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We have had traps out for a while for mice and caught a couple but haven't gotten anymore and I knew there had to be more so today my daughter went down to the basement to get a ball and there was a black snake there. Know we know what happened to the mice but how in the world do we keep snakes from getting in. I am so freaked out, I don't know how I am going to sleep at night.
I am thinking of going to get some moth balls but is there anything else we can do? We have a new house but it does have a sliding door in the basement.
Jani:
We have blacksnake here at the cabin...call him Elmer. Look for him every spring and now he's 5'6" long...takes care of the unwanteds and I have a real nice sign posted for the traveling salemen and such...blacksnakes make very nice pets...never ask for much and if you live in the country, as we do...they keep the copperheads and rattlers away...will kill them on sight...
adjust to this...its like the political changeover coming in November...some new snakes are coming out the grass and we will get use to them too.
After he takes care of exterminating your mice problem, he will move out to the neighbors...let them know that a pest sub-contractor is freelancing in the neighborhood.
Remember, It's bad luck to kiil a blacksnake...they have feelings too.
I have to print this and let my mom read it, she thinks only "good snake is a dead one" DK one more time, do you know something about everything?? I did not know that about the copperheads and rattlers! We have copperheads in S'ville (uncle just killed one 2 days ago).
I could handle one black snake around the house as a pest cub-contractor, but in the house???? Should one just catch and release? What about babies or a whole family?
my nose is all scrunched up just typing this snakes ugh!!
Blacksnakes are intelligent too...they recognize that you mean them no harm and will stay out of the way...a problem exists in their food chain...they really like birds and will hang in the trees and work the entire buffet table...but they get the moles and voles along with the field mice...rats too,I expect if you lived in town...
I learned to respect them from my GF...he had a big one in the barn and everyone knew to keep him safe. Once in a while he would put him around his neck and show him off to us kids...lived over the door of the horse stable. Kept us kids from the barn...
Old people pick up knowledge as they go along...I haven't forgotton a lot of it yet...I'm completely ignored by the young, dumb ones and like that very much...In my own circles its a different story...
about snake babies...the viper class birth their young...blacksnakes like a hatching area for their eggs...old sawdust or tree shred mulch is perfect...they look just like turtle eggs...leathery white and soft shelled...if he out stays his welcome, call the DNR and ask them to trap him and give him a new home...when they are put-out they can find a new home...not like a pet dog or cat.
West Virginia even has a critter capturer...I'm sure the link to that business is on google.
We have had traps out for a while for mice and caught a couple but haven't gotten anymore and I knew there had to be more so today my daughter went down to the basement to get a ball and there was a black snake there. Know we know what happened to the mice but how in the world do we keep snakes from getting in. I am so freaked out, I don't know how I am going to sleep at night.
I am thinking of going to get some moth balls but is there anything else we can do? We have a new house but it does have a sliding door in the basement.
I feel so sorry for you!!! I couldn't sleep at night either. I hate snakes so much. I've never killed one, but I don't want them anywhere near me, and I definitely do not want them INSIDE my house. I would have it removed ASAP! Call an exterminator or something, or the DNR might have some advise. I'm not sure if the animal catcher would really be of assistance in this situation... ha ha I would look around your basement too and re-seal any cracks, place thick rugs right up against doors, make sure its well lit, etc.
If that snake made it in, it probably means other snakes could make it in if they wanted. With small children a rattler or copperhead bite could be very lethal.
We have had traps out for a while for mice and caught a couple but haven't gotten anymore and I knew there had to be more so today my daughter went down to the basement to get a ball and there was a black snake there. Know we know what happened to the mice but how in the world do we keep snakes from getting in. I am so freaked out, I don't know how I am going to sleep at night.
I am thinking of going to get some moth balls but is there anything else we can do? We have a new house but it does have a sliding door in the basement.
I agree with everything people have said so far (even the snakes in the november grasses lol) but you need to reason with yourself. They don't want trouble from you, they're just hungry and you've got an abundant food source. Mother natures plan in your house doesn't work for you, understood, but the same way the mice got in is likely the same way the snake got in. You'll solve two problems for the price of one. http://www.stretcher.com/stories/04/04sep06a.cfm
Black snakes are not poisonous like copperheads or rattle snakes, just scary looking.
They will not harm you.
They will keep your basement free of other critters.
When the food supply is no longer in your basement he, or she, will move on to your neighbors house.
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I did not know that about the copperheads and rattlers! We have copperheads in S'ville (uncle just killed one 2 days ago).
I couldn't sleep at night either. I hate snakes so much. I've never killed one, but I don't want them anywhere near me, and I definitely do not want them INSIDE my house. I would have it removed ASAP! Call an exterminator or something, or the DNR might have some advise. I'm not sure if the animal catcher would really be of assistance in this situation... ha ha I would look around your basement too and re-seal any cracks, place thick rugs right up against doors, make sure its well lit, etc. 
