What should I do if I find a snake at home?

Snake in house: first steps

A snake under the sofa of an HDB flat or beside the shoe rack of a ground-floor condo unit is startling. Your job is small, though: give it a clear way out and stay out of its path. The NParks Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) advises keeping the doors and windows that lead outside open so the snake can leave, and keeping family and pets away from it.

1. Back off slowly. Move away without sudden movements and leave the snake plenty of room. Do not poke it, chase it or throw things at it.
2. Empty the room. Take children, older relatives and pets out, and keep them out until the snake has gone.
3. Open the exits. Open any door or window in that room that leads outside, such as a back door to the yard or the main door.
4. Close inner doors. If you can do it without going near the snake, shut the doors to bedrooms and the kitchen so the way outside is the obvious route.
5. Watch from afar. Keep an eye on it from a distant doorway so you can say where it went if it hides.
6. Call if it stays. If the snake will not leave, is stuck or looks hurt, call the Animal Response Centre (ARC) at 1800-476-1600.

For other urgent problems at home, such as a power trip or a burst pipe, see our home emergencies FAQ.

Snake in garden: Singapore homes

Seeing a snake outdoors does not mean anything is wrong with your home. AVS says Singapore has 64 native snake species and that they are active all year, so you could see one in any season. Some, such as the Reticulated Python, travel through drains and canals to areas with many rodents. A terrace house backing onto a canal, or a condo beside a nature area, sits close to that kind of route.

If you spot one in the garden, stop, back away slowly and let it carry on. Keep dogs on a tight leash and well away, because a dog nosing at a snake is exactly the kind of disturbance that makes it defend itself. For other questions about houses with gardens, see our landed homes FAQ.

After a bite

AVS gives two clear rules after a bite: seek medical attention immediately, and do not handle the snake. Get the person to a hospital emergency department straight away, or call for an ambulance if they cannot travel safely.

Do not chase the snake to bring it along. That only puts a second person within reach. If you can see it from a safe distance, note its size and colour to tell the doctor, but never step closer for a better look.

Once everyone is safe, turn to the rodents that can draw snakes close. Our guide to hiring a pest control company can help you choose one for that job. The snake itself stays a matter for the ARC.

Keep snakes away

Prevention comes down to food and shelter. AVS lists these steps:

• Dispose of food waste properly so it does not attract rodents.
• Remove hiding spots such as pots and containers.
• Keep grass short.
• Seal holes and burrows.
• Put up a wire mesh at least 1 metre high and dug into the ground, which keeps ground-dwelling snakes out.

Around a Singapore home, that means tying off kitchen rubbish before it goes out, not leaving pet food on the patio overnight, and clearing the stack of empty planters, old tiles or paint tins behind the house. Cut back long grass along fences and under hedges. Sealing holes includes old burrows in a lawn and gaps where the ground meets a boundary wall. If you already hear scratching in the false ceiling or find droppings in the store room, deal with the rodents first; see our guide to rats in the home.

Drains and gaps around the home

Because some snakes travel through drains, the points where drains meet your home deserve a look. Check that drain gratings and inspection chamber covers sit flat and are not cracked or missing. Look for holes around pipes where they pass through walls and for gaps under back gates, and seal them, in line with the AVS advice on holes and burrows. Fixing a broken cover or filling a gap is a small job a handyman can quote for. If a chamber is overflowing or draining slowly, that is a separate problem; see our inspection chamber choke guide.

Getting help

Call the ARC at 1800-476-1600 if a snake is injured, trapped or persistent: a python that will not leave the yard, a snake tangled in garden netting, or one that stays in a room even with the doors open. Do not pay anyone to kill it. For questions about rodents and insects, see our pest control FAQ. Quotes for sealing gaps or replacing drain covers depend on the job, so compare handymen in the directory.

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