Play this song for them

https://youtu.be/cepV5f2-MaU

A snake means you do not have mice. Rat snakes are beneficial, please do not kill it.

When you say rat trap do you mean a glue trap? These are cruel and inhumane. The snake is harmless, please don't kill it.

It is a baby black rat snake. The babies have a ring around the neck that goes away when they are adults. They hatch in August. Any tiny hole, gap in a door or window, will do for an entry. Capturing them resolves the immediate problem, but they'll be back next year if you don't seal the holes.

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like an adult ring necked snake. Totally non-venomous, can't even bite. Prefers damp areas inside and outside the house. Usually found in basements or near pipes.

Release outside the house in a wooded shaded area.

Not the OP, but THIS is the snake I found in MY basement a few years ago... I hate snakes! The one I found was dead.

There was no ring.

One college summer, I faked baing a nature specialist at a camp in Yosemite. I had adults find snakes and ask me to catch them, including two baby rattlers (!!!) so I shouldn't be freaked out at all but that was 15 years ago and I was still grossed out.

Will buy some rat traps.

Sounds like an adult ring necked snake. Totally non-venomous, can't even bite. Prefers damp areas inside and outside the house. Usually found in basements or near pipes.

Release outside the house in a wooded shaded area.

They can get in under a closed door.

Anonymous wrote:There's probably a tunnel system under your basement connecting to a huge nest.


Okay, sorry -- that was mean. It most likely came in through a window or a hole.

Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?



Look outside for the holes too.

We have gotten a few. They get caught in the glue traps.

I think that the mother leaves the babies to fend for itself, so no worries about more. It may not even come back. Was it poisonous?

I have found baby snakes twice in our basement two separate winters. Killed both and never saw any more. Assume it got it by itself thru a hole only big enough for one baby snake. If you are really freaked because it's still alive, or that there are more, put down large rat glue traps. Snakes get stuck on them too and they will trap a small snake

There's probably a tunnel system under your basement connecting to a huge nest.


Okay, sorry -- that was mean. It most likely came in through a window or a hole.

you have a hole

Our basement is fully finished. When I was leaving the basement last night, I saw a tiny, black baby snake lying on the cold tile floor. I actually put my finger next to it to see if it would move b/c the hallway was not well lit and thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. It didn't move so I thought it must be a rope. I then turned the light on and the snake started slithering! I tried to catch it but it went under the water heater and I haven't seen it since. I'm freaked out. What do we do? Who do we call? Does one baby mean we have lots of babies in the basement AND a mother snake?