[JeepHead]

People have an unnecessary fear of snakes IMO. More often than not, they are nonvenomous, and even the venomous ones aren't that dangerous with proper treatment. A dog bites harder than snakes do and unlike dogs, snakes aren't coming after you, they just want to be left alone. Most snakes are easily handled if you don't excite or scare them which puts them in defense mode.

 

[strantor]

Looks like a pair of rat snake skins. What's odd is the skins being lined up like that as if they both shed their skins at the same time right next to each other in the same place.

Saw a live one crawl under one of my storage sheds yesterday probably going after the mice inside.

The skins were not side-by-side like that. I lined them up for the picture. There is a path through the insulation from the attic entry to the air handler and I found them when I went up there to change the filter. Both skins were in the middle of the path, in-line with the path, and about 6ft away from each other. I couldn't get a good picture of them in the dark that far away from each other so I lined them up. Also wanted to see if they were the same size. One was just slightly longer than the other.

 

[strantor]

This is how I actually found them:

 

[bdhsfz6]

Black Rat snakes are harmless and good to have around for rodent control. Some even keep them as pets.

 

[2manyrocks]

Wanted to get the chainsaw out to cut up a downed limb, but glad I looked first.

 

[strantor]

Black Rat snakes are harmless and good to have around for rodent control. Some even keep them as pets.

I have zero problems with snakes in the attic, I am actually comforted knowing they are up there keeping rodents away. As long as they stay there. If they end up in the people tank then we have a problem. If that happens or even if my wife finds out they are in the attic, she will take the kids to a hotel and refuse to come home until the Ghostbusters have come out and performed a thorough exorcism. Even then she will probably start looking on real estate sites for our next home.

 

[Paddy]

we had flying squirrels in our attic, then the black snakes moved in. We learned rodents will reproduce much faster than snakes can keep them under control. Those squirrels kicked insulation over all the soffit vents and black mold covered the entire underside of the roof deck.

Set live traps to catch the varmints. I painted their tails with Red paint to see if I was catching the same ones. I released one near the house and watched where it went in. Tiny hole for sure. Took a few patches and they were gone.

What a mess. Sucked up the insulation blocking vents, sprayed bleach on every inch of decking.

I like my snakes but getting the attic sealed is by far the way to go!

 

[jmc]

I've got a problem with mice in the barn. They like the truck's engine compartment and occasionally find their way thru a vent and into the cabin. I once found a black snake up in the engine when I popped the hood. Found a skin in there another time. Snakes know...

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^
Some have had luck with popping the hood if their vehicle is parked inside. Mice don't like open spaces.
What's really bad is when a mouse dies in the heater box.

 

[gsganzer]

I had a satellite guy find a snakeskin shed in my attic. When he found it, he came scrambling out of the attic and wouldn't go back up. I ended up climbing in the attic and finishing the work for him.

I always have to watch it around my house in the fall, the mice will start to move into the house. I put traps out every fall.

 

[2manyrocks]

So this morning the rat snake had his head stuck in the blue bird box helping himself to a snack so had to put a stop to that.

 

[MossRoad]

View attachment 874033

What's more likely? Two snakes vacationed in the attic and shed at the same time? Or one snake lived (lives?) there long enough to shed twice?

I googled about this and it said they are probably rat snakes and probably visit for the purpose of free pest control, which I am thankful for. Makes sense, I thought I licked the mouse problem a couple months ago but looks like I took unfair credit.

Just can't let the wife know. She wouldn't sleep in the house if she thought there was a snake slithering overhead.

Just curious, did you measure them for length?

 

[strantor]

Just curious, did you measure them for length?

Not with any instrument. Per my calibrated eyeballs they were between 30 and 36 inches, one a couple inches longer than the other.

 

[jyoutz]

I never seen two skins next to each other, that's very odd.

Best way to get rid of snakes is to get rid of their food. For me, cats have done a great job eliminating the mice. I have chickens, mice love chicken food, and it didn't take long for the snakes to show up once the mouse population exploded!!!!

Yep. I have trapped 23 mice during the past month on the porches around the house. They are outside but I’m reducing the mouse population to keep the snakes away.

 

[jyoutz]

I've got a problem with mice in the barn. They like the truck's engine compartment and occasionally find their way thru a vent and into the cabin. I once found a black snake up in the engine when I popped the hood. Found a skin in there another time. Snakes know...

I keep water bucket traps baited with peanut butter inside the barn. They work and will catch quite a few before you need to dump the bucket and add more peanut butter.

 

[ponytug]

I keep water bucket traps baited with peanut butter inside the barn. They work and will catch quite a few before you need to dump the bucket and add more peanut butter.

Which design do you use? I've seen a couple variations.

All the best,

Peter