HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — As Tropical Storm Debby’s rain clears out of the Carolinas, some homeowners may be encountering unwelcomed guests.
Russell “Snake Chaser” Cavender said the heavy precipitation disrupts habitats for critters including alligators and reptiles.
“Whenever you have a copious amount of rain, 15, 20 inches of rain, which is absolutely not normal, they don’t have any other choice because they like living in the ground,” Cavender said.
Cavender said since Debby came through, he and his crews have been very busy. In a normal week, they’ll remove about one snake. On Monday alone, they caught three.
Cavender says as the water rises, animals rise with it, and then make their way into people’s homes.
“They like living underneath most mulch and pine straw and substrate. And that floods and so do the toads and frogs. So that brings them out because they have no other place to go,” Cavender said. “They’ll drown if they stay on the ground. So they just get washed up into people’s front properties, front yards, backyards and pools.”
Cavender says while Debby brought a lot of rain, he has seen much worse.
“Alligators, especially after Matthew in Florence for almost six months to a year,” said Cavender. “My calls increased dramatically.”
Along with snakes, they also see an increase of birds and squirrels in homes. Although they adapt well, they tend to go into attics because their nests they build in trees get blown out from storms like Debby.
Cavender says there are ways to be more cautious and to try and keep snakes out of your home.
“Watch your feet. When people walk in their door they’re not looking down,” said Cavender. “A lot of times if you have a snake right on your threshold, you open your door, and the snake follows right behind bringing things in from outside.”
If you do find a snake in your home, Cavender says to keep your distance and call a professional.
The Snake Chaser expects the rise in calls to continue over the next few weeks as river levels are forecasted to recede in the coming days.