ATLANTA — Snakes are on the move in Georgia but experts tell us most of them are good neighbors.
As the weather gets warmer more Georgia homeowners will spot slimy reptiles around our yards. In Pike County, Connie Spellman confronted a snake while moving a tarp off of some lawn equipment on her front porch. When she heard a rattle, she swore she’d encountered a rattlesnake.
“I heard a rattle,” said Spellman. “I learned later it wasn’t truly a rattle. It was actually a snake moving its tail and rattling against the tarp.”
Her visitor was a rat snake, one of many non-venomous reptiles that have learned to fake it.
“They’re trying to look intimidating,” explained Jason Clark of Southeastern Reptile Rescue. “They try to look dangerous so you’ll leave them alone.”
Clark removed the rat snake from Spellman’s yard. His Youtube page documents his adventures rescuing snakes from attics, escaped pets like a red-tailed boa from a laundry room, and a pair of rattlesnakes caught in a backyard fence.
The overwhelming majority of snakes in Georgia are harmless. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, off the 47 species here only seven are venomous.
Clark says if you see a snake around your home it’s best to just leave it alone so it can dine on the frogs and rodents nearby.
“It will go away,” said Clark. “These snakes are not just coming and staying in one spot. They’re constantly moving throughout the area.”
If your goal is to keep them away, Scott Teagle of Arrow Exterminators said you should eliminate hiding spots.
“Thick areas in your yard and bushes, if it’s not kept trim is attractive to rodents and lizards and things snakes feed on,” said Teagle.
Killing a non-venomous snake in Georgia is against the law. If you spot a snake that you know is venomous, that’s when you need to call an expert.
Of course, there’s no harm in making a call when you encounter a snake like the one Connie Sellman found that wasn’t dangerous, but had all the acting skills it need to convince her that it was.