Found a snake in my house are there more

1. Home
2. Better Life

A zookeeper gives us the lowdown. - by

Have you got a plan of action if you spot a snake in your home?

WATCH: Snake bite action plan

The sight of a snake can be scary for anyone, especially inside your home. Snake season typically begins around October and November. However, as we've seen in the past, the reptiles often can appear out of the blue.

There's no reason to be afraid if you're prepared and know how to react and handle the situation safely. We spoke to Zookeeper Ash Wombey from Wild Life Sydney Zoo to answer all our burning questions on exactly what to do when you find a snake in your home.

1. What's the first thing you should do if you see a snake in the home?

Try to stay calm, and don't try to move the snake yourself. Instead, remember where it is, remove yourself and all family members and pets from the room, shut the door, and lock the snake in and place a towel under the gap of the door. Contact a local, licensed snake or animal handler, and they will be able to remove the snake safely.

2. What's the first thing you should do if you are bitten by a snake? Any dos and don'ts?

When bitten by a snake, the first thing you should do is try to stay calm, call emergency services, and stay as still as possible. There is a chance the snake may have been venomous, and by staying as still as possible, it can slow the spread of venom. Apply a pressure immobilisation bandage over the entire limb that was bitten – if you don't have a bandage, any stretchy fabric will do! Don't wash, wipe or tourniquet the bite, as a hospital may be able to identify the species of snake that caused the bite.

3. Any tips to snake-proof your home?

Snakes love small, warm dark spaces as they perceive them as snake places to rest. Try to cover or fill any holes that lead from your backyard or garden into the house, the roof, or even beneath the house! Maintain a neat, tidy garden and remove any debris. Also, having screens instead of leaving doors wide open, will reduce the chance of a snake entering a home. Ensure all food scraps are disposed of in covered bins – otherwise it will attract rodents and, therefore, snakes!

4. Any signs to look out for that there may be a snake in or around the home/area?

One of the biggest signs that there may have been a snake around is the presence of snake shed. Snakes shed their scales fairly often, and often in whole pieces. If you have also historically seen rats and mice around your neighbourhood but suddenly aren't, this may be a sign that a snake has been around as their natural diet includes rodents.

Wild Life Sydney Zoo

5. Signs to look out for that you may have been bitten by a snake.

Snake bites often occur on the extremities, such as arms and legs. The first sign that you may have been bitten is pain or bleeding at the site, with some redness and/or swelling. Other signs may include nausea or difficulty breathing.

6. If a snake has been in my home, do I need to clean that specific room or the whole house?

After a snake has been safely removed from your house, check for any holes in the walls or roof from the garden and fill or cover them in.  Snakes love clutter and the safe resting places they provide, by keeping your house tidy, it will help keep it free of snakes.

7. If a snake has been in my home, is there a chance there will be more? Are there ways to prevent this?

Most encounters of snakes within a home are a once-off.  Snakes are often searching for a safe place to rest, bask in sunlight or are seeking food from rodents. They most often never mean to find themselves within people's houses. The best way to prevent this is ensuring you keep a tidy garden with short grass and filling in all holes that lead into walls and roof cavities.

8. Is there a reason to why a snake has been in my home?

Snake are an incredibly important part of the ecosystem and help to keep rodent levels down. You may have had an influx of rats and mice around your house lately, and the snake may have taken care of that for you! Another reason may be that a snake may perceive the house as a warm and safe environment for it to bask and absorb some sunlight.

You might also like:

How to get rid of rats in your garden without poison or traps

Why your vegetable garden could be toxic

Natural cleaning oils to help clean the home

Coming across a snake in the wild sends people running for the hills, but it's even worse when a snake has found its way into your space. When searching for food or for shelter, snakes can and will slither their way into your house—and they're even more likely to do so when summer turns to fall. Despite being sneaky, however, this creepy creature tends to leave behind some obvious signs that it has taken up residence in your space. To avoid stumbling on a snake by surprise, read on to learn how you can tell there's one hiding in your house.

RELATED: This Is When You're Most Likely to Encounter a Snake, Experts Say.

If there's a snake in your house, you may end up hearing it before you actually see it. Jack Miller, a pest control expert and founder of How I Get Rid Of, says that hearing mysterious noises in small spaces is a common sign of a snake's presence, especially "if it's a sound that you're not familiar with and it doesn't sound like your run-of-the-mill household pests like rats."

Michael Dean, a pest expert and co-founder of landscaping website Pool Research, says that if you're dealing with a snake, these strange noises are likely to come from enclosed or dark spaces, such as your walls, crawlspace, flooring, or attic. Snakes are likely to make a crinkling paper noise or a slow-moving, scratching noise similar to that of sandpaper, per the Wildlife Company, an animal control company.

"This type of noise is generally made by snakes as they crawl over the paper side of batten type insulation. Their scales will scratch against the paper as they crawl across," the Wildlife Company says. "This noise will cross a ceiling very slowly if it is made by a snake. If you hear this, crawlspaces and attics need to be inspected for snakes."

RELATED: Leaving This in Your Garage Is Bringing Snakes to Your Home, Experts Warn.

To confirm that you're dealing with a snake, you can also look for the physical signs of one. These include left-behind snake skins or snake droppings. According to Jonathan Gleave, an exterminator with Hawx Pest Control, these creatures shed their skins several times per year, which means you're likely to come across the remnants of their shedding.

"The skin will appear in a hollow tube shape in one or a couple of large pieces. It will have a recognizable scale pattern," he says. As for snake droppings, Maureen K. Murithi, DVM, a veterinarian working with Hepper, says they often look similar to bird droppings, but usually also contain leftover bones or hair from eaten prey.

Snakes find their way into people's homes through various routes, but there are ways you can make yours a less appealing choice. Nancy Troyano, PhD, a board-certified entomologist from Ehrlich Pest Control, says to snake-proof your home, you should ensure that there are no gaps around outside doors, window frames, or baseboards. You should also close up any holes, cracks, or crevices, especially near the crawlspace. "Drainage areas are a perfect entry point for snakes," she says. "Cover gutters and drain pipes with fine gauge mesh, and seal all holes where wiring, plumbing, or gas enters the home."

Both Troyano and Murithi say you should also keep the grass around your house cut down, as this is a prime hiding spot for snakes. "Additionally, snakes prey on rodents for food. Disposing trash and clearing any debris that may be laying around the home aimlessly helps prevent attracting rodents into your home, which may deter the snakes from crawling into your home in search of food," Murithi adds.

RELATED: For more guidance on pests delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

Karen Riley, an animal expert and founder of IHaveDogs, says that if you do come across a snake in your home, you can try opening a surrounding window or door to provide it with an escape route. But you should never try to grab it or poke it yourself, as a snake can quickly react and severely harm you if venomous. No matter what, Murithi says you should call a pest control company if you notice or suspect a snake is in your home.

"It is important to notify pest control companies, as they are more knowledgeable on how to fumigate and eradicate them," she explains. "In the meantime, one can inspect their home and [look] for any holes on the ground or hiding places that may be suspect and notify the pest control company once they arrive."

RELATED: If You Smell This at Home, You May Have a Venomous Snake, Experts Say.

What to do if you see a snake inside your house?

What does it mean if a snake comes in your house?

Where do snakes hide around the house?

What should you not do if you see a snake?