Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Recently, when we turned the AC on for the first time this season, we noticed some debris:

Couldn’t figure out what it was …well, I went in the attic today and poked around…. Then, right next to the ac unit, I see this:

:eek:

 and yes, I have had a minor rodent problem in the past …confirmed mice which I killed and no longer saw further evidence…but maybe that’s because I’ve had help….

So, my theory is, the debris coming out of the attic is actually dead snake debris ? …that somehow he got into the main ductwork and died and rotted, and this is rotted snake particles coming out of the vents … im going to call a wildlife removal dude tommorow .... if nothing else to confirm my theory and help me find entries...Now for the complicated part….my wife absolutely CANNOT find out that there is/was a snake in our house …seriously, I can’t afford a new house right now….

so what kind of snake is it ?

It looks like a harmless Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoleta). If you live in the western US it might be a Gophersnake instead, but either way they are totally harmless. Ratsnake is a more likely "attic snake", particularly if you are east of the Rockies.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

By the dorsal saddle blotching, and where it was found, it looks to be a harmless Gray or Black Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus).

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Also, even if you can't get a positive ID, the bottom photo is enough to rule out any of the venomous snakes in the U.S.

Although the fact that it was in the attic made that very unlikely already...
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

The debris is chewed up duct work from the rodents. I've had it before and I work on acs. The shed appears to be from a harmless rat snake.
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I never give them hell, I give them the truth and they think it's hell!

If more colubrid guys had balls (pythons) they wouldn't need to lie in police reports.

www.hognosefarm.com