Black Rat Snakes in Virginia: How to recognize and remove them
Black Rat Snakes are a common part of Virginia’s ecosystem and they’re one of the most common kinds of snakes to find in your basement. While these snakes aren’t venomous, they make for entirely unwelcome guests when they find their way into your home, shed, or corporate building (which they seemingly love to do).
Black Rat Snakes Removal
Expert Wildlife Solutions You Can Trust
Virginia is home to a variety of snakes—some are dangerous, some are harmless, and some are just curious and pesky. Black Rat Snakes are a common part of Virginia’s ecosystem and tend to lean the pesky route. They’re one of the most common to find in your basement.
While these snakes aren’t venomous, they make for entirely unwelcome guests when they find their way into your home, shed, or corporate building (which they seemingly love to do). They do bring some sanitation concerns, but mainly they cause a lot of distress when sighted inside.
If you don’t address a black rat snake issue properly, you’re likely to encounter them again and again.
Here’s what to know about black rat snakes, from how to notice if one has moved into your home to the best prevention and removal techniques. Let’s restore your peace of mind while keeping your property protected.
ARTICLE CONTENTS:
- How to Identify Black Rat Snakes
- Are Black Rat Snakes a Problem for Homeowners?
- 4 Effective Black Rat Snake Prevention Strategies
- Black Rat Snake Removal in Northern Virginia
- Our Snake Removal Process
- Areas We Service for Snake Control
- FAQ About Black Rat Snakes in Virginia
Identifying Black Snake Behavior
How to Identify Black Rat Snakes
Virginia’s Black Rat Snake—sometimes referred to simply as the “rat snake”—is one of the largest snakes in Virginia. Adults typically grow between 4 to 6 feet long, though some can exceed 7 feet.
When they keep to themselves outside, these snakes make for great natural pest controllers as they eat rodents and other small animals. Rest assured, they are nonvenomous so don’t pose any serious risk to humans or pets.
You can identify a black rat snake by its shiny black color, often with faint white or gray markings between their scales. They might have a white, gray, or checkered underbelly. Juveniles are patterned with dark blotches before turning fully black as they mature.
Where Do Black Rat Snakes Live?
Black rat snakes are found all along the east coast, anywhere from southern Vermont to Florida. They thrive in Virginia’s forests, farmlands, and even suburban neighborhoods. These snakes are excellent climbers, so they’re commonly found in trees, barns, attics, and even inside walls.
As a homeowner, you’re most likely to encounter a black rat snake…
- In attics, basements, and crawlspaces where rodents make easy meals
- Inside sheds, barns, or garages, especially areas storing feed, grain, or excess food
- Around gardens, wood piles, and compost piles where mice and small birds gather
Signs of Black Rat Snakes in Your Home
Black rat snakes can find their way inside your home in a few different ways. Gaps around vents, pipes, and utility lines are common entry points. Basement cracks, crawlspace openings, loose siding, and any other unsealed gap near windows or doors are all invitations.
Because they’re great climbers, black rat snakes can get inside even if they have to scale brick, wood, or vinyl siding to find an opening. But unlike some other pests, they don’t leave as many signs that they’ve moved in. Noticing you have a black rat snake as a new roommate takes careful observation.
Here’s what to look for:
- Shed skins: These could be found in attics, basements, or near entry points.
- Noise inside walls or ceilings: Anytime you hear scraping, scratching, or moving sounds behind walls or ceilings, take it seriously. It might not be a black rat snake, but noise like this is a clear sign that something is alive and moving around.
- Snake sightings: This might go without saying, but if you see black rat snakes around your property, especially near your home foundation or crawl spaces, then you want to check if they’ve gotten indoors.
Why Remove Black Rat Snakes?
Are Black Rat Snakes a Problem for Homeowners?
The size and appearance of black rat snakes can be alarming, but since they are a nonvenomous snake, they pose no direct threat to you, your family, or your pets. Since black rat snakes play a big role in controlling rodent populations, it’s also important not to harm them.
That being said, these snakes do pose some dangers. Here are a few to consider…
- Snake bites: just because they’re not venomous doesn’t mean they won’t bite if cornered or threatened.
- Snake infestations: if they have a reliable food source, multiple snakes might make themselves at home. In some cases, a black rat snake might be a sign of a bigger rodent infestation issue.
- Health and sanitation concerns: having any kind of wild animal in your home presents health dangers. For snakes, you’re dealing with droppings and shed skin.
For most Virginians, the main issue with a black rat snake isn’t the dangers they pose. Instead, it’s the stress of having a loose snake in your home that causes the most aggravation.
Safe snake Removal
4 Effective Black Rat Snake Prevention Strategies
The best way to deal with a snake problem is to make your home less attractive to them in the first place. Here are some ways you can prevent a black rat snake roommate.
Seal All Entry Points
Inspect your home’s foundation, roofline, doors, windows, and vents for gaps. Use wire mesh, caulk, or other materials to close every access point. Snakes can flatten themselves to squeeze into surprisingly small openings, and black rat snakes can climb. Fill every gap.
2. Maintain Excellent Rodent Control
Remember that black rat snakes are animals and they’re looking to eat. Reducing their food source is key to reducing their presence. Secure pet food, clean up birdseed, and address any rodent infestations promptly.
3. Clean Up Your Landscaping
Trim back shrubs, tall grass, and woodpiles near your home. These areas provide excellent cover for snakes. The less cover you provide, the less likely they are to get close.
4. Call a Professional
If you suspect or confirm that a snake of any kind is in your home, professional wildlife removal is your safest solution. Attempting to remove a black rat snake on your own can be stressful. It also could be extremely dangerous if you’ve misidentified the type of snake you’re dealing with.
Stay safe by trusting Hunt Country Wildlife Control with all snake removal needs.
Our Black Rat Snake Removal Process
Black Rat Snake Removal in Northern Virginia
Professional removal ensures the snake is handled humanely and effectively. It also keeps you and your family safe in case a different, more dangerous type of snake is in your home.
Our process not only removes the animal but also prevents future visitors from getting into your home.
1. Detailed Property Assessment
We begin with a full inspection of your home and property to identify entry points, attractants, and evidence of snake activity.
2. Custom Snake Eviction Plan
Every home is different, so we design a plan tailored to your situation. No matter if you have a single snake or a nesting site, we’ll develop a safe, effective plan for removal.
3. Humane Removal
Using safe and humane techniques, we remove the snake (or snakes) without harm to them, your home, or your family.
4. Exclusion and Repairs
We seal entry points and recommend any necessary structural repairs to prevent future snake infestations.
5. Cleanup and Decontamination
We will clean up all snake droppings and shed skins to restore safety and cleanliness.
6. Follow-Up and Monitoring
We provide monitoring to ensure snakes do not return and that your home remains secure long-term.
Areas Served
Areas We Service for Snake Control
We provide professional black rat snake removal throughout Northern Virginia, including:
Loudoun County
- Purcellville
- Round Hill
- Leesburg
- Hamilton
- South Riding
- Ashburn
- Sterling
- Middleburg
Fairfax County
- McLean
- Arlington
If you live in one of these or the surrounding areas, reach out to Hunt Country Wildlife Control for safe, effective black rat snake removal.
FAQ
FAQ About Black Rat Snakes in Virginia
How do you get a black rat snake out of your house?
The safest, most effective way is to call a professional. Snakes can be defensive when cornered, and improper handling may lead to injury (to you or the snake).
Never attempt to handle any snake until you’ve 100% confirmed it is nonvenomous. And even then, it’s necessary to handle them carefully. Best to keep snake removal to the licensed professionals.
What scares black rat snakes away?
Black rat snakes usually prefer to avoid any type of confrontation and use their stealth and camouflage to manage this fairly successfully.
If you’re looking for ways to deter their arrival, start by eliminating food sources, sealing entry points, and keeping your yard clear of hiding spots.
Are black rat snakes dangerous?
Black rat snakes are wild animals that will defend themselves with a bite if they need to. However, they are nonvenomous and don’t pose serious dangers to humans.
What attracts black rat snakes to homes?
Rodents, cluttered landscaping, and accessible entry points are the main attractants for these snakes.
Call now for expert wildlife removal and exclusion you can trust.
Don’t wait until a small problem becomes a big one.
Call now and get the peace of mind you deserve.