Our Pest Control Expert Shares The Best Way To Get Rid Of Snakes Under Your Deck

Discovering you have snakes taking shelter under your deck can be overwhelming. You may wonder whether they are venomous, how many are near your home, and what could be attracting the snakes. Luckily, we've got a few tips from pest industry veteran Dr. Chris Christensen. Dr. Christensen has owned a Lexington, Kentucky Truly Nolen Pest Control franchise for 25 years. He puts his snake expertise to use at his other business, Critter Control, where he often handles snakes.

Speaking exclusively to House Digest, Dr. Christensen shared a few of routes you can take if you see snakes under your deck. Firstly, he suggested leaving the snakes alone. Especially If you are dealing with a rodent problem, letting the snakes do their thing is the best call. "Snakes under decks can be a positive since they are probably there because there is a rodent population in the area," he explained.  

A bite from a venomous snake can be fatal — and it can cause intense sickness even when it doesn't cause death — so unless you're very, very certain that you're dealing with non-venomous snakes, attempting to trap them yourself is a terrible idea. Christensen recommends calling a professional nuisance wildlife removal company to handle the issue. It's also worth looking into contacting your state animal control, a local wildlife rehabilitation center, or a snake rescue organization to check if those options are available.

Although snakes may help control rodent issues, you may prefer to simply keep the rodents away so that snakes are no longer attracted to your deck in the first place. "Good rodent control often results in fewer snake sightings," said Chris Christensen. "Get a professional pest control company to set up a rodent control program." And even once the snakes are no longer residing on your property, don't forget that they may return if the source of the problem — presumably rodent issues — isn't addressed.

If you do choose to go the professional route, you could ask the nuisance wildlife company to install a rat wall. "A rat wall is an underground fence that extends up to close off entry under the deck," Christensen explained. "It is very effective but labor-intensive. That saying, it is worth the money and gives peace of mind for years to come."