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Jessica Perry says her family found dozens of rat snakes in their Salvisa, Kentucky, home after closing in early August. Traps, porch demolition and sealing work have not ended the problem: Perry recently found another six-foot snake in the basement, and further repairs may cost thousands of dollars.
A family in Salvisa, Kentucky, says it has found dozens of rat snakes in its home since buying the property in early August, and faces further expenses after removal work failed to prevent another snake from appearing. Jessica Perry told LEX 18 that the family has already spent a couple thousand dollars and may need additional basement repairs.
Perry told LEX 18 she first saw the home, about 30 minutes west of Lexington, on Zillow over the summer and fell in love with it. The first few weeks after the purchase seemed normal, she said. During the first week the family realized snakes were inside, they found two adult rat snakes and several juveniles in the basement. Perry said they later found dozens more around the property.
Rat snakes are non-venomous constrictors that feed mainly on rodents, birds and eggs, according to the WKRC report. Perry said the previous owner did not tell her about the snake problem. She said that, when she later spoke with the former owner, the person said the property had been nicknamed “the snake house.”
An exterminator placed traps around the home, and a contractor removed the porch to investigate where the snakes were entering. Perry said workers found shed skins leading toward the foundation and multiple eggs under the porch, which she believes had served as a den for several years. The area was cleared and openings around the home were sealed, but Perry said she recently found a six-foot snake in the basement.
Removal Has Not Ended the Problem
The family’s account points to both an ongoing pest issue and potentially substantial repair costs. Perry said the household has spent a couple thousand dollars on efforts to address the snakes, while one contractor reportedly estimated that significant basement work could cost about $4,000 to $5,000. That estimate is not an independently verified repair quote, and the total cost remains uncertain.
The experience also raises practical concerns for the family’s use of the home: Perry said she and her husband hope to raise their son there, but continue to find snakes after taking steps to block entry points. The report does not establish whether the snakes pose a danger to the household; rat snakes are non-venomous, though their presence inside the home and the condition of the foundation are concerns the family is trying to address.
A friend has started a GoFundMe to help pay for the work, according to WKRC. The family’s ability to resolve the problem may depend on identifying any remaining access points and funding repairs, but the report does not give a fundraising total or a projected completion date.
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From Home Purchase to Snake Den
The family bought the Salvisa property in early August 2026, after Perry saw it listed online during the summer. According to her account to LEX 18, the snake discoveries began after the first few weeks in the home. The reported sequence—from adult and juvenile snakes in the basement to more animals around the property—led the family to hire an exterminator and arrange for the porch to be removed.
Workers’ discovery of shed skins and eggs beneath the porch suggested to Perry that the area had been used as a den over an extended period. That is her interpretation of what the crew found; the report does not include an independent inspection establishing how long snakes had been present. The family’s account of the former owner’s comments is also attributed to Perry, and the former owner is not quoted directly in the report.
WKRC published its report on November 7, 2026. It did not report a finding by local authorities, a formal inspection, or any legal action related to the sale or the alleged lack of disclosure.
““We found snake skin sheds going into the foundation of it.””
— Jessica Perry, speaking to LEX 18
Extent of the Infestation Remains Unknown
The report does not establish how many snakes remain, whether another den or entry point exists, or whether the recent basement discovery came from the area beneath the porch. Perry said openings were sealed after the area was cleared, but the latest sighting indicates that the problem may not be resolved.
It is also unclear whether the property has undergone a full structural or pest inspection, what the final repair bill will be, and whether the former owner had a legal obligation to disclose the issue. The report provides Perry’s account of what the previous owner said, but no direct response from that person, the contractor, the exterminator or local officials.
Family Seeks Funds for Repairs
Perry said the family intends to keep working to control the problem and repair the home. A friend has launched a GoFundMe to help cover those expenses, while the family faces an estimated basement repair cost of about $4,000 to $5,000 from one contractor, as reported by WKRC.
The next developments will depend on whether further inspection and sealing work can identify and close any remaining access points, and whether the family can raise enough money for the repairs. No timetable for the work, fundraising target or update on the snake activity was included in the report.
Key Questions
Where is the home?
The property is in Salvisa, Kentucky, about 30 minutes west of Lexington, according to WKRC.
What kind of snakes did the family find?
Perry said the snakes were rat snakes. The report describes rat snakes as non-venomous constrictors that mainly eat rodents, birds and eggs.
What steps have been taken to address the problem?
An exterminator set traps, a contractor removed the porch to investigate, workers cleared the area beneath it, and openings around the home were sealed, according to Perry’s account. She later reported finding another snake in the basement.
How much could repairs cost?
Perry said the family had spent a couple thousand dollars so far. One contractor reportedly estimated that significant basement work could cost about $4,000 to $5,000; the final cost is unknown.
No independent confirmation is included in the report. Perry said the former owner called the property “the snake house,” but the former owner is not quoted directly, and no official inspection findings or legal proceedings were reported.
Source: local12.com
