Snake Control
Snake Control for Detroit Metro Homes.
Almost every snake in Michigan is harmless and actually helps by eating rodents. RIDD identifies what you have, removes harmless snakes safely, and seals the gaps and cover that drew them in.
The problem
Why Snakes Show Up Around a Home
Snakes come for two things: food and shelter. A yard with a steady supply of mice, slugs, and insects, plus rock walls, wood and brush piles, tall grass, or gaps under a porch or foundation, gives a snake everything it needs. Finding a snake indoors is often a sign of a rodent problem and an open entry point, which is why control starts with the conditions, not the snake.
The good news for Michigan homeowners: of the state's eighteen native snake species, seventeen are non-venomous and harmless to people, and they do real good by keeping rodents and slugs in check. The point of snake control here is rarely to kill anything. It is to identify what you have, move harmless snakes along, and close the yard and home up so they don't come back.
The solution
How RIDD Handles Snakes
We start by identifying the snake, because the right response depends on the species. For the harmless snakes that account for nearly every call, we remove them safely and focus on the real fix: sealing gaps around foundations, porches, steps, and garages, and clearing the harborage that draws them, like rock and wood piles, brush, and tall grass along the perimeter.
Because snakes follow their food, we also address the rodent activity that brings them in, which ties into our rodent control work. Reducing the prey base is one of the most effective long-term snake deterrents there is.
Michigan's only venomous snake, the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake, is rare, shy, tied to wetlands, and federally protected, so it cannot legally be killed or handled. If you believe you have seen one, do not approach it. Call us and we will help you identify it and connect you with the Michigan DNR or a licensed wildlife specialist for anything involving a venomous or protected snake.
Local species
Snakes You're Likely to See in Metro Detroit
Nearly every snake around a Detroit-area home is one of these harmless species. The one venomous snake in Michigan is rare, and it is listed last so you can recognize it.
-
Eastern Garter Snake
Michigan's most common backyard snake. Dark with long yellow stripes, harmless, and a steady eater of slugs, worms, and insects. This is the snake most people see in a garden or along a foundation.
-
Eastern Milk Snake
Often turns up in basements and around foundations hunting mice. Its blotched pattern gets it mistaken for something dangerous, but it is harmless and one of the better rodent hunters around a home.
-
Northern Water Snake
Found near ponds, lakes, and rivers. It is banded and quick to act defensive if cornered, which gets it confused with a venomous snake, but it is non-venomous.
-
Dekay's Brown Snake
A small, secretive snake of gardens and mulch beds that mostly eats slugs and snails. Easy to overlook and completely harmless.
-
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
Michigan's only venomous snake, and a rare one: shy, wetland-dwelling, and federally threatened and protected. Most homeowners will never see it. It has a thick body, a segmented rattle, and cat-like eyes. Do not handle it. Call us and we'll point you to the right people.
Plans
How Snake Control Is Priced
Snake control is a targeted service rather than a monthly plan. Most of the work is identification, safe removal of harmless snakes, and sealing up the home and yard, so we quote it based on what the situation needs.
-
Pest 4
Starting at $ 49 /mo
-
Pest 6
RecommendedStarting at $ 69 /mo
-
RIDD Package 4
Starting at $ 89 /mo
The plans below are our recurring general pest control options, separate from snake work. Because snakes follow their food, pairing snake exclusion with rodent control is often the most effective approach. Call us and we'll talk through your situation.
Coverage
Where We Offer Snake Control
We help with snakes across every community in our Detroit metro service area. Find your city below, or call us if you're not sure we cover you. We probably do.
Common questions
Snake Control FAQs
Are the snakes in my yard dangerous?
Almost certainly not. Seventeen of Michigan's eighteen snake species are non-venomous and harmless, and they help by eating rodents and slugs. The only venomous snake in the state is the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake, which is rare, shy, and tied to wetlands. If you can safely take a photo, send it and we'll identify it for you.
How do I keep snakes out of my yard?
Take away their food and cover. Keep grass mowed, clear rock, wood, and brush piles, trim shrubs up off the ground, and seal gaps around the foundation, porch, steps, and garage. Most important, deal with any mouse or rat activity, because snakes follow their prey.
Do snake repellents work?
Not reliably. Mothballs and store-bought snake repellents are not an effective or legal solution, and the chemicals can be a hazard around children and pets. Exclusion and habitat changes are what actually keep snakes away.
What should I do if I think I found a rattlesnake?
Keep your distance and do not try to handle or kill it. Michigan's massasauga rattlesnake is protected by law, and bites almost always happen when someone tries to handle one. Call us, and for anything involving a venomous or protected snake we'll connect you with the Michigan DNR or a licensed wildlife specialist.
Why is a snake getting into my basement?
Usually it followed mice through the same small gaps the mice use, around the foundation, utility lines, or a basement window or door. We find and seal those entry points and address the rodent activity, which removes both the way in and the reason to come in.
Ready when you are
Found a Snake You'd Rather Not Have?
Book an assessment, or call us now.
