Have you got a plan of action if you spot a snake in your home?
WATCH: Snake bite action plan
The sight of a snake can be scary for anyone, especially inside your home. Snake season is typically during the springtime when snakes begin to come out of winter hibernation in search of food, mates and warmth. However, as we’ve seen in the past, the reptiles often can appear out of the blue.
There’s no reason to be afraid if you’re prepared and know how to react and handle the situation safely. We spoke to Zookeeper Ash Wombey from Wild Life Sydney Zoo to answer all our burning questions on exactly what to do when you find a snake in your home.
The first thing to do if you see a snake in your home
Try to stay calm, and don’t try to move the snake yourself. Instead, remember where it is, remove yourself and all family members and pets from the room, shut the door, and lock the snake in and place a towel under the gap of the door.
Contact a local, licensed snake or animal handler, and they will be able to remove the snake safely. Do not attempt to move or kill a snake yourself as they can be venomous or deadly.
Top signs there’s a snake in your home or on your property
One of the biggest signs that there may have been a snake around is the presence of snake shed. Snakes shed their scales fairly often, and often in whole pieces. If you have also historically seen rats and mice around your neighbourhood but suddenly aren’t, this may be a sign that a snake has been around as their natural diet includes rodents.
Snake-proofing tips
Snakes love small, warm dark spaces as they perceive them as snake places to rest. Try to cover or fill any holes that lead from your backyard or garden into the house, the roof, or even beneath the house! Maintain a neat, tidy garden and remove any debris.
Also, having screens instead of leaving doors wide open, will reduce the chance of a snake entering a home. Ensure all food scraps are disposed of in covered bins – otherwise it will attract rodents and, therefore, snakes!
Finally, investing in snake repelling devices or planting snake repellent plants may be another way to prevent snakes from entering onto your property.
Signs you may have been bitten by a snake
Snake bites often occur on the extremities, such as arms and legs. The first sign that you may have been bitten is pain or bleeding at the site, with some redness and/or swelling. Other signs may include nausea or difficulty breathing.
Snake bite first aid tips
When bitten by a snake, the first thing you should do is try to stay calm, call emergency services, and stay as still as possible. There is a chance the snake may have been venomous, and by staying as still as possible, it can slow the spread of venom.
Apply a pressure immobilisation bandage over the entire limb that was bitten – if you don’t have a bandage, any stretchy fabric will do! Don’t wash, wipe or tourniquet the bite, as a hospital may be able to identify the species of snake that caused the bite.
Cleaning after a snake has been removed
After a snake has been safely removed from your house, check for any holes in the walls or roof from the garden and fill or cover them in.
Snakes love clutter and the safe resting places they provide, by keeping your house tidy, it will help keep it free of snakes.
One-off snake encounters
Most encounters of snakes within a home are a once-off. Snakes are often searching for a safe place to rest, bask in sunlight or are seeking food from rodents. They most often never mean to find themselves within people’s houses.
The best way to prevent this is ensuring you keep a tidy garden with short grass and filling in all holes that lead into walls and roof cavities.
Reasons for a snake to be in your home
Snake are an incredibly important part of the ecosystem and help to keep rodent levels down. You may have had an influx of rats and mice around your house lately, and the snake may have taken care of that for you!
Another reason may be that a snake may perceive the house as a warm and safe environment for it to bask and absorb some sunlight.
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