The No. 1 Sign There’s a Snake in Your Car
Because no one wants to be chauffeuring a slithering stowaway around with them.

It can be a welcome sight when a (harmless!) snake shows up in your yard, acting as natural pest control and a sign of a healthy ecosystem. However, things are entirely different when it comes to your vehicle. Just like anywhere in your home, snakes can make their way into your garage and ultimately into your ride if the opportunity presents itself. Fortunately, you can avoid the nightmare scenario of discovering a slithering stowaway while barreling down the highway by looking for one major hint that there’s a snake hiding out in your car.
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Snakes make their way into your garage or car in search of warmth and food.
Snakes usually make their way into our territory in search of two things: food and protection from the elements. In most cases, garages provide both, especially if they have a steady food supply in the form of a rodent infestation. From there, snakes can be enticed to slither on into your vehicle.
“Especially during the fall and winter, snakes are searching for a warm, enclosed place to seek shelter, sometimes making their way into your car,” John West from Alamo Termite & Pest Control tells Best Life. “They can easily sneak in through an open door or window—or even up into your engine, undercarriage, or trunk if it’s left open.”
Of course, this can also be an issue when your car is left outdoors overnight.
“If your vehicle is parked in grassy, wooded, or trash-filled terrain—particularly around water—you invite the possibility of an encounter,” says Tony King, a pest control expert and founder of The Pied Piper Pest Control Co. “Entry points include open windows or sunroofs, gaps in the wheel wells, holes in the floorboards (common in older vehicles), or even through the HVAC system if your car’s air intake isn’t properly sealed. I’ve even seen snakes climb tires and enter through the undercarriage or slide in when a door is left ajar on a warm day.”
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Experts say there’s one key sign that a snake is hiding in your car.
If a snake has managed to make its way into your vehicle, it may be difficult to notice at first. After all, the reptiles have adapted to camouflage and stay out of sight for survival’s sake. But experts say there’s one dead giveaway you’re carting around a reptile.
“The number one sign that a snake might be living in your car is probably shed snake skin,” says West.
However, he also points out that most species only shed once every one to three months, meaning that this could be a sign the reptile has been in your car for a very long time. As with other areas of your property, there are additional pieces of evidence snakes can leave behind that might not be so obvious to the untrained eye.
“Keep an eye out for snake feces, which are dark brown or black solid logs that often have a urea cap on one end,” he suggests. “They can also leave behind regurgitated food, which can happen if the snake gets disturbed.”
Still, your nose might pick up on an even more immediate clue. “A strange, pungent, musky odor, such as rotten eggs or too strong an odor of mildew, is another characteristic sign,” says King. “That scent is a defense secretion some snakes release when stressed.”
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Keep an eye and ear out for evidence that there’s a snake around.
Maybe you’re exhausted coming home from a long day at work. Or perhaps you’re struggling to get a heavy load of groceries to the house. Whatever the case, distractions can make it easy to miss that you’ve left a window, door, or trunk open overnight. And if you’re concerned something may have made its way inside, experts say there’s one quick way you can tell.
“Look for a side-winding pattern in the dust near the car created by reptiles slithering across the ground, particularly along walls and beneath automobiles,” Jon Callahan, reptile expert and founder of nature website OwtDores, tells Best Life.
Besides that, you may want to grab a flashlight and carefully inspect the space below the seats, under objects like blankets or seat covers, and inside tight spaces like door cupholders for any hidden snakes. If you notice anything, West says it’s best to stop the car and get out to call animal control immediately.
Your ears might come in handy, too. King recalls one service call in which a college student had parked his car underneath a tree along the creek bottom for about two weeks while visiting relatives. But when he returned and started driving the vehicle again, he noticed thumping under the dashboard and believed something was loose.
“Five minutes after leaving, a three-foot black rat snake suddenly dropped out from underneath the steering column,” King says. “Luckily, it was not poisonous, but the event could have easily resulted in a serious accident.”
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How to ensure snakes stay out of your car:
Much like keeping them out of your home, experts say avoiding a snake in your car is more about prevention than anything else. Typically, this means shutting your doors and windows tight—even when parked in a closed garage—and keeping your vehicle tidy.
“You should remove any items that could provide shelter for a reptile,” says Callahan. “This includes anything cute or cuddly, like pillows, blankets, hats, and purses.” He adds that any cracks or holes in door or window liners that could give them entry to your car’s interior should be repaired immediately.
It can also help to get your garage in better shape. Removing haphazard piles of storage boxes, firewood, or gardening supplies not only removes potential hiding places for snakes but also makes it less likely to turn your carport into a buffet for reptiles.
“Besides warmth, the other thing snakes are in search of is food,” Sharon Roebuck, owner of Eastside Exterminators in Seattle, Washington, previously told Best Life. “Their main source of food in the wild is rodents. So, if you are attracting rodents into your garage, then snakes will soon follow.”
If you have any suspicion that there is a snake within, King also warns never to reach into a dashboard compartment or beneath a seat without first looking.
“Open all doors instead and try to give the snake a chance to leave by itself,” he suggests. “If you do see the snake—especially if it is coiled or appears aggressive—exit the vehicle, retire slowly, and phone a professionally licensed wildlife removal specialist or pest control technician right away.”