There are a few very good reasons why you shouldn't go poking your hand around in holes, or letting your pets have a good sniff around in holes that you haven’t yet explored yourself — snakes. You’d be amazed by how many snake species there are that like to spend a lot of their time underground. We already know that a great deal of them spend lots of time in the air, swinging from branch to branch, so to speak. Many homeowners are staggered when they learn of underground snakes and snake lairs, and we feel it is an important fact to bring up when discussing land in areas where there are large snake populations.
Thankfully, you won’t actually find that many venomous snakes in North America, so worrying about something injecting you with a highly potent and toxic venom isn’t necessarily your first thought. Out of the fifty or so snake species that you can find in the USA, only around four of those are venomous, although there will be a few subspecies hidden within that species list.
Snakes can be found almost everywhere on the planet, although Australia is known to be home to the majority of venomous and aggressive snake species. They can live just as comfortably in big cities as they can in the mountains, on the beach, in the desert, and even in lakes, forests, marshlands, and more. They move around a lot, and will usually adapt a little to their new surroundings. Although a relatively shy animal, much preferring to slither away, than stay and fight, snake sightings are becoming more and more common in urban areas. Although they are not usually dangerous (venomous), they can still lash out and attack with a nasty bite and in some cases, this bite may require surgical treatment. The snake can also inflict severe wounds on other animals, especially if they start to get into the constricting position with the animal. It is definitely worth keeping your pets away from wild creatures, particularly snakes.
A snake will live anywhere that offers it protection, and this can mean holes, hollowed out trees and tree trunks, within leaf litter, under piles of rock, and more. Snakes can't dig, but they can bury themselves in soft surface material pretty easily. Because of this, they are not responsible for the holes that you find them in. These are usually abandoned by other animals, such as moles, multi-purposed by the snake once it realizes the potential for a nesting spot.
If you do spot a hole that seems suspicious, don't get too close. Definitely don't get close enough to shove your hand in and have a good feel around. If anything is going to make a snake bite you, that's probably it. We're sure you wouldn't appreciate someone shaving their hand in through your front door and having a good feel around while you were in the midst of a deep slumber.
If the hole looks to be inhabited — disturbed earth around the hole and no signs of insects or spider webs, for example — you should call in the professionals to come and remove the potential reptile inside. This is a job that requires expert knowledge, especially when it comes to snake species. The last thing that you will want to do is let a venomous snake go loose in a neighborhood filled with children!
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