Imagine you’ve just moved into a rustic farmhouse with your family. As you sit in the living room enjoying the new surroundings, you see something move out of the corner of your eye. Then you see something else. And something else. Suddenly, you realize: snakes are literally falling out of your ceiling. Although it sounds dramatic, this is the true story of what a family in Central Montana says is happening to them.
For Callie Phillips, a 26-year-old mother and content creator, a snake infestation has transformed her and her family’s everyday life into a constant game of vigilance. Videos documenting the snakes dropping from cracks in the home’s foundation have drawn more than 1.3 million views on social media and plenty of horrified reactions from viewers.
The discovery of a garter snake den beneath the home’s basement entryway suggests the snakes have been breeding there for years. And while garter snakes are generally harmless to humans, when large numbers congregate around a property, they can become difficult — and unsettling — to live with.
A Viral Snake Infestation in Montana
Phillips first spotted a garter snake in her house in December 2020. At first, it seemed like an isolated encounter. But over time, the sighting became more frequent and harder to ignore.
Eventually, the family realized the snakes were not just passing through. According to People, the foundation of the farmhouse is cinder block, with an entryway that goes down into the basement. In the doorway that leads from the entryway into the basement, the family sometimes spots upwards of six, seven, or even eight snakes dropping out of the foundation of the house per day.
The discovery of a den within the entryway points to the possibility that generations of snakes may have been brumating — a hibernation-like winter dormancy — beneath the home for years.
Without easy access to exterminators in their remote location, the family has turned to DIY solutions like sealing cracks, spray-foaming openings, laying traps, and blocking as many entry points as possible. For now, despite the ongoing challenge, the family plans to stay in the home, as the house is part of her ranch-hand husband’s employment agreement, as reported by Newsweek.
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What Are Garter Snakes and Are They Dangerous?
Garter snakes are among the most widespread snakes in the United States and are generally considered nonvenomous and harmless to people. The National Park Service reports that most grow between 20 and 30 inches long and are recognizable by the thin yellowish stripe running down their backs, though their colors can vary.
Their name comes from their striped appearance, which resembles the garters once used to hold up socks.
Unlike many snake species, garter snakes give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. A single female can give birth to anywhere from 15 to 40 babies, helping populations grow quickly under the right conditions.
These adaptable reptiles also tolerate cold weather surprisingly well. During winter, they survive freezing temperatures by gathering in large groups in sheltered dens — often beneath rocks, stairways, or, in the case of the Phillips family, building foundations.
As carnivores, garter snakes feed on a wide range of prey, swallowing everything whole, from earthworms and insects to small fish, leeches, and occasionally even rodents or small birds.
How to Protect Your Home From a Snake Infestation
Most snakes encountered around homes are nonvenomous, but preventing them from settling in nearby can spare homeowners unwanted surprises.
According to Mississippi State University, to reduce the chances of attracting snakes, you should keep your grass trimmed and remove any potential hiding spots, such as wood piles, rocks, leaves, or other debris. Make sure to inspect your porches and walkways for holes or cracks that could make a good snake shelter.
For piles of firewood, make sure they are placed on raised racks away from the home. Additionally, block access to crawl spaces or areas beneath your home using materials such as sheet metal or mesh, and seal any foundation openings larger than one-quarter of an inch.
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
- This article includes information from Newsweek: Terrified Mom Discovers Den of Snakes Under Home, Realizes It’s ‘Infested’
- This article includes information from People: Woman Living in ‘Snake-Infested’ Home Realizes It’s a ‘Den,’ Says She Can See the Reptiles ‘Dropping’ from the House (Exclusive)
- This article includes information from the National Park Service: The Garter Snake Ssscoop
- This article includes information from Mississippi State University Extension Service: How to Control Snakes Around Your Home
