So, do you think my snake's gone?

[dawg]

He was there for several days in a row - wrapped around my tv cable next to a gap in my outside wall that gave him access to the space between my floor and basement ceiling. It looks like this:



I do not like snakes. (Please spare me the pro-snake lecture.)

Whereupon one day, I attempted to smite the beast with a shovel. But I failed, and he retreated deep within the recesses of my floor.

Or so I thought.

The next day, I found a shed snake skin near a small gap in the woodwork at the top of my stairs. (inside ... my ... house).

I did not think he could get inside my living area from his little home underneath the floor, but apparently he could and did.

I sealed the small gap inside my house with "Great Stuff". What a vile concoction that is.

That was over a week ago. I haven't seen any signs of him - inside or outside - since.

I want to seal up the outside gap that gave him access to my house in the first place, but I don't want to trap him inside where he has no other alternative but to find his way back into the living space with me. I just know that what he really wants to do is to crawl into bed with me at night and cuddle.

So, snake experts, do you think he's gone? Is it probably okay to go ahead and seal the gap on the outside of my house? Or should I try something else first in order to encourage him to leave just in case he's still there?

[ret5hd]

1. Probably the entire reason this snake was where it was...

presumably a foodless waterless wasteland as far as snakes go (and if the snake was there because there is food and water you got other problems bigger than an individual snake so get that problem fixed like right now) was because the snake was molting and molting is a particularly vulnerable time for a snake so it was trying to find a safe place to molt and now that the snake has molted it is now probably outside your house trying to find some food and water.

Man, how is THAT for a run-on sentence!

[dawg]

3. I believe he was there because he wanted to drive me off my property.

A few days after I saw him the first time, a realtor called asking if she could arrange for a private showing of my property. (I've never listed my property for sale). So far, this has gone suspiciously like the plot of a Scooby Doo episode.

But seriously, I suspect that you are right. My harassment of him probably induced him to hurry up with his molting process so he could just get the Hell out of there.

[ret5hd]

5. You used way too many periods and not near enough "and"s...

and I'm pretty sure there's no "hurrying up the molting process", it being what it is, but it's probably over and done now, and I'm pretty sure the ghost of Sister Dominica, my 5th grade English teacher, is going to haunt me tonight, ruler in hand.

[Hayduke Bomgarte]

2. So, do you think my snake's gone?

I wouldn't hazard a guess, but I can tell you one thing NOT to do. A co-worker, years ago, did this.

Being deathly and irrationally afraid of snakes, he noticed a 4 footer, while mowing, sitting near his house. He got his gas can, thoroughly doused the poor thing and tossed a match on it, whereupon it shot into a hole in his foundation and set his house afire, inside the wall. Several thousand in damages before the Fire Dept. got there and put it out.

[dawg]

4. What's worse than a snake?

A fire snake!

Fortunately for me, I almost as afraid of fire as I am of snakes.

[Raissa]

6. What has the weather been like?

I'd expect me the snake's behavior to be based on that.

They're usually seeking warmth or moisture, particularly when shedding. Most species will be most active - moving out - after dusk when it's been raining.

That'd be the best time to seal holes imo.

[dawg]

7. Thanks.

I was wondering what time of day would be best.