Basement Snakes

rustacres sd · Jan 9, 2013

So far this winter in SD, I have found 5 smaller garter snakes down in my finished basement. House is less an 10 years old and has a poured foundation and I have no visible cracks in foundation. Wondering where they are getting in from. I am thinking they come in through the drain tile but do not know if they could get up out of the sump pump pit. Basement has a Patton flooring system, so there is a 1/4 inch air space between the concrete and the 3/4" flooring them laminet flooring. I think they are attracted to the warmth down there with the pellet/corn stove.
Any ideas on how to get rid of or repel them. Most concoctions are useless from what I have heard. Thinking of putting down some fly paper of snake traps in the furnace room as that is where the only bare concrete is and also the sump pit.

Leroy · Jan 9, 2013

Have no idea, shure wish I did. My problem is not basement but in the bathroom, over the last few years have found several in the stool, always in the summer, have to look in everytime you set down. Also found one in the tank on the stool and anouther on the sink in the bathroom. Anouther on the floor by the stool. When bathroom was orignally installed put in normal washbowl but as at that time was bucket feeding calves and wanted someplace other than the kitchen sink to wash them up so put in a large single bowl kitchen sink and in that is where I found the one snake.

sdc eastern ia · Jan 9, 2013

Probably the drain. BUT check the foundation for any no matter how small hole or way in. Is there a crawl space? Had and probably still have, Garter, and Bull snakes in the house. No mice tho. Re-did the upstairs floor and there were hundreds of skins there. I never have rid myself of them. Sorry

SweetFeet · Jan 9, 2013

Would it be at all helpful to dig down around your foundation a couple feet, then hire someone to "seal" it with spray on foam insulation?

Years ago, we would get mice in the house each fall. We dug down a couple feet around the foundation and had spray insulation applied from the bottom of the trench up to the bottom row of siding. Probably been about 15 years since we did it...we have not had one single mouse in the house since then. (After the insulation was sprayed... down in our basement we saw several cracks and holes where it came through from the outside... we thought, geez - no wonder mice were getting in, they had free access for sure).

And for sure, I'd get some kind of sump cover that has very small holes in it so a snake could not get through it.

Goose · Jan 9, 2013

We had a couple in a different house once.

We had a fireplace in a basement family room, and the chimney exited through the garage. I found a spot in the garage where the chimney wasn't completely sealed. I caulked it up good, and never had another snake. Couldn't prove that's where they got in, but it was logical.

Doesn't take a very big crack or hole.

rrlund · Jan 9, 2013

We've got bull snakes. We've been told that lime will repel them. Spread it around where you think they might be coming in and it'll burn their bellies and they go away. That's the story anyway.

Goose · Jan 9, 2013

I did an insurance inspection on a farmhouse once. I had to go down to the basement to check out the electical wiring, plumbing, take photos of the breaker box, furnace, etc.

The basement was unfinished, and very cluttered. When we got down to the bottom of the steps, the homeowner kicked at a pile of old clothes and said, "Get out of here, go catch a mouse or something!"

I first thought he was probably kicking at a cat. Turned out he was kicking at a good sized bull snake.

Guess they were OK with it.

That's what's interesting about this job. When you drive up to a house to do an inspection, you have absolutely no idea of what you're going to run into.

bigboreG · Jan 9, 2013

Here in north central IA, snakes are a problem also. I have them in basement as well as under the front porch and steps. I use glue traps, have had good luck with those. Where they get in, I do not know. Most of the ones I find are small, less than ten inches. This past late summer, my wife killed 14 in one day right outside the front door. I came home from work and it looked like a murder had taken place, blood everywhere and a spade leaning against the house. She had piled all the snakes out in the road, in hopes that a semi would run em over and finish off the ones that were not quite dead yet. We had a good laugh about that one!

Anonymous-0 · Jan 9, 2013

Had the same problem after we added on to the house. We hooked our down spout to the footing tile and after some time past the down spout came apart because of the settling of the dirt and the little snakes found their way down the tile and back up the floor drain. The evidence was one was caught in the grate holes trying to get in but was too big and died. Wife was NEVER informed about this.

320B · Jan 9, 2013

Moth balls. I've never needed to try it but a friend of mine said it worked for him. You just spread them around the outside of the house along the foundation. It works for skunks also.

Rick Kr · Jan 9, 2013

If not a small crack at the foundation some where, I am thinking they are getting through a foot drain somewhere. You say it dumps into the crock, but is there a floor drain before the crock, that they may be getting through onto the floor?

Rick

rustacres sd · Jan 9, 2013

No. Floor drain along with the down stairs bathroom go into a lift station and then into the septic system. Don't think they would survive the slury lift pump.

Dick2 · Jan 9, 2013

Moth balls didn't work for me. Critters came around as usual.

LenND · Jan 9, 2013

My brother had snake problem in his house at the farm. He finally found the inlet. They came in through his sewer drainage system and up the basement floor drain. He plugged floor drain and they finally disappeared.

donjr · Jan 9, 2013

Friend had an eductor pump in the basement for the washing machine water, and the outlet was a few inches up the back wall. mall snakes would climb in, then down the piping and through the pump, then climb into the deep sink that the washing machine dumped into.

Catch the garter snakes, put them into a cage and either turn them loose in the spring or give them to some local herpatologist. They're harmless, and will eat a lot of insects and spiders.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 9, 2013

Find ware you think they may be getting in and pour BLEACH in and around the area.... Id start with your sump..

Have had your problem here forever :x :x :x They also do not like loose salt.. :x :x :x
and i really DONT like them :twisted: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Vito · Jan 9, 2013

They say they return for hibernation in the place they were born.

Saw this on a television show.

Vito

Vito · Jan 9, 2013

They say they return for hibernation in the place they were born.

Saw this on a television show.

Vito

JerryS · Jan 9, 2013

These snakes are totally harmless and can't hurt you, but I realize that they can make you hurt yourself. You should try to corral them (catch 'em by the tail and drop 'em in a sack) and relocate them. That or just try to accept the fact that they're sharing your quarters.

Mark - IN. · Jan 9, 2013

Up under the siding, then getting in where walls meet the foundation. In the fall, had one about 2' long outside in a corner under a bay window. I went to pickup it up and take it out and toss it near a fence, but they have good sight. As I was walking up on it, it uncoiled and up under the siding quick. A small part of it at the tail was still out when I got hold of the tail, but it was all bound up under there, and not having a good hold, let go, and just that fast, gone. Garters have no problem getting in under siding, and if you are finding them in a basement, look for gaps around your foundation where the walls meet...is my bet. Every now and then we will find a dried up empty skin along the foundation where one must have come out from under the siding while shedding.

Mark

notjustair · Jan 9, 2013

In a new house that is strange. I saw a new product at the big box store I haven't tried. I may see if it works. In my 100 year old house there are more snake skins in the attic than wiring. I try not to think about it. Only killed a few in the basement but there is evidence they are in the insulation that is between the first floor joists. About the time one drops down on me in the basement you will be reading my obit on here. The good Lord don't need to call me home, he can just send a snake after me.

BushogPapa · Jan 9, 2013

That's right....they eat Mosquitoes, Spiders, Bugs and only occasionally, small children..
I keep a few around to eat the Spiders in my basement...maybe an occasional mouse or too...
Have not lost any Cats, lately...

Ron..

Anonymous-0 · Jan 9, 2013

Got a dryer vent in the foundation, anywhere? That is where they are coming from, if not the drain!

HCooke · Jan 9, 2013

I would ignore them, or pick them up and throw them outside where they belong. I have had black snakes in the house and even one copperhead (which I did not ignore). I would rather have snakes than mice.

Basement Snakes

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads