Snakes in the Attic

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Yes, snakes actually do sometimes live in attics. The snakes that do so are of course climbing snakes, such as this Yellow Rat Snake that I caught out of an attic.  This type of snake isn't venomous, but many people don't like the idea of snakes living in their attic.  And baby snakes, if born in the attic, will get everywhere!

In every case I've ever seen involving snakes in an attic, there were also rodents in the attic - usually rats. Rats leave a very distinct odor, and snakes simply follow the rat trails up into the attic, in order to catch prey. As long as there's food, the snakes live up there. Snakes can fit into tiny spots, so they can follow any area a rat can go. Of course, one of the best ways to solve a problem with snakes in the attic is to solve the rodent problem first.

How Do You Get Snakes Out of the Attic? - The best tool is education. Here are tips about snakes in the attic:

TYPE & TIME OF NOISE: I've actually had a few customers describe "slithering" noises in the attic, and lo and behold, they did have snakes up there. I've never heard it personally, so I don't know what to say.
HOW THEY GOT INSIDE: The snakes in attics are usually rat snakes, good at climbing, and they can of course fit in very tiny holes, from the ground up.
EVIDENCE LEFT BEHIND: Snake skins, of course, and I've seen attics with several shed skins.
TIME OF YEAR: Any time of year, although snakes tend to be more active in warmer weather.
METHOD OF CONTROL: Mothballs or ammonia won't make them leave, nor will ultrasonic sound emitters or strobe lights. The best bet is actually to solve the rat problem and get rid of the smell that's attracting the snakes in the first place. And of course, seal shut any areas that either rats or snakes can use to enter the home. Snake traps also work well inside attics.
DO YOU HAVE A RODENT PROBLEM? If so, eliminate it, and you'll eliminate the reason snakes are entering the attic in the first place.

How to find a snake in your attic - It can be very hard to find a snake inside of your attic. These animals are not going to leave behind a lot droppings or debris from their activities in the building. Although, many people do find shed snake skins in the attic. The best thing you can do to locate the wayward snake inside of your home or attic is to think like a snake. Remember that snakes do not want to live inside of the house, although they do often chase rat smell into the attic. Sometimes they enter by mistake or because the foundation crack they live in connected to the interior of your home. If you were a scared serpent, where would you go? It’s unlikely that you would remain out in the open. A frightened snake will look for areas around the home where it can hide. This will include the undersides of appliances and furniture. In the attic, they can hide even better, down walls or under the insulation. If there is a dark crevice, that should be your first area of examination. Hopefully you have a general idea of where the snake is. It can be a daunting task to search an entire attic for a snake, regardless of the animal’s size. House pets are usually adept at finding wild invaders, but make sure your cat or dog does not attempt to eat the snake once it is located. Ideally, your best bet for finding a snake in the attic and getting it out, is to set a snake trap.

How to get snakes out of your attic - The first step to getting rid of snakes in the attic is to seal up the gap or hole that is allowing them inside. This is often the gap where a soffit meets against shingle roof, but it can also be any part of an eave that has an open gap, and roof vents or soffit vents that are uncovered are common snake entry areas. If the soffit goes against a brick outer wall, that leaves gaps that many snakes can fit in. Most snakes will not linger when a human enters the attic. They are most often near their den cracks, and they slither in as soon as you walk nearby. Use this opportunity to seal off the hole from the insider, or outside if you can't access the area in the attic. The snakes will no longer have access to the house. If you want to make sure you completely get rid of the snakes from your home and property, try sealing up the hole from the outside of the home. This will trap the snakes inside and allow them to be captured. You can wrangle the serpents with the use of a glue trap or by picking them up and placing them in a pillowcase for relocation. Handling snakes is not as terrifying as it seems. If you grasp the animal behind the head and support the lower portion of the body, the snake will be easy to control. You only need to get it as far as the pillowcase. Killing snakes is usually avoidable. Despite the cringe factor associated with the legless animals, snakes do a wonderful thing by getting problem rodents and infestations of insects. Here are 8 tips for How To Get Rid of Snakes
in a building or otherwise.

Here are some other snake links:
How To Trap Snakes
What Animals Kill Snakes
Color Rhyme for Coral Snakes
How Can You Tell if a Snake is Poisonous
How to Kill Snakes
Snakebite Aftercare
Snake Safety Tips
How to Catch Snakes
Snakes in the Basement
How Do You Keep Snakes Away
Do Mothballs Keep Away Snakes
Eastern Coral Snake
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Snakes in the Attic
Photographs of Snake Poop

Customer Email:
Found this snake in my attic it's no bigger round than a pencil and just over a foot long one person told me that it was a ring neck which is harmless but when I look in the book of snakes the ring neck is black with a yellow or white ring around its neck. Someone else told me that it look like a baby Rattler which is poisonous. I'm hoping someone can identify to put me at ease. It is poisonous I don't want it if it's not it can stay in the attic. Would appreciate any help anyone can give me. I live in Sun City Center Florida if more information is needed can any one identify this snake, it about 5/16 round and just over a foot long.

That's actually a photo of a baby corn snake, or Red Rat Snake. They are very good climbers, and can enter attics with no problem. It's quite possible that it climbed to the attic because it smelled rats or mice up there, even though at that size, it's still far too small to eat a mouse, let alone a rat. Or perhaps you had a mother snake in the attic, and she had a nest of snakes in the attic, and that's one of the baby snakes. I can come and inspect your home and attic if you wish, in order to uncover exactly what's going on with the animal problem.