Seeing a snake slither into your home can be an unsettling experience. Your first reaction may be to panic or to quickly try to get rid of the unwelcome visitor. But is a snake entering your house actually a sign of good or bad luck? This is a question that has intrigued people for centuries.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: encountering a snake in your home is often considered a sign of good luck and positive change in many cultures and spiritual traditions around the world.
Read on to learn more about snake symbolism, when a snake in the home may be concerning, and tips for humanely removing snakes when needed.
Snakes as Symbols of Good Luck and Change
Snakes Represent Rebirth and Transformation
In many cultures, snakes are seen as symbols of rebirth, transformation and healing due to their ability to shed their skin. When a snake sheds its skin, it is thought to represent rebirth and new beginnings.
Ancient Aztecs and other Mesoamerican civilizations had myths depicting cosmic snakes that carried the Earth on their coils. These world-bearing serpents were seen as guardians of life, death and rebirth.
The ouroboros symbol of a snake eating its own tail also represented the cyclical nature of the cosmos and eternal return in ancient Egyptian iconography.
Because of this association with cycles, transitions and metamorphosis, finding a shed snake skin has been interpreted as a positive omen, signalling upcoming positive changes in one’s life.
Link to Fertility and Abundance
Folk beliefs often link snakes to fertility, both human and agricultural. Historically, some societies worshipped regenerative snake deities associated with the fertile cycles of nature.
Snake cults and fertility rituals existed in ancient Crete, associated with a snake goddess sharing features with the Minoan Great Mother. Other goddesses like the Greek Demeter and Roman Ceres, both agriculture and fertility deities, were also depicted with snakes.
Finding a snake at home has been seen by some as a promise of progeny or increased wealth. This is likely related to snake symbolism around regeneration.
Guardian Spirits in Folklore
Legends from India, China and parts of Africa tell of serpents that guard treasure oricular knowledge and convey ancient wisdom. The presence of such mystical snakes has often denoted divine favor.
Japanese folk belief suggests house snakes can bring money and fortune. Some traditions portray helpful guardian snakes that watch over homes, similar to domestic gods. They are considered benevolent spirits as long as they are properly revered or appeased.
However, punishment from the guardian snake may be expected if any disrespect is shown. Offending one’s house snake by accidentally harming it or failing to feed it may, according to myth, anger this protective entity and reverse one’s good fortune.
Exceptions: When Snakes Could Indicate Bad Luck
Venomous Snakes Pose Safety Risk
While most serpents that find their way into a home are harmless, there are some venomous species that can pose a safety risk. Venomous snakes like rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, and coral snakes can inflict painful and potentially deadly bites if threatened or handled incorrectly.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), venomous snakebites account for an average of 5 fatalities each year in the United States. So if you spot a dangerous snake in your house, it’s best to exercise extreme caution and contact animal control for safe removal.
Beyond the physical danger, finding a venomous intruder can be interpreted as bad luck simply due to fear and the perceived threat. However, snakes tend to only bite in self-defense and aren’t out to get you!
Their presence alone doesn’t necessarily mean misfortune unless you live in an area with a lot of dangerously aggressive species.
Pests Like Rodents May Follow Snakes
Some superstitious folks associate snakes with other creepy-crawlies like spiders, rats, and mice. There’s good reason for this – snakes often follow rodents and other pest species as they can prey on them for food.
So if you notice snakes hanging around your home more than usual, it may be because you have an underlying rodent problem drawing them in.
Having to deal with an rodent infestation on top of snake invaders can feel like added bad luck. Getting rid of the root cause – excess shelter, water, and food that attracts pests – is key to keeping your home free of both snakes and rodents alike.
Psychological Discomfort and Phobias
For people with deep-seated fears or phobias of snakes, encountering one in your home can be incredibly distressing – even if the snake is non-venomous and objectively harmless. This reaction can amplify feelings that the snake’s presence seems like a bad omen.
Snakes are one of the most common phobias, with approximately 1 in 3 people having an abnormal fear of serpents according to Phobia Relief. This overwhelming anxiety regarding snakes is often rooted in evolutionary instincts, cultural conditioning, or specific traumatic experiences.
But regardless of the cause, the profound unease triggered by snakes can lead some to interpret their appearance as symbolic of misfortune.
What to Do If a Snake Enters Your Home
Remain Calm and Act Defensively
If you spot a snake that has found its way into your house, the first thing to do is remain calm. Snakes typically only strike when feeling threatened, so try not to make any sudden movements. Carefully back away to keep a safe distance.
If the snake starts approaching you, make loud noises and stomp your feet while continuing to back up. This lets the snake know you are not prey.
Try to contain the snake to one room by closing doors behind you. Having it isolated will make it easier to remove. Call for help if needed, but do not try catching the snake on your own unless you are experienced in proper snake handling techniques.
Carefully Guide the Snake Outdoors
If the snake is non-venomous and you are comfortable doing so, try to gently guide it outside using a long stick or snake hook. Approach it slowly and nudge it along the floor toward the exit. Avoid making abrupt movements that could cause it to strike.
Have someone stand by the open exit to keep watch so the snake does not turn around and come back inside.
According to the University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (https://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu), attempting to pick up a snake often leads to defensive bites, so avoid contact whenever possible. Use tools to keep distance between you and the snake.
Seal Up Possible Points of Entry
Once the snake is safely out of your home, inspect the property inside and out to determine how it might have entered. Pay close attention to areas along the foundation, around pipes, cracks, holes, and anywhere foliage is touching the side of the house. These are common points of access for snakes.
Use caulk, weather stripping, door sweeps, screened vent covers, and other sealing materials to close up gaps around windows, doors, pipes, and the foundation. Consult a handyman if the gaps are too large to easily patch yourself.
Cut back vegetation and debris that may allow snakes to climb up and enter through walls.
Be Proactive with Snake-Proofing Your Home
Making some snake-proofing upgrades to your home and yard can help deter future unwanted snake encounters:
- Clear debris piles and thick vegetation near the home’s perimeter
- Install snake-deterrent plants like citronella grass around frequently used areas
- Place screened skirting around elevated structures like porches and sheds
- Use snake repellants along the foundation and potential access points
You can also call a wildlife removal professional to inspect your property and recommend solutions. They may identify vulnerable areas you can improve to help keep snakes away from the house. Things like clearing brush, fixing holes in fencing, removing wood piles, and modifying landscaping can make a big difference.
Snake-Friendly Ways to Deter Unwanted Visitors
Clear Out Clutter and Take Away Shelter Spots
One of the best ways to deter snakes from entering your home is to eliminate places where they can find shelter. Snakes like cool, dark, and tight spaces to hide, such as wood piles, tall grass, brush, and rock walls around the home’s foundation.
By clearing out this type of clutter, you take away their shelter spots. According to pest control experts, Terminix, it’s crucial to clear bushes, debris piles, and plants away from the home’s foundation and walkways.
In addition to clearing brush, be sure to seal any cracks or holes in your home’s foundation. Snakes can enter tiny gaps of just 1⁄4 inch wide! Use weatherstripping, sealant caulk, steel wool, copper mesh, or other sealing materials to plug gaps in walls, around pipes, or under doors.
This denies snakes access points into your house.
Manage Food Sources That Attract Prey
Since snakes eat small animals like mice and rats, managing food sources for those prey helps keep snakes away too. Keep your yard free of pet food, bird seed, compost piles, woodpiles, and fallen fruit that can attract rodents to the area.
According to the University of California’s Integrated Pest Management Program, “The most effective way to control rodents is to limit their access to food, water, shelter, and pathways into your home.” This essentially starves snakes of their food source, prompting them to hunt elsewhere.
Use sealed garbage cans and do not leave pet bowls outdoors overnight. Also, clean up any animal nesting sites like ivy or wood piles where rodents live. The goal is to remove anything that attracts prey to your yard, forcing snakes to look elsewhere for food.
Use Repellents and Barriers Around the Home
For extra snake protection, you can use repellents and barriers around the perimeter of your home. Some effective DIY solutions include sprinkling black pepper, cinnamon, garlic, cayenne pepper, vinegar, and essential oils along foundations and walkways.
You can also plant marigolds, vetch, or butterfly weed around the yard since snakes dislike their scent. For physical barriers, wrap sheet metal, hardware cloth, or special snake fence around the base of sheds, porches, or gardens.
Additionally, there are commercial snake repellents like Dr. T’s Snake-A-Way and Snake Stopper available. These contain sulfur, naphthalene, and other ingredients offensive to snakes. Spray them around potential snake access spots or in areas where snakes were spotted before in your yard.
Reapply after heavy rains. While not 100% fullproof, repellents make the area more undesirable.
Conclusion
While a surprise snake encounter in your home can be unnerving, it does not necessarily mean bad luck is on the way. For many cultures, a snake sighting is seen as a fortunate omen representing new beginnings and prosperity.
However, caution is still warranted with venomous snakes, pest control issues, or phobias. Stay vigilant in keeping snakes outdoors where they belong through proofing and deterrents. Ultimately, the spiritual meaning you assign to a snake in the home is a personal choice that reflects your cultural lens and life philosophy.
