A Pennsylvania couple's search for their dream home led to an unexpected discovery after purchasing a rural property in 2020: hundreds of snakes. Tyler and Lauren Bouldin bought the 6,000-square-foot, six-bedroom stone house in Pine Grove, Central Pennsylvania, at auction for $460,000. The property had been unoccupied for over a decade before the family moved in.
Soon after their arrival, the Bouldins began encountering snakes on their property. Videos shared by the couple show snakes on the exterior walls, front steps, and around the grounds. Tyler Bouldin described the situation humorously in a TikTok video, stating, "When we bought our house, we didn’t realize that we were also buying a large population of snakes."
The initial strategy involved allowing non-venomous black snakes to coexist with the family, as Tyler Bouldin noted in a 2023 TikTok post that black snakes help keep more venomous species, such as copperheads and timber rattlesnakes, at bay. However, this assumption proved incorrect when they discovered that various snake species were nesting together.
Addressing the Infestation
Facing a persistent snake problem, the Bouldins adopted a systematic approach to make their home less hospitable. Their efforts included filling cracks in the house's foundation, removing stumps on the property where snakes often nested, and clearing debris, garbage piles, and overgrowth from the lawn, stone walls, gardens, and surrounding woodland. They also removed an old in-ground pool that had become a habitat for water snakes.
To control the snake population's food sources, the family adopted two cats to manage the rodent population. Tyler Bouldin also acquired a "snake grabber" tool to safely remove snakes from the yard and relocate them to nearby woods. Additionally, they planted mint around structures, as it is known to naturally deter snakes.
Experts recommend making properties less inviting to snakes by removing potential nesting sites, keeping grass short, and eliminating food sources like rodents. If these measures are insufficient, hiring a wildlife removal expert is suggested for safely trapping and rehoming large snake populations.