Snake Removal in Jefferson, GA

Snakes around your Jefferson home

Jefferson has the kind of land snakes like. The creek bottoms that drain toward the Oconee River stay damp and shaded, the edges of pasture and poultry farms have plenty of mice and rats, and old fence rows, woodpiles and outbuildings give them places to hide. When a field gets cleared for a subdivision, the snakes living there get pushed toward whatever houses are closest. So seeing one near a foundation or in a garage here isn't unusual.

The good news is that most of them are harmless. In our experience, the large majority of snake calls turn out to be rat snakes, and only a small fraction are venomous. Georgia has 47 native snake species, seven of them venomous, and the copperhead is the one you're realistically likely to meet near a Jefferson home. And killing a non-venomous snake is illegal in Georgia, so the answer is identification and safe removal.

What you're most likely seeing

The big dark snake in the barn rafters or climbing the brick is almost always a rat snake. They eat rodents and are a good neighbor to have near feed and chicken coops. Kingsnakes eat other snakes, copperheads included. Smaller brown and garter snakes in flowerbeds eat slugs and worms. None of these are dangerous, and all of them are protected. Most people assume every snake is venomous; almost none are.

Copperheads around Jefferson

Georgia's venomous snakes are the copperhead, northern cottonmouth, Florida cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, pigmy rattlesnake and eastern coral snake. Near homes in this area, the copperhead is the one to watch for. Its brown, hourglass-banded pattern blends into leaf litter, pine straw and woodpiles, so it's often found when someone reaches into a flowerbed or moves firewood. Wear gloves for yard work along wooded edges and creek banks, and if you see one, step back and leave it alone.

Killing non-venomous snakes is illegal

Georgia law protects its native non-venomous snakes, and killing one is a violation. It's also how many bites happen — people get bitten trying to kill or move a snake. A licensed pro removes it safely and relocates it where appropriate, without harming a protected animal or putting you within striking range.

Outside? Usually just wait

A snake crossing your yard or sunning on the driveway will usually move on within a few minutes to an hour. Keep kids and pets away and let it go. By the time anyone arrives, it's often gone. A snake inside the house, garage, crawlspace or barn is different: call right away, because the longer you wait, the harder it is to find.

Why snakes keep showing up

Snakes come for two things: food and cover. On a Jefferson lot, the food is usually mice and rats around feed, bird seed, chicken coops and crawlspaces. The cover is tall grass, brush along the creek, stacked firewood, and clutter near the foundation. If you have a lot of snakes, look at the rodent situation first. Fix that and clear back the overgrowth, and you'll see fewer.

Crawlspaces, garages and barns

Many Jefferson homes sit on crawlspaces, and a torn vent screen or a gap around a pipe lets snakes follow mice inside. Garages with gaps under the door and barns with feed are the same story. After removing the snake, the pro looks for those openings and recommends sealing them with metal screen or flashing, and dealing with the rodents that drew the snake in.