I have had garter snakes get in an open door , my fault for leaving it open. Make sure all the places where creepys can get in are sealed into the crawl space . I use steel wool in a couple of spots that seem to not get plugged perfectly and mice can get into very tiny spaces.. A garter snake won't hurt you but I agree not pleasant to come across anytime when not expecting it. The best is to seal that crawl space if the snake has no food it won't be an issue.

I agree that needs to be closed ASAP

You want creepy? What if a critter crawls in there, gets stuck and dies? That is the bigger issue here. Get a register cover. TODAY! It's hard to tell if that is standard size, if not get metal screen and tack in place.

@tracefloyd and @Patricia Colwell Consulting the covers were off because we had the ductwork cleaned last week. They're on now.

Phew!

Is your crawlspace properly built so as to not allow access to any kind of critters, whether snakes, rodents, or whatever. If not, that's what should get your attention to get fixed, it has nothing at all to do with the kind of heating you have. Make sure all cracks, openings, vents, whatever are properly closed, tightly screened (for air vents) and have no gaps.

What's done is done but there's not a consensus of opinion among the experts that ductwork cleaning is necessary or something that's good to do. The only consistent positive opinions you'll hear is from service providers who do this work, they'll always tell you it's necessary and beneficial.

@Elmer J Fudd it was just my imagination running wild. I thought folks would chime in with "creepy" Halloween season stories of their own. We live along a creek and expect critters. We also had a German shephard (lovingly known as German shedders) and after a variety of dusty remodeling jobs and before heating season, , It was time to clean the ductwork.

A neighbor years ago was showering with her toddler son — he sat down near the drain right as a snake came up through it. Not a harmless one, and very small, but it was still quite startling in the moment! She said she was surprised the whole neighborhood didn’t hear her scream. We all had septic systems … I was watching my drain closely after that!

We’re in Texas, so are used to critters than can be dangerous — snakes, spiders, fire ants, scorpions, etc. We had a scorpion infestation once, they’d get in our dirty clothes hamper (in the closet). It was not fun! Until we got it under control, we didn’t let laundry pile up, we’d just put things straight into the washer. I was afraid to walk around barefoot for a while.

I could tell a lot of stories. The Rattlesnake mama that had babies under our deck, etc. :D

You're a strong woman Jinx. One of the few things I like about the Northeast is we have very few venomous critters. I hate the snow and cold but apparently it has some uses.

Ally, I like the idea of living somewhere more … calm. ;)

DH is from LI, I told him we should go back! He said he prefers the heat and critters here to the snow. Can you have a word with him? :D

We moved from LA and there I worried more about creepy things on 2 legs! We lived in a nice area, so were an easy target for crooks. Many of our neighbors were broken into and I avoided one because I hadn't gotten in the shower yet and answered the front door ... got 2 big scary dogs after that. I'll take furry or scaled critters any time!

Anything in the world for you my friend!

Plus hey, then you'd be closer to me.

That would be awesome. ❤️

Nothing creepy in this current house yet, but here you go for creepy stuff! ;) https://youtu.be/bnmdTjZibiA?t=90 Your vent is no match for Eugene Victor Tooms!