Posted by Alex, forum owner on May 3, 2005, 4:21 pm, in reply to "Re: baby snake in house" --Previous Message--
66.169.83.133
: Hi Alex:
: Thank you for the quick response. I
: live in an almost 200 year old house
: with a granite stone foundation, so
: plugging every crack is almost
: impossible, although we have certainly
: tried. In battling mice over the years
: I have found the best solution is to
: set traps outside the house (covered so
: other critters don't get in the traps).
: However, until now we never had an
: encounter with a snake in the house.
:
: I don't think the snake is a Scarlet
: King snake. Definitely a milk snake.
:
: The snake is a very small baby, but it
: looks most like the milk snake in this
: picture, although the baby's black
: lines are thinner:
: http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpecies_LI.asp?imageID=19124
:
: The pattern on its head (two black 'V'
: shaped markings facing each other in
: almost a diamond pattern), looks
: similar to the milk snake in this
: picture:
: http://www.gbayreptiles.com/milk.htm
:
: Thanks again,
:
: Kathleen
:
: --Previous Message--
: :
: --Previous Message--
: We found a baby snake in one of our
: upstairs bedrooms tonight. After
: looking at many pictures of snakes on
: the internet, I think it is a milk
: snake, as it has orange crossbands,
: bordered in black. Int between the
: corssbands it is white. There is a
: marking on its head -- two black V's
: facing each other to form almost a
: diamond shape. It is very small -- only
: about 5" long and very skinny. We
: live in Massachusetts, about 26 miles
: west of Boston. Isn't this a bit early
: for baby milk snakes to be hatching in
: Massachusetts? I thought they hatched
: in late summer. Also, how and why would
: a snake be upstairs ni our house? Don't
: they like cool, dark places? We just
: got back from Kiawah Island, South
: Carolina, and have been unpacking
: suitcases upstairs. Could the snake or
: snake egg have come home with us in a
: suitcase? I am worried there are more
: snakes in the house. My daughter can't
: sleep. We have lived here for over 20
: years and have never had a snake in the
: house. How can I be sure to get rid of
: them?
:
: Thank you,
:
: Kathleen
:
: No, it isn't really early at all for
: Milk Snakes to be out; they hatched
: last fall, and are out looking for
: their first meal of the season. Milk
: Snakes are harmless, and do enter
: houses in search of mice, lizards,
: insects and other things. The only
: thing to do is weather proof the house.
: This, along with keeping out weather
: and lowering your heating/cooling bill,
: will keep out unwanted visitors.
: The snake sounds like a Scarlet King
: Snake actually, and they are native to
: South Carolina. Look up both Eastern
: Milk Snake and Scarlet King Snake.
: Here's the Goole search for Eastern:
: Eastern Milk Snake and here is the one
: for Scarlet King: Scarlet King Snake
: Let me know which it is please.
: Alex
:
:
:
:
:
Hi Kathleen;
Actually, Milk Snakes are fun to have around, and can make fairly good pets, though are usually wriggly and nervous. They are also a good device to get a youngster (or an oldster) over a fear of snakes.
Milks are a member of the King Snake group, and thus are excellent mousers, but are even better venomous snake repellent. They have no venom themselves, being completely harmless, but are able to overcome all native venomous snakes by coiling up on them and killing them. They are completely immune to the venom. Copperheads and Rattlers will not come near a place where King or Milk Snakes live (or so I have heard), so you have an umbrella of protection right near you.
Wish I could find one here; All I have ever seen in the wild was a Scarlet King in South Carolina. (Considered the same species, just a different form.)
Thanks for writing!
Alex
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