How to keep snakes out of the basement

KDENISE977

New Member
Ughhh.... husband came running up from basement on Saturday, stupid snake in the basement. I thought snakes liked warm weather? I've always seen them sunning in the driveway or on the cement out in front of the house, which is scary enough.. The basement has taken on a whole new level of paranoia. I'm afraid to even go down and look anymore !!! How can I keep them OUT I can't even figure out how it got IN? :faint:
I know a lot of people are okay, say they won't hurt you, they're nature, etc, etc... I however, am not one of those people, nor is my husband. I was TERRIFIED and still am. And also, seeing as I have 2 dogs and saw the effects of the bite the other poor boxer dog had gotten, OMG... I'll admit, I'm ridiculously terrified, but don't care. How can I keep them away??
 

bresamil

wandering aimlessly
What kind of snake? How big?

Do you have mice? They follow mice.

Do you have any cracks in the window casement or under the basement door or in the area where the pipes go outside? They need very little space to get inside.
 

KDENISE977

New Member
What kind of snake? How big?

Do you have mice? They follow mice.

Do you have any cracks in the window casement or under the basement door or in the area where the pipes go outside? They need very little space to get inside.

Well, I've only ever seen a mouse once a few years ago and that was in the winter. I didn't notice any cracks under the windows in the basement, their are only 2. My question is WHY are they/would then want to get IN? If we have no mice and it's a cold basement? I was also told this was going to be a bad year for snakes (by the vet). My husband is ready to fill the entire basement with lime? We have a sump pump, can they get in that way?
 
Ughhh.... husband came running up from basement on Saturday, stupid snake in the basement. I thought snakes liked warm weather? I've always seen them sunning in the driveway or on the cement out in front of the house, which is scary enough.. The basement has taken on a whole new level of paranoia. I'm afraid to even go down and look anymore !!! How can I keep them OUT I can't even figure out how it got IN? :faint:
I know a lot of people are okay, say they won't hurt you, they're nature, etc, etc... I however, am not one of those people, nor is my husband. I was TERRIFIED and still am. And also, seeing as I have 2 dogs and saw the effects of the bite the other poor boxer dog had gotten, OMG... I'll admit, I'm ridiculously terrified, but don't care. How can I keep them away??
No food = no snakes. If they are inside, they are finding food. Once they eat the mice, they will leave.
 

bresamil

wandering aimlessly
Well, I've only ever seen a mouse once a few years ago and that was in the winter. I didn't notice any cracks under the windows in the basement, their are only 2. My question is WHY are they/would then want to get IN? If we have no mice and it's a cold basement? I was also told this was going to be a bad year for snakes (by the vet). My husband is ready to fill the entire basement with lime? We have a sump pump, can they get in that way?

Yes. They can also come up toilets and tub drains.

Yes they can come in with the plumbing. Have a friend that opened the toilet seat cover of his basement bathroom and found a big snake. My parents found one in the tub.

As Huntr stated, there must be food.

I asked about its size to see if it was a baby that fell through the casement window or a full size that maybe wintered in your walls.

I don't say this to terrify you. I am also scared of snakes. My front yard was full of them this fall and it totally freaked me out.
 

KDENISE977

New Member
Okay, well so my other question is what if this happens again? This one I got w/ a shovel. And it wasn't very big. What if a big one gets in? How do you get them out. Not a chance I'm going down in the basement if I find a bigger one. Do you call someone to come get them out? Do they make like a snake poison?
 

bresamil

wandering aimlessly
Okay, well so my other question is what if this happens again? This one I got w/ a shovel. And it wasn't very big. What if a big one gets in? How do you get them out. Not a chance I'm going down in the basement if I find a bigger one. Do you call someone to come get them out? Do they make like a snake poison?

You need to remove it as soon as you find it or else you won't know where it went and it could end up upstairs.

Set out mouse/rat poison to kill off any food.

Some people swear that putting lime around the foundation of your house will keep them out - others plant asters (for some reason snakes don't like them)
 

MMM_donuts

New Member
I don't say this to terrify you. I am also scared of snakes. My front yard was full of them this fall and it totally freaked me out.


Was it you that had the big snake ball in the yard that disappeared before you could get someone to get rid of it?

That video of the big snake breeding ball that someone posted on the thread still gives me nightmares.
 

KDENISE977

New Member
I'm pretty sure the one kind was a black snake, what can i say...IT WAS BLACK. The others I've seen in the driveway were orange/brown or black striped?? :shrug: We have a longer driveway (about 1/2 mile) and they sit in the sun in the summer. The ones we've seen in the front hedges were black too.
 

itsbob

I bowl overhand
Well, I've only ever seen a mouse once a few years ago and that was in the winter. I didn't notice any cracks under the windows in the basement, their are only 2. My question is WHY are they/would then want to get IN? If we have no mice and it's a cold basement? I was also told this was going to be a bad year for snakes (by the vet). My husband is ready to fill the entire basement with lime? We have a sump pump, can they get in that way?

Get about 5 cans(ok maybe 10) of "Great Stuff" expansion foam from LOWES, go into the basement in the middle of the day, remove all insulation from around the sill, block off all the windows, and shut off the lights. Anywhere you see daylight spray the hell out of it with the Great Stuff. You'll be amazed how many holes and cracks you'll find.. especially look everywhere cables or pipes come into the house, to include the AC pipes... And where the beams sit on top of the sill.
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Moth balls. Snakes hate moth balls. Ever seen a snake wearing a sweater? No. Because sweaters smell like moth balls.

Toss them in all the corners and nooks and crannies you can see as well as any 'penetration' areas like where pipes go out of the basement.
 

aps45819

24/7 Single Dad
Moth balls. Snakes hate moth balls. Ever seen a snake wearing a sweater? No. Because sweaters smell like moth balls.

Toss them in all the corners and nooks and crannies you can see as well as any 'penetration' areas like where pipes go out of the basement.

DO NOT put mothballs in your basement.
In about two days you won't be able to breathe inside of your house

DO put them around the outside of your foundation and they'll keep the critters away from your house.
 
Top