Baja California Rat Snake (Bogertophis rosaliae)

Baja Rat snake Control is a common call we get in the califonia area, we have offices that specialize in all types of snake control. some of the cities and services we offer include: Los Angeles snake removal, San Franciscio snake removal, San Mateo snake removal, Sacramento snake removal and all other cities in California. If you have a snake problem and live somewhere else, start here to find a wildlife removal professional
Believe it or not, snakes can be great to have around. After all, they love to eat rodents! And rat snakes are harmless to humans, despite their startling appearance. But when they move inside our homes, often something must be done. Here’s what you need to know when dealing with a possible rat snake on your property.

Baja California Rat Snake ID and Habits

Reaches 3-4 feet long at maturity; large round eyes, uniform or reddish-brown coloring. It’s a constrictor, considered harmless to humans, but may strike when threatened. Found in southernmost California (Imperial County), it is thought to be nocturnal or crepuscular (active in morning and evening). Feeding habits unknown.

Baja California Rat Snake Control

A first step in snake control is to identify what kind of snake you have. This can be difficult, however, for non-experts; adding to the difficulty is that in some species, juvenile snakes may look very different from the adult, sometimes mimicking poisonous snakes.
If you’re ever bitten by a Baja California rat snake, make sure to get it checked out. Rat snakes are not venomous, but with any wild animal bite there’s a risk of infection.
After identification of the culprit, there are several steps to dealing with snake problems: making your property less inviting to snakes (habitat modification), which includes making your property less inviting to the rodents they feed upon; dealing with any snakes that are already there; and preventing more snakes from entering your home or building (exclusion).
Habitat modification. In wooded, rural and riparian settings where snakes are common, their presence can be discouraged by eliminating stands of tall vegetation and removing piles of rock, lumber, and debris that might attract snakes to search for prey or to seek harborage on the property in question – especially close to buildings. The closing of all entrances to rodent burrows make an area less attractive to snakes. It also helps if one is persistent in controlling rats, mice, and field rodents around residences and other buildings.
Exclusion. Structural gaps and crevices larger than 1/4 inch and within three feet of grade should be closed off because snakes can pass through very small openings. Crawlspace vents should not have screens with larger than 1/4 inch mesh. If snakes are gaining access into a building, a thorough search should be made for cracks in the foundation, unscreened crawlspace vents and gaps around basement window frames. It is important to check clearance under doors and look for improper sealing where plumbing and utility lines penetrate the foundation of the building.

Rodent Proofing Your Home

Repair or replace damaged ventilation screen around the foundation and under eaves.
Provide a tight fitting cover for the crawl space.
Seal all openings around pipes, cables, and wires that enter through walls or the foundation.
Be sure all windows that can be opened are screened and that the screens are in good condition.
Cover all chimneys with a spark arrester.
Make sure internal screens on roof and attic air vents are in good repair.
Cover rooftop plumbing vent pipes in excess of 2 inches in diameter with screens over their tops.
Make sure all exterior doors are tight fitting and weatherproofed at the bottom.
Seal gaps beneath garage doors with a gasket or weatherstripping.
Install self-closing exits or screening to clothes dryer vents to the outside.
Remember that pet doors into the house or garage provide an easy entrance for rodents.
Keep side doors to the garage closed, especially at night.
Keep your trees trimmed, and your bushes and vines thinned. Make sure trees are trimmed back from the house at least 4 feet.
Keep lids on garbage cans.
Clean up all debris in the yard and storage areas.
Seal around your attic.
Don't leave pet food outside, especially at night.
Pick your citrus as soon as it is ripe. Remove any fallen citrus from the ground.
Store wood at least 18 inches above the ground and 12 inches away from walls.
Eliminate standing water and fix leaky faucets.

Baja Snake Removal

If you’re confident that you do indeed have a rat snake in your house, and you want to deal with it yourself, try this: place a trashcan on the side of the snake, and use a broom or a similar tool to gently sweep it inside the trashcan. Relocate it well away from residential areas, and seal up any openings in your house where it can get back in.
If you have any doubt about which kind of snake you have, or if you suspect several, a call to a pest control company is warranted. We also have pages dedicated to snakes in the attic. located here.