Snakes, rats & more headed for Myrtle Beach, SC area homes soon. Here’s how to keep them out

As winter cold warms to milder temperatures, humans aren’t the only ones excited for spring — many animals in the Grand Strand become more active in the transitional season.

Insect activity increases in the spring, offering a welcome buffet for smaller animals after the winter. In turn, those smaller critters draw out larger animals that are also looking for a big meal.

Spring is also the time of year when many animals seek mates and then welcome young. This means you might see more local wildlife around your home, and some critters searching for a place to nest might even venture inside.

“It’s definitely a combination of warmer weather and breeding,” said Critter Control of Florence-Myrtle Beach owner Todd Metz.

Here’s what to watch out for this spring and how you can protect your home.

In your home

Rodents

Rodent populations increase in the spring as the animals welcome young. Mice, rats and squirrels might make you squeamish, but they’re a bigger problem for your property.

“Their teeth are constantly growing, so they have to file them down,” Metz said. “And they’ll chew on your metal fence. They’ll chew on plastic. They’ll chew on just about anything just to get those teeth filed down.”

Rodents taking their teeth to your home’s electrical wiring creates fire hazards and if they gnaw on your insulation, it can reduce your home’s energy efficiency.

Birds and bats

According to Metz, birds attempting to nest in homes is a common problem this time of year.

Flying animals like birds and bats sometimes nest in attics, chimneys and bathroom vents, which can obstruct airflow. Droppings the animals leave behind can also stink up your home and cause sanitation problems.

Raccoons

Raccoons looking for a place to nest are also spotted more frequently in yards and homes in the spring.

“We’ll start getting a lot of calls in April, because that’s when they have their little ones,” Metz said. “They’ll have them in March, but then [homeowners] start hearing them in April. We get a lot of calls at that time, because they can hear these kits up there, making all kinds of chattering noises.”

To get into an attic, raccoons will sometimes tear through shingles, soffits and vents, which causes roof and insulation damage.

Snakes indoors

After the winter, spring offers cold-blooded snakes a chance to finally warm up and find a good meal.

“They’ve been hibernating, or at least, off-and-on throughout the winter, so they’re up and moving and they’re looking for meat,” said Metz. “If you have rodents or mice or something, even baby squirrels, even birds in your house, these snakes will seek those out for a food source.”

You might spot venomous or nonvenomous snakes looking for a meal around your home. According to Metz, common culprits include black rat snakes, copperheads and garter snakes.

Protecting your home

To keep animals out of your home this spring, Metz said it’s essential to inspect your home and make sure there aren’t gaps where animals can get through. He recommends checking around your home’s exterior, including the foundation, roof line, chimney and vents.

Because some critters will claw or chew their way in, it’s a good idea to check your property regularly. If you do find pests in your house, identify how they got in and repair the damage to keep more unwanted visitors out.

By keeping smaller critters like mice and birds out, you’ll also eliminate food sources that snakes will follow.

In your yard

Snakes outdoors

While you might not mind common spring critters like birds or squirrels outside your house, if you want to keep snakes out of your yard Metz recommends cutting back vegetation where they might make a home.

“Make sure that there’s no food source for them, [like] mice, lots of insects and frogs. Try to keep those things minimal,” Metz said. “Keep your vegetation cut back around your house. Don’t give snakes places to hunt and look for food or to hide.”

Burrowing animals

Moles, which leave behind hill-shaped mounds, are carnivorous and enjoy feasting on abundant bugs in the spring. Voles, on the other hand, stick to vegetarian diets and dig small holes that can damage plant roots.

Both are more active in South Carolina yards in the spring. The wetter spring ground is ideal for burrowing around your yard, Metz said.

While a quick internet search unearths lots of home remedies, according to Metz the do-it-yourself methods are rarely effective. Similarly, he said sonic repellants using high-pitch frequencies and vibrations don’t usually make a big difference.

Your best option if you don’t want to hire a professional service is one of the chemical repellents sold in stores, although Metz said nothing is 100% effective.