A snake in the attic is having a weird day too

The climber around here

The snake in the photo on our home page is the one we mean: an Indiana gray ratsnake. They are nonvenomous, they are good climbers, and an attic does not scare them if it smells like mice.

Around Fort Wayne, the snakes people meet in houses are almost always nonvenomous. Garter snakes, brown snakes, and ratsnakes top the list. Venomous snakes are uncommon in this part of the state, and they are not the ones pacing your rafters. Please still do not pick one up to check the pattern. A sure answer is not worth a bite.

It followed dinner

If a snake settled in, food settled in first. That might be mice in the garage, or a nest in the insulation. Removing the snake and leaving the mice is how you get a sequel.

We look for the animal, the opening it used, and the reason it stayed. Sometimes the opening is a gap at the foundation. Sometimes it rode a wall all the way to the attic. Both are fixable once we see them.

Give it a closed door, not a hero

If a snake is in a living room or a garage you need today, shut the door to that space and keep pets out. Do not pin it with a broom and do not put it in a bucket if you are unsure. Tell us what you saw, about how long it was, and which room.

A photo from a safe distance helps. A blurry one is fine. We would rather have a bad photo than a close call.

What to do tonight

• Do not pick it up, poke it, or corner it with a broom.
• Close the door to the room it is in if you can do that without stepping over it.
• Keep kids and pets out. Curiosity is how most bites happen.
• Tell us the room, the time, and whether you have also had mice. That last part matters.