5 Places Snakes Love to Hide in Your Basement

Depending on its layout and how it is used, the basement of your home can be one of the more striking rooms in the house. Sometimes you can find a box of old family photos that you thought disappeared when you moved long ago.

In others, it may be a sudden malfunction or another maintenance headache. But because of the relatively calm conditions in this area, it can also be a place where unpleasant outside animals, including reptiles, can eventually disappear.

According to experts, there are certain places where snakes will hide in your basement. Read on to find out which spots are their favorites.

Here are places snakes love to hide in your basement, according to experts:

1. Near the pipes

Although they are likely to enter for shelter or to look for food, it does not just heat that snakes are after. Experts note that certain parts of your yard can mimic the trees and shrubs they naturally hide while providing the excellent surface they seek in the warmer months.

Donnie Shelton, EnviroCon Termite & Pest’s owner, says, ” When snakes enter a house, they usually prefer to be in damp and humid environments with access to heat from the sun.” “Mostly, they’re found in basements and crawl spaces, but specifically in your basement rafters or around water pipes where they’re sheltered from predators.”

2. Among boxes or clutter

One of the basics of the reason tends to be cliche hoarding is that it’s an easy way to overlook things you don’t need every day. But cluttered boxes or other items can be inconspicuous and provide the confidential environment that snakes seek once they enter your home.

According to Shelton, reptiles are not uncommon to hide in “tarps or blankets, cardboard boxes or storage containers.”

However, it’s not just about giving snakes a place to hide undisturbed: Clutter and piles can also attract bats, giving them easy access to one of their favorite treats. She recommends installing shelving or switching to rigid plastic containers that mice and rats can’t easily chew through and make their homes to avoid pilling.

And if you’re using your subterranean level to store extra clothes or seasonal clothing, you might want to keep them properly. From Paske Pest Control, Joshua Paske says: “snakes like to hide in dark, damp, deserted places. They are often hidden behind boxes, bags, or piles of clothes.

3. Near heaters, vents, or radiators

During the colder months, wild animals seem to make more effort to keep your home warm. And whether they’re looking for a place to snuggle up for the winter or tracking down their favorite food supplies, snakes are no exception.

From Delsea Termite & Pest Control Todd Milsom, “If it’s cold outside, you can find snakes hiding near a fan or radiator to get warm,” he says. If you’re keeping low-level heat, he recommends keeping the area around any heat source free of dirt or debris so they can’t get loose as quickly.

4. Behind water heaters or other machines

Aside from your boxes of extra clothes, odds, and ends, your basement is home to many essential pieces of equipment. But the same appliances that keep your home warm and running hot water can also help cold-blooded reptiles regulate their body temperature and stay warm.

From Gecko Pest Control, “snakes prefer dark places and many areas to hide,” Daren Horton says. It can often be near a heat source near water heaters [and laundry pipes].”

5. In or under unused furniture

Whether used as part of one of your more active rooms, furniture like your favorite armchair or that compact bed you’ve had for years can be your favorite place to relax.

But if you keep those items for storage in the basement, they are just as likely to be tricked by a snake trying to stay out of the way.

“If your [basement] is filled with a lot of furniture, chances are the snakes will hide under those pieces, so there’s no human contact,” Mike Orlando, owner of Superior Pest Elimination, says.