Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Someone recently emailed me asking what to do with a baby black rat snake that found its way into their house in Eastern PA. My first thought is that the young snake will be fine if released back in the wild because its in its natural habitat. My next thought though, is that even though PA is the snake's natural habitat, it entered the house to find a warm hiding spot to escape extreme winter lows.

Would it be doing the snake more harm to let it go in the wild or house it indoors until the Spring?

Thanks guys.
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Jesse Rothacker
Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary
Find out how YOU can get involved in reptile rescue...
www.forgottenfriend.org

>>Someone recently emailed me asking what to do with a baby black rat snake that found its way into their house in Eastern PA. My first thought is that the young snake will be fine if released back in the wild because its in its natural habitat. My next thought though, is that even though PA is the snake's natural habitat, it entered the house to find a warm hiding spot to escape extreme winter lows.
>>
>>Would it be doing the snake more harm to let it go in the wild or house it indoors until the Spring?
>>

I would have them wait until the weather warms up.
It came in to get out of the cold. With the weather as cold as it is now, especially in Pa. the poor little thing would freeze before it could find a warm retreat.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

...Instead of just chucking it out into the snow (or killing it) as so many snake-phobic people would have done. As Jimmy said, it needs a decent place to spend the winter. Hopefully they are willing to let it chill until spring. They could keep it in their basement or some other cool, dark place and only need to supply it with water until the weather turns. Or they could cage it at normal room temps, offering it a pinky every week or two. Or they could find someone, perhaps on these forums, who would be willing to take it in. If/when released it should probably be let go fairly close to their home, assuming that there is some kind of "green space" in the area. Duffy

It is actually illegal to do in OH & I believe I have seen a reg. pertaining to this on the PA Fish & Boat commision's website also.