Snake Control
Snake Control for Michigan, Arkansas, and Missouri Homes.
Most snakes around a home are harmless and actually help by eating rodents. RIDD keeps them away by going after what draws them in: the mice and insects they feed on.
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: most snakes around a home are harmless and help keep rodents and slugs in check. Snake control is about prevention, so they have fewer reasons to stick around.
The solution
How RIDD Handles Snakes
Snakes follow their food, so snake control starts with the mice and insects that draw them to a home. Rock piles, brush, and tall grass give them cover, so we'll point out what's worth clearing.
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.
We don't handle venomous snakes. If you see one, or you're not sure what you're looking at, keep your distance and contact your local wildlife agency.
Local species
Snakes You're Likely to See Around Your Home
Most snakes around a home are one of these harmless species. If you see a venomous one, contact your local wildlife agency.
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Eastern Garter Snake
A 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Eastern Copperhead
Found in Arkansas and Missouri. It has hourglass-shaped copper and tan bands. Keep your distance and contact your local wildlife agency.
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Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Michigan)
Michigan's only venomous snake, and a rare one: shy, wetland-dwelling, and federally threatened and protected. Most Michigan homeowners will never see it, and it isn't found in the parts of Arkansas and Missouri we serve. It has a thick body, a segmented rattle, and cat-like eyes. Keep your distance and contact your local wildlife agency.
Plans
How Snake Control Is Priced
Snake control is a targeted service rather than a monthly plan, so we quote it based on what your situation needs.
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Pest 4
Starting at $ 49 /mo
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Pest 6
RecommendedStarting at $ 69 /mo
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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, rodent control is usually the most effective way to keep them away. Call us and we'll talk through your situation.
Coverage
Where We Offer Snake Control
We help with snakes in every community we serve across Michigan, Arkansas, and Missouri. Pick your state 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?
Most likely not. Most snakes are harmless and help by eating rodents and slugs. If you're not sure what you're looking at, keep your distance and contact your local wildlife agency.
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 find a venomous snake?
Keep your distance and don't try to handle or kill it. RIDD doesn't handle venomous snakes, so contact your local wildlife agency. What we can do is make your home less inviting by controlling the mice they hunt.
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. Our rodent control finds and seals those entry points.
Ready when you are
Found a Snake You'd Rather Not Have?
Book an assessment, or call us now.
