Snake control in Al Shawqiyah, Makkah

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 Shawqiyah

Contractors leave new schemes open without barriers, rodents move freely between villas and blocks, and snakes pursue them into homes unimpeded. The pattern repeats across every new district in the sub municipality. The method is set out in full on the full Snake control page.

The first reason

Ongoing construction and wet foundations

Open building sites in new schemes leave the soil waterlogged, and exposed trenches offer safe passages for rodents and reptiles. Damp foundations combined with loose sand create ideal conditions for snakes seeking water and easy prey. Unfinished work often leaves gaps that will not be sealed.

The second reason

Ground floor shops and open storage

Shops and workshops on the lower floors store materials and goods with minimal protection. Rats and geckos feed on exposed food scraps and grain, nesting in spaces behind shelves and sacks. These easy food sources draw snakes actively searching for feeding opportunities.

The third reason

Gaps under gates and external walls

The outer gates to blocks and villas often leave gaps at ground level that allow rodents to enter freely. The snake following its prey's scent slips through these gaps into the stairwell, basement or interior garden without resistance, then spreads into individual flats as it hunts.

Al Shawqiyah on the map

Al Shawqiyah sits about 2 km from Al Kaakiyah and about 2.5 km from Al Malik Fahd.

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Before treatment

What the site tells us before we start

The district lies between the Third Ring Road and Ibrahim Al Khalil Road in a grid of wide streets with a public park. Ongoing construction keeps the ground around foundations saturated with water, and completed buildings stand close together.

A shed skin

Shed skins appear at foundation vents and entry steps, marking repeated activity in the densely built mixed district where access points are numerous.

A winding trail across fine sand beside a wall

The track in the sand

Tracks appear in sand and soil around gaps beneath gates and wall footings during the warm months when snakes are most active.

Concrete blocks stacked against an exterior wall

Block and rubble piles

Block piles and rubble from new schemes provide ideal shelter for both rodents and snakes side by side throughout the year.

A closed metal gate with a visible gap beneath it

The gap under the gate

The gap beneath iron and stone gates is one of the most frequently sealed routes in Al Shawqiyah because old gates no longer match current ground levels.

A burrow opening in dry soil beside a garden

Rodent burrows

Rodent burrows multiply in the damp gardens of apartment blocks and landscaped areas, leading snakes directly to occupied flats and shared spaces.

A drip irrigation line leaking onto garden soil

A leaking irrigation line

Leaking irrigation lines from garden networks saturate the soil around foundations, creating an ideal habitat for rats and snakes seeking moisture and shade.

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.

What is different about Al Shawqiyah Sub-Municipality

Al Shawqiyah sub municipality runs south from the Third Ring Road to the city's edge on the Al Layth road and the Jeddah expressway. Planned districts such as Al Shawqiyah, Al Malik Fahd and Bathaa Quraish have wide streets, villas and apartment blocks, while schemes in Wali Al Ahd are being built out and informal housing in Al Ukayshiyah and Al Zuhur is being cleared. The vegetable market and livestock auction at Souq Al Halaqa, open construction sites, the rocky slopes of Jabal Thawr and sewers still being laid through the southern fringe offer exposed food, shelter and moisture.

Questions about this district

Are all the snakes found in Al Shawqiyah definitely venomous?

Most snakes in the city are harmless, but identifying them safely needs experience. A clear photograph helps us determine the species before arrival. The yellow, black and red snake is rare in the city, but caution is necessary until we reach the property.

How does a snake enter a house when doors and windows are shut?

A snake passes through any gap its head can fit into. Gaps under external gates, electrical cable runs, ventilation openings in walls and cracked drains are simple routes. Any opening that water can flow from can also fit a snake; this is the rule to work with.

What makes snake control different in a dense mixed-use district?

A mixed district combines housing, shops and workshops, so food sources, water and shelter vary widely. Control needs coordination with neighbouring shops and adjacent blocks, because sealing one house without coordination simply pushes snakes and rodents to the adjacent building.

Do low iron gates prevent snake entry if the gap underneath is small?

Even a single centimetre gap is enough for a slim snake to pass through. Gates and walls need tight sealing with a foam or metal threshold that touches the ground without any gap remaining.

Does standing water in construction yards attract snakes directly or only the prey they hunt?

Water alone attracts snakes, especially in the dry summer. But pooled water also brings frogs, insects and rodents, turning it into a complete feeding ground for snakes. Any standing water in the district warrants close inspection.

What is the difference between snakes in the house and those that stay in the outer garden?

A snake does not distinguish between the house and garden as long as food, water and shelter are present. Snakes in an unbarriered garden migrate indoors when outdoor prey becomes scarce or when temperatures drop. Full garden perimeter sealing is essential.

How much does snake control in Al Shawqiyah 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 Shawqiyah.