I knew he was there. Evidence of him was all over this cellar.
Julius Squeezer.
Either this guy had discarded a lot of previous, very fine, suits, or he was living with a lot of cousins. Skins were everywhere!
And his presence was not unexpected! This home is a very nice, century-old Victorian, with a lot of original touches and many additions. There is a large cellar, exactly as you would imagine, with a stone foundation and dirt floor.
The house sits on 6 quiet, mostly-rural acres. It's a beautiful setting with outbuildings and a stable. The buyers have horses, so they were looking for this kind of house. While there two different deer sauntered by, so we were out of town!
The Realtor said that she heard this is a Sears Catalog home. Until then I had always thought of the Sears homes as craftsman style, and smaller. But looking it up I found that during the early part of the 20th century Sears sold many Victorian-style homes.
After I snapped the photo, a little head popped up! Look closely at the photo above and you can see something dark in the upper-right corner.
Big Juli moved warily, smelling me frequently.
But he posed for a nice profile photo!
I guess he was 6 to 8' in length. This is his domain. He has the run of the place and has access to areas I could only see, or imagine.
And given the numbers of suits laying about, he is well fed!
I called for the Realtor who wasn't fazed. She showed no excitement until a big spider showed up, nearly 3" from toe to toe.
She did him in with no doubt of his demise! "My client hates spiders!" The buyers were not present, so Lenn demonstrated true agency!
My recommendation: most people would react viscerally to the presence of a snake, or snakes, on site. In this case, it/they probably keep the mice to a minimum! Most, however, would prefer that the snakes keep to themselves in the cellar! Obviously Julius Squeezer is a happy boy.
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC 
Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia.
Office (703) 330-6388 Cell (703) 585-7560
Good morning Jay my wife and I are of the same thoughts in that we can take spiders and other crawling creatures but snakes. If that were our home we would be out of there quick.
I'd rather see black snakes then copper heads or rattlers. Black snake sare usually calm unless you disturb a female with a nest of eggs. I still prefer to see them before they see me. He looks like a nice friendly and healthy one and probably does keep the mice population under control.
Jay, 6 or 7 feet long means Julius has been there for a good long time. We've occasionally had the odd baby ring-neck snakes in the basement. I always warn them that the pekingnese and cat are ruthless hunters and to respect the natural order. Usually because I can't bear to see them become the subject of a tug of war, I scoop them up in a cup and return them to the woods.
Some one should tell Lenn that spiders are god at keeping other vermin in check ;) Julius is a handsome boy.
That was probably the most interesting home inspection I've ever attended.
I watched a program on TV that showed a home that was built on the den of a bunch of garder snakes. There were thousands under the home in a cave type den. The owner had to move out because of the smell of the snakes..Even the well water smelled like the snakes.
Great post....
Good morning Jay,
It was very accommodating of Julius Squeezer to allow you into his home for an inspection!
If there are in fact mice, I think I'd prefer a cat to to a snake. Did the homeowner notice the molted snake skins previously?
James - who knows how many inhabit this joint!
Jeff - you are right, black snakes are very aggressive when cornered or near their nest. And they bite fast!
Mona - I think Big Juli likes the woods around this house too! Yes, he's been there a while.
Jim - he picked his head up for a nice smell and to snap a thermal image of me. After I left he quietly moved.
Lenn - you didn't come up into the attic with me! This morning when I took my t-shirt off to shower it was full of stuff from the attic! It looked alive!
Richard - I saw something written about that but saw no show. That was a huge problem that ruined things for that family, right?
Lisa - and to pick up his head for a nice profile photo!
Debbie - I did not speak to the homeowner or the nannie, who all got out for the inspection. And the two dogs in the bathroom weren't talking. Maybe it's a family secret.
Snakes trump cats when it comes to mice because the mice don't have a chance to get into the house!
Good morning Jay. I would have been hangingg from the rafters or knocked you down getting out of there. Amazinf pictures. Great story, well written.
Lucky you...I would have been screaming all the way to the mailbox....
Jay, With country comes snakes. At least this is one of the non-poisonous variety. We rarely see any of the bigger snakes around our home, mostly the little garter snakes and not much more.
Squeezer is the master of this domain. I have seen a lot of basements that could have used a guard like this one has.
As long as you're having fun - that's what counts.
Was with a couple looking at a house in Woodmoor, Silver Spring, Maryland. It was a 1940's brick colonial in a close-in suburb, we saw 2 large snake skins when we went into the basement. Needless to say, all three of us bolted, never to return again.
I know snakes serve a purpose but I am still not a fan of them. But even less desirable are spiders...Wasn't there a song in the 70s called spiders and snakes?
He does look like a happy boy. I could have used his services this past winter. After living on a farm, I don't get to excited about snakes (depending on the type), but I do like to see them first and from a distance. 8=)
Jay, I haven't seen any Black Snakes here yet, but the Garter Snakes come out every once in a while. One was feasting on some frogs in our basement window well.
One wonders who was inspecting whom? Yes to those skins and what they say too....good post
I would have screamed like a little girl and ran the other way. Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but I don't do snakes.
Jay, how exactly do you tell boy snakes from girl snakes? :)
Had that been a house I was looking out, out in the country like that, I would have taken it as a good omen. After all, you're right: snake in basement = much lower mouse invasion potential. I think that's a win for me AND the snake!
Sounds less expensive to keep than a cat would be, haha! I don't mind snakes, but I hate mice. Nice pics!
OMG! I would have freak out. But your point is valid it does help to balance cycle of life.
Jay, great story and pics. You are right that the snake keeps the mice away. That said, if my wife were involved the snake would have to go.
Jay not another snake! They make my skin crawl:)
Great post!! I would have RAN out of there!! Just the look of the cellar makes me scared! I live in the burbs of Texas now, but I'm a city girl at heart! Bugs, Spiders, snakes, and even ants scare me. I can't help it, I'm a WIMP!
Call a licensed pest control contractor then call me back once those things are gone. Lol
Sheila - he was about 6 feet away. Not close enough to do anything to you!
S&D - that would have been about a 100 yard dash, and across the road! Call me, I want to watch.
Bliz - there was a garter snake carcass on the dirt floor. And small, only about 18" long. Maybe Big Juli did it in.
Joe - seeing no mice, or evidence thereof, I guess he is earning his keep!
R&L - this inspection was fun! And Julius helped...
Debbie - they could have been years old! Or maybe not! I grew up in Kensington so I went to Silver Spring a lot.
Gary - many of both present in this joint, apparently!
Mike - during the winter snakes aren't much help. They sleep...
Mike S. - they are very common here and are good gardeners too!
Thanks Richie. The skins were everywhere, high and low!
Christiansen Team - even if this was a rattler, he was far enough away not to be a problem! And I saw him before he saw me.
Charlie - lipstick. Boys don't stay in the same place without some young nearby - girls have young nearby.
Mary Elizabeth - I think Big Juli is a real winner!
Jennifer - you never have to scoop the poop bin with snakes...
Ritu - the purpose of EVERYTHING is to keep the balance of life! Everything is created to eat something else!
Tom - and the mice get to stay?
Cheryl - I don't see them very often in the house, but do outdoors!
Andrea - this was a big house, with a big cellar, with many defined areas.
Rob - the worst thing I have run into in a cellar is a raccoon. They are nasty, territorial and will attack. Frightening!
Jay, we could use a few more snakes around here... the mice population seems to be soaring.
When I first moved to the country, I took my long-handled axe to snakes (after holding them down with a rake). Now, I have come to a truce with them and we live in peace.
Jay, great action photos. I have to admit I've never had anything close to like that happen to me at an inspection. I enjoyed all the comments.
arachnicide? geeze, Lenn. and you left a witness behind?
Jay, you guys aren't paid enough.
I have a critter phobia. I would not have been happy to see a snake in the house. I don't care if it's only the cellar. But I dislike mice even more than snakes. So if Juli keeps the mice away, I'm all for it.
Jay, Great story as always. I think snakes are much better mousers than cats. Unfortunately we almost never see any kind of snakes here in North Idaho.
I have great respect for Kathrine #36. I used to hate spiders but now I sometimes just take them outside instead of killing them. they won't hurt you if you are nice to them.
Oh come on Jay, this home has character! It has wild life. A rustic feel. Country living.
There are a lot of positive ways to spin this one!
Jay- I DO NOT like snakes! Saw too many of them on my first girl scout camping trip. And, way too many on our hunting lease in South Texas. Just too much of an ick factor for me.
Chris - where you are they probably have a very short hunting season! The rest of the time is spent hibernating.
Kathryn - most people do not live in peace with them! I think they are fine, unless, of course, it is a rattler and in my house!
There wasn't too much action Adrian. He posed pretty still for that shot!
It was awful Alan. It ran and ran, finally screaming when it was hit with a board and then popping loudly under her shoe. I'm still shaking...
Tammie - Big Juli is a mouse whisperer, and really has them under his thumb.
So to speak.
Wayne - we have a spider here that is a real jumper/biter. They don't take kindly to the old 8x11 piece of paper and into the yard thing. No snakes there?
Donald - that's what I said to Lenn about the snake. She only really reacted to the spider!
Kathy - one Boy Scout camping trip a 6' rattlesnake crawled right through the middle of our tent! We finally caught up to him and did him in. Our troop enjoyed rattlesnake for dinner. It really does taste like chicken, although the meat has a compact fiber, not so long as chicken muscle.
My brother got the rattles!
Jay, We have some great rat poison for the mice. It is the same basic thing as the drug coumadin. The mice and rats eat it and go off and bleed out. If the dogs get in it you just take them for a shot of vitamin K.
Such a great story! I'm sure that in those "parts" there are all different sorts of characters lurking "under foot!"
Interesting Tom. I guess the Vit K causes clotting and thickening of the blood. There were poison traps all around the house, but maybe don't work well.
Jan - there are probably more organisms in that house, of all varieties, then there are people in that county!
Jay, I have seen Black Racers going around yards from time to time. They are an enemy to mice and other predatory snakes. They are a good thing to have around - in small numbers and in their proper place! Fun story :)
Sharon
I have a real phobia of snakes.. So I would have been out of there in a heart beat!
Sharon - if this guy is alone, he is the small number and in the right place!
Joan - you have nothing to fear of any snake unless you trap them or step on them. They usually feel your presence before you see them and intentionally try to get out of your way.
Jay, you just gave me a real great reason to never want to be a home inspector.
Gary - things like this are fun! What I don't like is running into raccoons in crawl spaces or cellars. They are dangerous and nasty!
Snakes. Lucky you. Here in Minnesota I'll see a garter snake every once in a while, but that's it. The cold keeps the riff-raff out ;)
Riff raff Reubs? Big Juli keeps out the riff raff! Now, if they could only teach him to go after termites...