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Snake Removal in Hattiesburg
Most snakes found around Hattiesburg homes are harmless and beneficial. A few are not, and the difference matters.
River bottom is snake country: permanent water, deep cover and rodents. Most of what is found around Hattiesburg houses is harmless and worth leaving alone outdoors, but Mississippi has venomous species and the identification is the part that matters. After the rivers come up, they turn up further from the water than people expect.
Snakes in Forrest County: who does what
Hattiesburg’s animal control is a unit of the police department, and the ordinance it enforces is written around owned animals: running at large, restraint, and the responsibilities of an owner. An animal in your attic has no owner and falls outside that framework entirely. Mississippi handles nuisance wildlife through the state’s permitted operator system instead, which is a private, paid arrangement.
For identifying an animal or damage before anyone is paid to look, the MSU Extension, Forrest County office is at 952 Sullivan Drive, Hattiesburg, MS 39401, 601-545-6083 (office page).
What Mississippi law says about snakes
Under MDWFP rule 2.3 a resident may kill a venomous or non-venomous snake on land they own or where they live, or any venomous snake that is a reasonable danger to people; it must then be disposed of, not kept or sold. Native reptiles are otherwise regulated as nongame wildlife in need of management. All Mississippi rules →
Sources: MDWFP rule 2.3, nongame wildlife in need of management; City of Hattiesburg, Chapter 118, Animal Incidents and Control. Checked October 2026.
Signs, and why they matter
- A shed skin in a crawlspace, garage or shed
- A snake seen in the garage, laundry, crawlspace or under a step
- Rodent activity that suddenly stops: snakes follow their food
- Venomous species do occur in this region and misidentification is common in both directions
- Any suspected venomous bite is an emergency: call 911, do not attempt to catch the snake
How removal works
Identification first, then physical removal with proper hooks and tubes. Longer term the answer is habitat and rodent control; a house with no mice is far less interesting to a snake.
Snake questions
How much does snake removal cost in Hattiesburg?
$150 – $400 for removal of a single snake, depending on access and whether young are present. After a long stay in an attic the cleanup is often the bigger bill (attic restoration).
Is there a wrong time of year to deal with snakes?
Peak activity in spring and autumn, plus hot spells when snakes move into cool crawlspaces and garages.
Request a quote
We read every request and pass it to a licensed wildlife operator covering Hattiesburg where one is available. We are still building our list of operators here, so we cannot promise one is available or say how quickly they will respond.