Is there a snake in my wall?

r0ckstarr

I think I have a snake in my wall. It doesn't sound anything like a typical mouse or rat. It's a constant sliding sound. It sounds like it's sliding left to right, and the sliding sound lasts for about 5 seconds straight. There's no gnawing or scratching at all. Just sounds like something sliding around in the insulation. I've tried pounding on the wall, and it doesn't seem to bother it.

So, I went outside and started scouting around for possible entry points. I do not have any holes in my fascia's or soffits, no rotten spots anywhere along the roof that anything could get in.

I went in the attic and cannot hear or find it. So, it is definitely in the wall.

I did find this hole, next to the wall where I hear the noise.

I set 2 mouse traps next to the hole with peanut butter. If it's messed with, it's not a snake. That is, if it gets back out.

Any thoughts or suggestions on what you think it may be? And/or how to get it out. I'd open up the wall, but fear that it may be venomous, and im already running late for work. So, it's going to stay in there for tonight. My gf will be here and keep me informed if anything changes.

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retired guy 60

The overwhelming majority of snakes are nonvenomous. I wish I lived nearby as I would help you remove the snake, if that's what it is. I have experience with all kinds of snakes including rattlesnakes, puff adders and cobras. The latter two do not reside in the US, needless to say. You probably need a scope to look into the wall w/o to avoid alot of demolition. Harbor Freight has one that is relatively modest in cost. Let's assume it is a snake. It might leave by the same hole it enterred by. You really don't want it to die in the wall as there will be an unpleasant odor so please don't listen to the posters who will say to use poison gas. If I had to guess, I'd say it is just a garter snake. The best way to handle snakes you are unsure of is with a stick with an L at the end like a golf putter. The snake will balance on it if you lift it in the middle. Some herpetologists prefer a stick with a noose. It is really unnecessary in my experience. What you could do is become familiar with the native snakes that frequent your area. There may not even be any venomous snakes where you live. In NJ we have copperheads and rattlesnakes but none at all in the county where I live. People often think the watersnakes they see here are cottonmouths but that's not possible. Good luck.

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oh'mike

Might be insects,too. so be careful if you open up a wall----

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r0ckstarr

Thanks for the info. I've never had a fear of snakes. Used to catch them all of the time when I was kid without a care of what kind they were or if they were venomous. We used to use a small tree branch and put it against the top of their head without hurting them, then reach down and pick them up.

Around here, for venomous snakes, we have rattle snakes, mocassins, and copper heads that I know of.

I'm at work right now, but just spoke to my girlfriend (she's checking this thread regularly from home). She said that she hasn't heard it at all for the last couple of hours.

If I hear it again tomorrow while I am there, i'll cut a small hole in the wall and step back to see what comes out.


Thanks for the warning. If these are insects, these are the largest insects I have ever experienced. If I were to guess, I would say whatever I am hearing, sounds like it is between 5 and 10lbs at most.

retired guy 60

Since there are studs generally 16 inches on center in most walls you should not have too much problem locating the creature. Please let us know what you find.

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chrisn

If that is a 10 lb snake in there , I would step WAY back, venomous or not.

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r0ckstarr

Ha! I'm serious. It doesn't sound small at all. I would be very surprised if it was small and made that much, and that loud of noise.

Plan A: Cut the hole and put a 5gal bucket near it and hope it goes in the bucket.

Plan B: Wait until it starts to come out of the hole and try to catch it in the bucket.

Plan C: Grab it right behind the head as soon as it comes out of the hole and gently pull it the rest of the way out.

Plan D: Improvise on the fly and hope for the best.

Will do. This morning when I came home, the mouse traps were untouched. I had placed two leaves on the edge of the hole. One of the leaves was moved. My girlfriend said that she hadn't heard it at all the entire night. She's a light sleeper, and anything wakes her.

Assuming it got back out through the hole, I put a small plastic cap over the hole and pushed it into the dirt. I took the rock that is in the picture and put it on top of the cap. If it wants back in, it will have to dig around it. If it's still inside, it can easily push the cap up out of the way.

If I don't hear anything for a week, i'll move the cap and fill the hole back in. If I do hear anything else, i'll be opening the wall up and posting pictures here of what I find.

retired guy 60

Sounds like a good plan. Very glad to read a post from an individual who wants to remove an unwanted guest w/o resort to guns, poisons, explosives, deadly gas or nuclear weapons. And equally refreshing not to read suggestions from others advising that such methods are needed.

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r0ckstarr

This is indoors. We save that stuff for outdoor problems.



















Just kidding!





Only on wasps.

Maintenance 6

Well, for me, that would depend on the type and disposition of the critter that was attempting to share my abode.

bassJAM

Get a mouse, tie a string around it, and put it in the hole. Snake eats mouse, you pull string, mouse and snake come out together.


Honestly I'd probably wait a couple days and see if it gets out of there itself. Snakes can live for a long time without food so it's probably not going to die right away. And if it sticks around, it could be because there's things in there it likes eating, so you might have other critters as well. If it stays, yeah, I'd cut a hole in the wall and see what's in there.

r0ckstarr

Hahaha!

We haven't heard anything at all since that day. The little plastic cap that I sat over the hole is untouched. I assume that it got back out. I sure would have liked to have caught it and seen how big it actually was.

chrisn

If that thing was 10 pounds, it must have been a python or anaconda!

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kwikfishron

They have them in Texas. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/scienc...rry-About.html

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r0ckstarr

As an update, I found some feces that I believe may be snake feces. There is definately something that looks like mouse fur in them, and googling for images of snake feces shows very similar results. I found them on the opposite side of the house, next to a new hole in the ground that goes under a flower bed.