Snake control in Al Shuhada, 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 Shuhada

Jagged rock and irregular unplanned building means rodents find countless refuges in rocky crevices and uneven floors. The method is set out in full on the full Snake control page.

The first reason

Informal building and narrow lanes

Informal houses stand packed together without regular planning. Lanes are very narrow and gaps between structures are small and uneven. This creates a maze of passages that rodents and snakes use to move between buildings and hide.

The second reason

Surrounding wadis and flood water

Wadi Al Zahir runs south and Wadi Al Tanim north through the district, carrying storm water. These wadis provide natural passages for animals and water after rain attracts insects and rodents. Snakes follow these routes into nearby buildings.

The third reason

Rocky ground and uneven foundations

Raw rocky ground and foundations laid directly on rock without levelling leave many gaps and cracks. These cracks provide ideal entry points for snakes and rodents to enter and leave homes.

Landmarks of Al Shuhada

Al Shuhada sits at Thaniyat Al Bayda to the north and between Jabal Al Barud and Jabal Al Shahid. Hajj Street bounds it to the east and its industrial workshops provide constant food for rodents. Work begins by clearing the house perimeter and sealing visible gaps, then controlling rodents and waste.

Hajj Street
Madinah Road
Al Shuhada Square
Thaniyat Al Bayda
Jabal Al Shahid
Asad ibn Zurarah Mosque

Before treatment

What the site tells us before we start

Informal housing spread over rough rocky terrain between Jabal Al Barud to the west and Jabal Al Shahid, with Wadi Al Tanim to the north. Hajj Street on its edge carries industrial workshops in open yards.

A shed skin

Shed skins are easily found in cracks between houses, tight gaps and under foundations because snakes hide there for long periods.

A winding trail across fine sand beside a wall

The track in the sand

Snake tracks on soil and rock show the preferred routes from wadis to houses and the gaps between them.

Concrete blocks stacked against an exterior wall

Block and rubble piles

Rubble, old bricks and broken stone around houses shelter rodents and snakes together.

A closed metal gate with a visible gap beneath it

The gap under the gate

Gaps beneath doors and small cracks in old foundations provide perfect entry points for snakes in aged buildings.

A burrow opening in dry soil beside a garden

Rodent burrows

Natural fissures in rock offer permanent refuges for rodents and snakes.

A drip irrigation line leaking onto garden soil

A leaking irrigation line

Rubbish and standing water in corners and cracks create damp that attracts insects, rodents and snakes all together.

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 Utaybiyah Sub-Municipality

Al Utaybiyah sub municipality covers the old districts north of the Grand Mosque: the hillside quarters of Al Hajun, Al Utaybiyah and Al Bayban, Al Zahir and Al Shuhada at the northern entrance, and the newer Al Zahra, Al Diyafah and An Nuzhah westward. Its building stock is among the oldest in Makkah, stone houses on the hills, packed apartment blocks and sewers decades old, threaded with crowded markets like the Utaybiyah souq and furnished flats that fill in the pilgrim seasons. Wadi Al Zahir and Wadi Al Tanim carry storm water through it, and industrial workshops line Hajj Street.

Questions about this district

Do snakes come down the wadis surrounding Al Shuhada?

Yes, the wadis provide natural passages, water and shelter. Storm water after rain disturbs animals, driving them to seek refuge in nearby buildings. Districts close to wadis face more risk.

Do snakes hide in the tight gaps between houses?

Yes, the very narrow spaces between buildings offer perfect shelter. They may stay unseen for months before entering a house searching for food.

Do the industrial workshops on Hajj Street attract snakes?

Workshops leave food waste and rodents concentrate there. This draws snakes. Districts near Hajj Street see higher snake activity because food is plentiful.

Do crowded markets provide food for rodents and snakes?

Yes, scraps and crumbs around markets feed rodents abundantly. Snakes concentrate in these areas. Eliminating rodents is the fundamental solution.

How do we seal entry points in very tight gaps?

We use specialised tools and inspect from below and above. We may ask residents to widen a gap slightly. The goal is to seal cracks with solid material that prevents entry.

Does old building in Al Shuhada mean weak foundations?

Yes, old foundations and informal building may be weak and cracked. This increases snake entry risk. Repair and sealing improve safety and health.

How much does snake control in Al Shuhada 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 Shuhada.