In Australia, snakes sometimes slither into suburban backyards and homes. When the weather gets warm, they lounge in the sun. When it gets hot, they seek cool places: a wall crevice, under a refrigerator, under a barbecue grill, behind an air-conditioning unit.
Snakes Around the House. There are a number of common venomous snakes found in South Australia, many of which often find their way into residential areas. These snakes pose a danger to residents and can cause anxiety for anyone who suffers from ophidiophobia or herpetophobia, the fear of snakes or reptiles.
Cover all holes leading to houses and garages
Snakes love crawling into hide-y spots such as roofs, underneath houses, garages etc. Make sure to keep doors closed and install screens on doors and windows. Block any holes in the ceiling and roof which might accommodate snakes.
In fact, it's fairly common for snakes to make their way into homes and commercial structures through small holes and cracks. Snakes can easily make a home in a crawl space, but they're also quite capable of moving into your attic or any room of the house for that matter.
It is rare that a snake will move into a home, and they are generally found inside when they have come in looking for food or shelter.
If the snake is inside the house, close the door of the room it is in and place a towel under the door to prevent it from exiting before you call. Snakes play a very important role in the Australian environment and are protected under environmental legislation, so you should not attempt to harm or remove them yourself.
According to experts, unfortunately, it can happen. Not only can snakes come up through the toilet, but other critters like rats, squirrels, and tree frogs can too. However, this is not a very common occurrence, so you can breathe a sigh of relief.
Snakes enter a building because they're lured in by dark, damp, cool areas or in search of small animals, like rats and mice, for food. Snakes can be discouraged from entering a home in several ways. Keeping the vegetation around the house cut short can make the home less attractive to small animals and snakes.
"Generally, they're found in basements and crawl spaces, but specifically areas where there is active sun during the day for them to warm up and shelter from predators such as piles of tarps or blankets, cardboard boxes, or storage containers, as well as in the rafters of your basement or around water pipes."
"A snake may burrow into bedding to seek warmth. If you have a vent under or near your bed, snakes will likely hide there for warmth and to feel safe." And since snakes are such skilled hiders, the first sign that one is cozying up under your bed may come from your ears tipping you off that they're hiding out.
Can Snakes Crawl Under Doors? The space under doors in most conventional homes is too tiny for snakes to crawl under. However, any cracks or gaps on doors provide potential entry points for snakes as some of them are small in size and can slither through.
Snakes can enter garages and basements through drain pipes or a crack under the door. Door sweeps and garage door thresholds are easy and inexpensive ways to seal openings that can allow snakes inside. Even pet doors can be an entry point for snakes.
Pretty any snake can last 4-5 weeks without eating, and most can survive for two months.
"Including the brown, tiger, black, taipan, death adder and certain sea snakes and all these snakes are found in Queensland," Mr Farry said. "Most Australian snake bites are associated with minimal local pain and bite marks can be easily missed."
Snakes can fit through small spaces, and often pursue their prey or a place to lay eggs indoors.
Snakes can be found all over Australia, not only in the Outback. However, you will hardly see them. On all my trips I only saw a few snakes and I nearly stepped on one when I was walking along the Eyre Highway, see the picture above (at least I thought it was a snake at that time). But this won't happen every day.
Sprinkle oils: Some essential oils deter snakes because they don't like the smell. Examples include cinnamon, clove, and eugenol. Use DIY repellents: Repel snakes using DIY solutions including ammonia, human hair, and vinegar.
Research has shown that cinnamon oil, clove oil, and eugenol are effective snake repellents. Snakes will retreat when sprayed directly with these oils and will exit cargo or other confined spaces when these oils are introduced to the area.
However, like most pets, they can accidentally find their way into your home at any time. Because snakes rarely nest, getting rid of one in your yard or home can be as simple as waiting it out. Once the weather changes or the snake is in need of food, it will usually leave on its own.
When it's cooler, snakes are typically out moving. Just because you see one does not mean there are more. If you see 6+ babies or adults in the same location in a short amount of time, then you have a problem.
When snakes excrete waste, it is actually a mixture of feces and urine that looks white and is more of a liquid than a solid, much like bird droppings. The pests' waste may contain bones, hair, scales, and other indigestible materials leftover from meals.
Brown tree snakes have them too. This helps them create a fold where the belly scales meet the small scales covering their backs. This fold, called ventrolateral keel, grasps the slightest irregularity on trees and walls.