Snake Live Trapping & Removal

Snakes that have entered or escaped in a residence may be difficult to find, as many people learn when a pet snake escapes. One recommendation is to place a pile of damp cloth towels, covered with a dry one, along foundation walls. Each pile must be large enough for a snake to crawl under and conceal itself. Snakes appear to like the moisture. The cloth piles should be checked daily. Snakes can be captured inside or under dwellings, in garages and warehouses by placing several giant-size or rat-size glue traps along the walls (where children and pets cannot reach them). Sticky traps can be pushed against the building foundation, beneath storage shelves or pallets, using a pole and then retrieved later by pulling on an attached length of cord.

Alternatively, sticky traps can be housed in pizza-style boxes with 1- to 2-inch diameter holes cut in opposite edges, through which snakes can enter. Captured snakes can be released from the glue traps by pouring a little vegetable oil where the scales are stuck to the glue. Funnel traps using drift or lead fencing can be effective for capturing snakes outdoors. The method is time-consuming, however, because the traps must be examined daily to remove a great number of other kinds of animals which also enter such traps. Den trapping in early spring, where feasible, can be effective regionally and allows for the option of releasing nonpoisonous snakes unharmed. Some brands of live-catch wire cage traps and box traps are available for capturing snakes; however, reports of their efficacy vary.

Our technicians are ready to help rid your space of nuisance wildlife.