Snakes (6624)

Pennsylvania is home to over 20 species of snakes. Some are abundant, some rare. Most are beneficial in helping to control insects and rodents. Only two species are venomous.

Many people fear snakes, probably because they know some are venomous. Some people go out of their way to kill snakes, even when there is no threat to safety or property. As a result, many harmless and beneficial snakes are indiscriminately killed.

No Pennsylvania snakes are large enough to hurt a human by squeezing, or "constriction." But snakes CAN bite. Most large snakes bite when cornered or handled, and tiny ones will often try. Large ones may draw blood; small ones usually do not.

If people knew more about snakes, they would not misunderstand and fear them so much. Fear of snakes is often acquired from early experience or from friends or relatives who fear snakes. This fear can be overcome.

Rural, suburban#and sometimes even urban#homeowners may occasionally encounter snakes and should know enough about them to make such encounters less traumatic—for both species.

Problems with snakes range from occasional encounters with a single snake to infestations of large numbers of snakes in basements, out-building foundations, or piles of debris. Unless it is venomous, an individual snake should be viewed more as a nuisance than as a threat.

If you are outdoors in rattlesnake range, familiarize yourself with the appearance of rattlesnakes, their habits and habitats, and what to do in the unlikely event of a bite. Be informed, be careful, and you won't have anything to worry about. Rattlesnakes have distinctive wedge-shaped heads, blotchy markings, and rattles. Any snake that is all one color or has lengthwise stripes is harmless, but not all snakes with blotches of color are dangerous. Copperheads have distinctive wedge-shaped heads, are 30 to 50 inches long and have a copper, bronze, or brown body marked with bands of darker brown in an hourglass pattern.

Many harmless snakes such as Garter Snakes (often called "Garden Snakes"), Green Snakes, Brown Snakes, and Ribbon Snakes frequently turn up where they are unwanted. An individual snake on a patio, in the garage, or in a garden can be captured with a gloved hand, scooped into a box or bag and easily relocated. There is no need to kill a snake that just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Unusual numbers of snakes usually indicate an attractive habitat. If they are found inside during cold weather, it means the snakes gather at that site in what is called a hibernaculum. They will disperse on their own in the spring. If you can't wait, they must be physically removed and the access points located and sealed to prevent future problems. Large numbers of snakes outside may mean an attractive wood pile or junk pile is being used as a shelter, or that an excellent food supply consisting of rodents and insects is available. To the extent you can clean up or minimize such habitat features, you can lessen the likelihood of encountering snakes.

There are no poisons registered for use against snakes in Pennsylvania. Rodent glue traps may be useful for capturing snakes indoors.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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