Venomous Snakes in East Tennessee
The vast majority of snakes found around Knoxville-area homes are non-venomous and pose no real threat. However, Tennessee is home to four venomous species that can be found in the Greater Knoxville region:
- Copperhead: The most common venomous snake in East Tennessee. Tan or copper-colored with darker hourglass-shaped crossbands. Found in wooded areas, rock piles, gardens, and around foundations.
- Timber Rattlesnake: Large, heavy-bodied snake with dark crossbands and a segmented rattle. Found in wooded, rocky hillsides. Not common in Knox County but present in surrounding counties.
- Pygmy Rattlesnake: Small rattlesnake with a faint rattle that's often inaudible. Found in wooded and brushy areas. Uncommon in East Tennessee.
- Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin): Dark, heavy-bodied snake found near water sources. Not common in the immediate Knoxville area but present in parts of East Tennessee.
If you see a snake and aren't sure whether it's venomous, keep your distance, keep an eye on its location if you can do so safely, and call us. Our technicians can identify the species and remove it.
How Our Snake Removal Works
Snake removal is a straightforward process, but it should always be handled by a professional. Even non-venomous snakes can deliver a painful bite if handled improperly, and misidentifying a venomous species can have serious consequences.
Identification and Removal
Our technician identifies the species and safely removes the snake from your property using appropriate handling tools and techniques.
Inspection
We inspect the area where the snake was found, looking for entry points, harborage areas, and signs of additional snake activity or prey populations that may be attracting them.
Exclusion Recommendations
If snakes are accessing your home through gaps in the foundation, crawlspace vents, or other structural openings, we'll recommend exclusion work to seal those entry points.
Habitat Modification Guidance
We'll advise on steps to make your property less attractive to snakes: removing ground-level debris and wood piles, trimming overgrown vegetation, and addressing rodent populations that serve as a food source.
Why Snakes Show Up on Your Property
Snakes go where the food is. If you're seeing snakes around your home, it usually means there's a prey population nearby supporting them — typically rodents, frogs, or insects. Properties near wooded areas, creeks, rock walls, and overgrown vegetation are especially attractive to snakes because they provide both food and shelter.
Snakes enter homes through gaps in foundations, open garage doors, unsealed crawlspace vents, and cracks around utility penetrations. They're often found in crawlspaces, basements, garages, and occasionally inside living spaces. Addressing the conditions that attract them — particularly rodent activity — is one of the most effective long-term strategies for reducing snake encounters on your property.
What to Do If You Find a Snake Inside
Keep your distance, close the door to the room and place a towel under it if possible to contain the snake, and call us. Do not attempt to catch or kill the snake yourself, especially if you're unsure of the species. Our technicians can respond quickly to interior snake calls.
Most snakes in the Knoxville area are non-venomous species like rat snakes, garter snakes, and king snakes. However, copperheads are becoming more common in East Tennessee and are the venomous species most frequently encountered around homes. If you can't identify the snake, treat it as potentially dangerous and call a professional.
Contact Critter Wranglers for Snake Removal Today
Critter Wranglers is locally owned and operated, licensed by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, certified by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and fully bonded and insured. Our technicians are experienced with every snake species found in East Tennessee — venomous and non-venomous — and handle every removal safely.
If you've found a snake on your property, contact us today or call (865) 973-1095. If the snake is inside your home, call us immediately while trying to keep an eye on it or its last location and we'll prioritize getting a technician to you as quickly as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if I find a snake in my house?
Keep your distance, close the door to the room and place a towel under it if possible to contain it, and call us. Do not attempt to catch or kill the snake yourself, especially if you're unsure of the species. Our technicians can respond quickly to interior snake calls.
Are most snakes in Knoxville venomous?
No. The majority of snakes in the Knoxville area are non-venomous species like rat snakes, garter snakes, and king snakes. However, copperheads are becoming more common in East Tennessee and are the venomous species most frequently encountered around homes. If you can't identify the snake, treat it as potentially dangerous and call a professional.
Will snake repellents keep snakes away?
Most commercial snake repellents are ineffective. The best way to reduce snake activity on your property is to eliminate what attracts them: remove ground-level hiding spots like wood piles and debris, keep vegetation trimmed, and address any rodent problems that are providing a food source.
Can you keep snakes from coming back?
Sealing entry points through exclusion work prevents snakes from accessing your home. Reducing prey populations and habitat on your property makes it less attractive to snakes overall. While no approach can guarantee a snake will never pass through your yard, these steps significantly reduce the likelihood of repeated encounters inside your home.
Do you remove venomous snakes?
Yes. Our technicians are trained and equipped to safely handle all snake species found in East Tennessee, including copperheads, timber rattlesnakes, and other venomous species.