# Do snakes get inside Florida houses? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 20, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270 "2006-10-20T19:28:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/1 "2006-10-20T19:28:57Z")
Floridopers, do snakes get into your house ever? I was thinking of buying a house in Florida but I think I would die if I found one in my house, even a little garter snake. I am _terrified_ of snakes. I can’t watch them on TV and I turn the page quickly when I see a picture of one in a magazine. In a movie theater back in '81, when Indiana Jones fell in that snake pit, I threw up in my popcorn. Yeah, I _hate_ the writhing buggers. Instead of buying a house, would I be better off buying an apartment on an upper floor? They can’t crawl up trees and slither in my windows, can they? ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/2 "2006-10-20T19:38:33Z")
There aren’t THAT many snakes in Florida! I’ve seen a couple of dozen (all outside) in my entire life here. Definitely not something to be worried about. Now hurricanes, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/3 "2006-10-20T19:44:22Z")
In my 16 years here I’ve seen no more than maybe 5 and like **yoyodyne** said, they were all outside. Now if you want to talk scary, wait til you encounter your first 5 inch flying cockroach :eek: I promise I will rescue you from the snakes if you’ll come and slay my palmetto bugs. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/4 "2006-10-20T20:02:41Z")
x.cddfs;osd /av _heaves snake off the keyboard_ Aw, they’re not that bad. My grandmother lives on the St. John’s River, and sees snakes nearly every day, but they’ve only gotten in the house once or twice in the last thirty-five years, and then only if a door had been left open. If you move to Florida, you’ll be keeping the house shut tight anyway, because you won’t want to let the air conditioning out! ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/5 "2006-10-20T20:04:15Z")
I’ve been here for 8 1/2 years, and I’ve only seen one snake - the water moccasin in our back yard that I nearly wheeled the lawn mower into a couple of summers ago. None since, and a quick survey at work shows that nobody has had one in their house. You should be fine! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/6 "2006-10-20T20:07:27Z")
Yeah, like snakes are still scary after reading about vomit topped popcorn. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/7 "2006-10-20T20:12:46Z")
Snakes get into houses anywhere ther are snakes, even suburban Boston. There is nothing magical about Florida snakes. Actually, at this time of year, more snakes are probably sneaking into homes in the northeast and mid-Atlantic than other times of the year as they search for warm areas to hole up for the winter. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/8 "2006-10-20T20:19:22Z")
I’ve lived in Florida for ten years (mostly in upstairs apartments, though) and in all that time I’ve only seen one live snake, while walking the dog. Plenty of dead ones on the highway, though. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/9 "2006-10-20T20:21:21Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] I’ve lived in Florida for ten years (mostly in upstairs apartments, though) and in all that time I’ve only seen one live snake, while walking the dog. Plenty of dead ones on the highway, though. [/QUOTE] In Florida, the snakes walk your dogs? That’s fairly decent of them…! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/10 "2006-10-20T20:32:02Z")
[QUOTE=Count Blucher] In Florida, the snakes walk your dogs? That’s fairly decent of them…! 😃 [/QUOTE] Well, it’s easy for them…they just form their own leash. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/11 "2006-10-20T20:37:38Z")
We’ve had some snakes in our back yard, but they’re more afraid of us than you are of them and will slither away very fast. We are also a bit out in the country, with a nearby lake and not a lot of development. Now, my co-worker had one in her condo, so take it for what it’s worth. You’ll see more cockroaches than snakes. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/12 "2006-10-20T20:43:48Z")
**Sonia Montdore** - please stay away from the Cohasset library until their snake situation has been corrected. From today’s [url=]Boston Herald:A black python slithered away from its cage in Cohasset and officials fear it may be lurking in the town’s library. “The snake could stay secreted away a month or more until it gets hungry again,” said Animal Control Officer Paul Murphy. . . .Three-foot-long Fifti, which means “snake” in Greek, pushed open her pen at Our World museum just as plans were being made to move her out. Some think the ball python made its way to the library located in the same building. . . . Patience Towle of the Trustees of the Paul Pratt Library, which shares the building with Our World, said signs have been posted alerting patrons there is nothing to fear if Fifti decides to show herself. “Everyone is worried sick she might be out in the cold,” Towle said. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/13 "2006-10-20T20:51:10Z")
Don’t worry **Sonia Montdore** the alligators have eaten all the snakes, and the hurricanes have killed all the alligators. There is a problem though with [Rodents of Unusual size](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00006HZZE.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg) though 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/14 "2006-10-20T20:51:18Z")
People, saying, “Oh, snakes won’t hurt you!” doesn’t help us ophidiophobes. I’m not afraid of them hurting me-I’m simply afraid because they exist. It’s irrational, yes, but that’s the definition of a phobia. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/15 "2006-10-20T20:52:37Z")
They get into Idaho houses: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=390120&highlight=Snakes+house](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=390120&highlight=Snakes+house) ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/16 "2006-10-20T20:56:09Z")
[QUOTE=TwoTrouts] Snakes get into houses anywhere ther are snakes, even suburban Boston. [/QUOTE] ``` Yep. I live in an old house north of Boston, and I have the (very) occasional snake in my basement. Found one huge, gorgeous snake once and tried relocating it outdoors, but it was surprisingly strong and slithered under a workbench and off into the foundation somewhere. While this may not be comforting to the OP, the lesson to take away from it is that I have snakes in my basement and continue to lead a happy, somewhat normal life. And I have fewer crickets in the basement than I might otherwise have. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/17 "2006-10-20T21:13:21Z")
If the thought of snakes getting indoors truly bothers you that much, don’t click on [this link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=327668&highlight=snake) to an old thread of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/18 "2006-10-20T23:34:53Z")
[QUOTE=TwoTrouts] Snakes get into houses anywhere ther are snakes, even suburban Boston. There is nothing magical about Florida snakes. Actually, at this time of year, more snakes are probably sneaking into homes in the northeast and mid-Atlantic than other times of the year as they search for warm areas to hole up for the winter. [/QUOTE] Oh gawd, I’m moving to Ireland. Tomorrow, ---
**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/19 "2006-10-21T00:44:28Z")
I’ve lived in Florida for more than 15 years and I can count the number of snakes I’ve seen on one hand. My mom found one in her garage a few years ago, but we’re pretty sure that’s because my dad left the garage door open. His punishment was to hunt for the snake by cleaning out the garage (we think it slithered away while he was cleaning). So while snakes _can_ get into part of the house, it’s unlikley to happen unless you leave your doors open all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270/20 "2006-10-21T01:47:17Z")
Been in Fl for nearly 20 years, and I can recall seeing maybe 5 snakes. One of them was in a house, though. I was at a friend’s house, and a screaming female neighbor came by begging us to help her get the snake out of her bedroom. It was a pretty small snake, couldn’t tell you what kind, but interestingly it did try to bite us. Never seen one in my home though, in all the years I’ve been here, so your odds are pretty good. And I’m a mighty shitty housekeeper, if that makes a difference. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-snakes-get-inside-florida-houses/377270.md?page=2)