A technician checking a boundary wall line and pipe entries at ground level

Snake control in Al Balad Jeddah

Al Balad is the historic commercial heart of Jeddah, a very old urban fabric of coral limestone tower houses with wooden rawashin latticework. Cracks in the stone and decayed wood, gaps between floors, provide thousands of potential entry routes. Popular souqs and ground floor shops, especially around Bab Makkah, draw rats by the thousand. Snakes enter this complex urban tissue following rats and may inhabit old houses for weeks unnoticed in the labyrinth of narrow lanes and interconnected buildings.

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Targeted, not broadcast

Product goes into cracks and runways, never sprayed across open surfaces.
Told before we start

What we will use, where it goes, and what to cover or move before we arrive.
A follow-up visit

We return after the first treatment, because what survives it does not show on the day.
Homes and businesses

Apartments and villas, and kitchens and stores that need a record of each visit.

Why they keep coming back in Al Balad

Snakes enter heritage houses in Al Balad through cracks in coral limestone that are not easily visible. The method is set out in full on how we approach Snake control.

The first reason

Popular souqs provide abundant food for rats

The Alawi market, the Bedouin market and the shops around Bab Makkah leave considerable food waste daily. Rats thrive in this abundance of food. Snakes follow rats to the markets. Treating the markets and shops for rodents first is essential, then treating the adjoining houses second. One without the other fails.

The second reason

Cracked coral limestone provides a network of entry routes

Coral limestone is very old and cracks in many places. Cracks too small to see with the naked eye provide passage for a slim snake. Repairing every crack in a heritage house may require specialist injection techniques. A UNESCO listed house cannot be demolished or rebuilt. Restoration must respect the historic fabric.

The third reason

Narrow lanes provide shade and trapped moisture

The lanes of Al Balad are so narrow they provide shadow all day and hold moisture in the air. Snakes prefer this shade and humidity. Snakes may spend days in the lanes before entering homes. Treating the lanes and souqs together is essential in Al Balad. The houses cannot be separated from the streets around them.

Al Balad on the map

Al Balad sits about 1 km from Al Sahifah and about 1 km from Al Ammariyah.

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Before treatment

What the site tells us before we start

Al Balad lies in the heart of historic Jeddah, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It contains Nassif House and Al Shafi'i Mosque and popular souqs like the Alawi and Bedouin markets. Streets are very narrow and buildings are tightly adjoined.

A shed skin

Shed skins may be left in dark corners of the heritage house.

A winding trail across fine sand beside a wall

The track in the sand

Tracks in sandy patches around the doorway show snakes moving in from the narrow lane.

Concrete blocks stacked against an exterior wall

Block and rubble piles

Piles of old stones and rubble in the house courtyard provide shelter for snakes.

A closed metal gate with a visible gap beneath it

The gap under the gate

The gap beneath the old wooden door may not be sealed tightly.

A burrow opening in dry soil beside a garden

Rodent burrows

Rodent burrows appear around the house foundation near the adjoining lane.

A drip irrigation line leaking onto garden soil

A leaking irrigation line

Seepage from old drainage pipes keeps narrow voids beneath the building damp.

How we work

1
Inspect and locate

We work the perimeter, the garden and the service rooms with a torch and a mirror, reading the tracks, the skins and the burrows to establish whether it is still on site and where it came in.
2
Safe removal

It comes out on a hook and tongs into a closed container and is released away from buildings where that is possible, with no chasing it around a room.
3
Close the routes, take away the shelter

A strip under the gate, sleeves around pipe entries, tight covers on the floor drains, and the blocks and palm fronds moved off the wall line.
4
Cut the food, then come back

We treat the rodents and the geckos on the perimeter, then return once that activity has settled to check the sealed points and look for any fresh track.

What snake control includes

A recorded site inspection

Perimeter, garden, service rooms and pipe entries, with tracks and skins recorded before anything is applied.
Drains and entries closed

Tight covers on floor drains, sleeves around waste and air conditioning pipe runs, and the weep holes in the boundary wall closed.
Rodent work around the building

Closed bait stations on the rodent runs, because cutting the prey is what makes the site stop suiting them.
Perimeter treatment down the food chain

Insects on lit walls hold the geckos, and geckos feed some species, so we treat the chain from the bottom up.
A perimeter housekeeping list

What to move off the wall line, how low to cut the ground cover, where the lighting sits, and what to do if you see another one.
A scheduled follow-up

A set date to check the sealed points, the rodent stations and any new track in the sand.

Landmarks of Al Balad

In Al Balad, snake control is coordinated through the main markets and commercial axes. Houses near Nassif House, Souq Al Alawi and Souq Al Badu are accessed through Bab Makkah and Bab Sharif, whilst houses tucked into the tight corners of the quarter require movement through the narrowest lanes to reach them.

Nassif House
Al Shafi'i Mosque
Souq Al Alawi
Souq Al Badu
Bab Makkah
Bab Sharif

Questions about this district

Can cracks in a heritage house be repaired without damaging it?

Yes, but it requires specialists. Injection of materials compatible with coral limestone is possible. Repair must match the original materials. Coordination with heritage authorities may be necessary. A qualified restorer is essential.

What role do the popular souqs play in spreading snakes through Al Balad?

The souqs are the source of rats and insects. Snakes come to the markets first, then move into neighbouring houses. Treating the markets first stops most of the problem. Houses near treated markets are much less at risk. The market is the root cause.

Does decayed wood in the rawashin provide entry routes for snakes?

Decayed wood may leave gaps between wooden pieces. Snakes may crawl through these gaps or use them as shelter. Repairing or replacing decayed wood in a heritage context may be complex. Specialist craftspeople may be needed to maintain authenticity.

Are old houses in Al Balad safe from snakes or are they most at risk?

Old houses in Al Balad are at highest risk. Cracks are numerous, insects and rats are abundant. But these houses are part of human heritage, and work must be done carefully with respect for their age and significance.

Could external wire or barriers prevent snakes from entering?

External barriers would damage the heritage appearance of the house. Better to seal entry points from inside and work to remove rats and insects from around the building. Prevention is better than barriers that spoil the character.

How often does a heritage house in Al Balad need snake treatment?

One comprehensive treatment may be sufficient if cracks are sealed properly. But periodic inspection is essential because new cracks can develop from wear and settling. This is an ongoing cycle of inspection and minor repair.

How much does snake control in Al Balad cost?

It is set after the inspection, because the price follows the type of infestation, the size of the space, how far it has spread and the number of visits it needs. Send a photo and a description on WhatsApp and we will give you an estimate before we reach Al Balad.