As the weather keeps heating up, snakes in the New York/New Jersey area will become more active. There are 22 snake species in New Jersey, and 17 in New York. Of them 2 venomous ones are in NJ, and 3 in NY. The Northern Copperhead and Timber Rattlesnake are native to both, and the Massasauga Rattlesnake is in New York. Snakes in our area will have probably come out of their winter shelters and are taking advantage of the warm Spring weather.
Snakes can find a lot of places to hide on your properties. Some can be at home in a shed or hiding within debris piles. Others may slither under your patio or even invade your basement. If a snake can get inside the walls, it may make a home there. Branches hanging over your roof can potentially give climbing snakes and other critters access to your attic. Snakes in our area vary in size greatly. The tiny garter snake will grow to an average of less than 2 feet in length. The largest snake species, the black rat snake can average a length of 8 feet.