SNAKE (1)

Snakes are most definitely an animal that you don’t want near your home. While most species of snakes are harmless and may just give you the willies, there are other species of snakes that are poisonous and their bite can be fatal to humans, particularly children and the elderly. If you spot signs of snakes around your home, it is imperative that you contact a pest control professional as soon as possible to correct the problem.

Snake Facts

  • Snakes are elongate legless carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales.
  • Living snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica. Fifteen families are currently recognized, comprising 456 genera and over 2,900 species. They range in size from the tiny, 10 cm long thread snake to pythons and anacondas of up to 7.6 m (25 ft) in length. Most species are non-venomous and those that have venom use it primarily to kill and subdue prey rather than for self-defense. Some possess venom potent enough to cause painful injury or death to humans. Venomous snakes like rattlesnakes, copperheads, water moccasins, and cottonmouths are particularly dangerous and need to be handled with the utmost care.

Venomous Snakes

The CDC estimates that as many as 7,000–8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes in the United States every year. As a result of evolved medical care, only about 5 people every year die from bites inflicted by venomous snakes.

Where Snakes Live Around the Home

Fortunately, snakes generally don’t want anything to do with people and are actually quite afraid of them. However, if they feel threatened, they may attack. Knowing how to spot areas a snake might be hiding around your home is key to preventing potentially dangerous and fatal snake bites.

According to the National Pesticide Information Center, snakes prefer to live in damp, cool places. Basements, for example, are the perfect environment for a snake to live inside the house. Snakes also like to burrow in piles of leaves, under rocks and tree limbs, and in tall grass and weeds.

What to Do When You See a Snake

Often, snakes are difficult to identify right away, especially if they are moving fast. Always assume that any snake you see is poisonous and slowly back away if you are in close quarters with a snake. Never attempt to remove a snake on your own. This increases the chances that you will get bitten, and if the snake is venomous, you will require emergency medical treatment. If you see one or more snakes around your home, contact a snake removal professional as soon as possible.

At Jem Intercontinental Services, we can help you safely and effectively remove snakes from your home and yard. We will also identify ways you can make your home less appealing to snakes in order to prevent snakes from coming back. When dangerous snakes can potentially harm your family, trust Jem Intercontinental services to take care of the problem.