Mysore/Mysuru: In cold season, the number of snakes found in homes could increase. Snakes do not just get into homes randomly, they try to find refuge in your home when cooler weather comes, so it is important that you take the necessary steps to keep snakes out of your home, says city’s well-known snake rescuer and wildlife conservationist Snake Shyam. 

Shyam said that the main reason for a snake to come into a home is to find warm shelter as well as food. Snakes are cold-blooded creatures and will seek warm places and spots when it gets cold. Discarded cardboard boxes, shoes left outside the house and even empty coconut shells provide a warm place for the snakes, he added.

Pointing out that incidents of snakes entering houses is being reported more now-a-days, Shyam said that such incidents have been reported from Vijayanagar 4th Stage, Gowrishankar Nagar, Srinagar, Sathagalli, Someshwara Nagar and surrounding areas. Snakes of all species especially Viper and Spectacled Cobra are being spotted more.

Pointing out this is also the mating season for snakes, which lay eggs in the mid week or last week of January, Shyam said that the incubation process begins soon after snakes lay eggs and the eggs hatch and baby snakes come out during March end. Hence snakes try to find warm places and enter houses during winter, he added.

Farmers harvest paddy crops this season and stack dry hay. Snakes enter the hay stack to keep themselves warm and if any farmer tries to pick up a bundle of hay, there are chances of snakes biting them. He cautioned farmers be very careful this season.

Stating that he receives about 30 to 40 snake rescue calls daily during summer, Shyam said that only a few calls are received during rainy season. But during winter about 8 to 10 snakes are rescued on an average daily.

Snake Shyam can be contacted on Mob: 99805-57797.