FORT MILL, S.C. -- Another warm, sunny Saturday spells out specific instructions; get outside!
The only problem with back porch time for Lynne Hulen is the memory of a black snake, which fell from her second story deck onto the patio where she was sitting.
“I hear this thud, and I wasn’t sure what it was. The next thing I knew, I turned around and there’s this huge black snake that fell on the floor,” Hulen said.
After snapping a quick picture, the snake scurried back where it came from, leaving Hulen scarred for life.
“Every time I open the door, I’m concerned it’s going to fall on my head!” she exclaimed.
The black snake, which is non-venomous and even helpful according to snake experts, slithered off. Lynne had a pest control expert out who said she might have a slight bat problem, which would explain the snake.
Felipe Griffith, a wildlife removal expert at A-1 Wildlife Control Inc. told NBC Charlotte three ways to keep snakes away from your home.
- Get rid of pine straw. It makes for lovely landscape, but it's better camouflage for copperheads and other snakes.
- Keep your bushes and shrubbery off the ground. It leaves less places for the snakes to hide, which makes them feel vulnerable, causing them to move on.
- Mice treatment: Getting rid of a snake's main food source is the best way to keep the snakes away permanently and ensure your pet doesn't get mistaken for food.
"I want to make sure that I don't have to worry about my granddaughter, my puppies, or anyone else coming out here, opening that back door and there's a snake," Hulen said.