So Saturday, my husband comes out of the garage to see a six foot long black snake in the driveway, just laying there. It was clear that he had just eaten as there was a huge lump in his neck. Donald runs inside to get the camera to take a picture. He comes back outside just in time to see the last foot or so of the snake disappear into the rear axle area of our Xterra. We tried driving him out. No snake appeared. We tried spraying water up there. No snake. This morning we came out and there was a pile of white chalky stuff splattered under the rear of the truck. Any guesses as to what snake poop looks like? Yep. White chalky stuff. So he's up there, most likely in the spare tire, snoozing and pooping away his big meal.

We are concerned that he's going to be there for weeks as snakes tend to sleep for days after a big meal. We obviously can't drive the truck until he's out of there.

Mongooses are illegal in the states so we can't go that route. Any ideas? Tiggs, you want to weigh in on this?

How do you get a snake out of the undercarriage of an SUV?

Very Carefully!

I would sell the car!

Contact your DNR and find out who handles wildlife "rescue" in your area.

the snake disappear into the rear axle area of our Xterra.

An Xterra? That's Nissan, right? Well, there's your problem... Nissan vehicles use Metric sizing, not Imperial. And naturally, a snake would be drawn to this, because snakes don't use feet! *nodding wisely*

So my husband just informed me that it's "egg laying season" for snakes. Jiminy Christmas. We may have to take it to a dealer and have it put on a lift. I can't imagine the dealership would be terribly happy about that.

I guess moth balls are a deterrant so we've going to get some of those, fill a box and place them under the truck. Gak.

We may have to take it to a dealer and have it put on a lift. I can't imagine the dealership would be terribly happy about that.

Don't tell them. Bring a video camera. Viral, baby!!!

Just nuke it from orbit. That's the only thing to do. *nodding*

We can't! It's paid for and only has 40k miles on it. It's a great truck...with a snake living in the back. Wahhhhhhhhh!

hashtag southernpeopleproblems

If it's in the spare tire, can't you drop the spare tire without getting under the vehicle?
This will at least allow you to see the snake and better identitfy it.

Sound like you have a rat snake (although it could be a black racer), both of which are non-poisonous. In which case just pick the bad boy up, take some pics then toss him into your neighbors yard.

Or call DNR like someone else said.

In which case just pick the bad boy up, take some pics then toss him into your neighbors yard.

OMG. Never.

DH said that he's going to deal with it tonight. I'm clearly going to have to tape all of this and put it on youtube.

hashtag southernpeopleproblems

That made me laugh, and it made me ponder. How common is this?

Should I be worried about a snake hiding under or in my tiny, tiny car?

*shudder*

So black snakes eat copperheads, rats, and other harmful things, this snake may have did you a great favor, maybe it wants you to take it on a vacation.

Seriously if you grab it behind it's head and start pulling, it's gonna wrap in something underyour truck and hold on tight.

I wonder if you set off a roach bomb or some other such stinky stuff, if that would run him out.

How about small thin burning charcoal? Just enough unpleasant smoke but not enough to damage truck. Most trucks are up highter than cars.

No.

~tigs

(I am not riding with you. Ever)

(I am not riding with you. Ever)

You're no fun. Where's your sense of adventure? Driving down 485 at 80 mph and he starts to come through the air vents? That's a good time right there.

Wow, good question. The only solution I can think of is make it too hot or too cold for his/her comfort. Perhaps some bags of ice as close to the area as you can reach. My SUV has a removable part in the rear hatch area that is right above the spare tire.

I have heard you can try spraying WD40 up into the undercarriage around where you think the snake is. They hate the stuff and will supposedly leave.

Have you tried Parseltongue ;)

Have you tried Parseltongue ;)

I had to google that. If I would, I could! I don't want to hurt it, it just needs to know that it can't live in the back of our truck!

At least it's not a copperhead. We'd really be screwed it that we the case.

Parseltongue

Ooooo, I feel an eevil box clue coming on......

We obviously can't drive the truck until he's out of there.

*confused*
Why not? Snake vs. Car… pretty sure car would win.

In a word: fire. Works every time. ;-)

OTOH it eats vermin, which means mice won't nest in your heater ducts or munch your wiring harnesses.

YMMV, and invariably will...
Connfederate

I see a problem with lighting a fire under a car . . . just sayin'.

In the movie, how did they get them off the plane? Is this summers new blockbuster? Snakes on an SUV.

how did they get them off the plane

You may need to call Samuel L. Jackson......

You may need to call Samuel L. Jackson......

This, unfortunately, is the PG13 version. Gotta keep AQ clean. LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4t6zNZ-b0A

i could use me some monkey-fighting snakes. . .

just in case, ya know, y'all are keeping a Christmas wish list or something. . .

~tigs

no try Indiana Jones. LOL

I don't know how well this would work because its summer, but if you can somehow make where it is hiding cold, and then provide a heat source. Pack ice around it at night and then plug in a space heater nearby to lure it out. What a pain. At least this isn't your primary car. We almost had a gopher snake in our van a few weeks ago (also a Nissan - snakes have good taste?) but the kids and I were there with sticks to chase it out.
Good luck!
sun7flour

You guys are funny!

Someone suggested a using a fire extinguisher to make the area really cold to flush him out.

We pulled the spare down last night (!!!) and threw some moth balls in it. We couldn't see anything. There were no 'leavings' this morning so we are hoping he has made his way to other accomodations. And by other accomodations, I mean not one of the other two cars.

You should have seen us. Talk about being on edge! Someone could have come up from behind and just said Boo and we would have jumped straight out of our skin. Golly!

My boss mentioned that black snakes don't have teeth so if he had tried to bite us "he really would have just been gumming your arms". Just the idea of a big black snake trying to gum my arms? Are you for real? I would *still* be screaming!