Why Do Water Gardens Attract Snakes? And How Do You Deal with Them?

Why does it always have to be snakes? If you have a water garden and have seen a slithering, sleek tail whip out of sight, you might rethink ever leaving your house again. It seems like snakes are pulled by a magnet to your pond. So why, and how do we keep them far, far away?

Why Do Water Gardens Attract Snakes?

Fresh Water Keeps Them Alive

Like all land animals, snakes need fresh water to survive. Finding a water garden is like finding a desert oasis for them because they have a dedicated source of water they can always count on. This will keep them coming back.

They Eat Fish, Frogs, and Toads

Not only do they get drinks, but this oasis might also provide dinner. For ponds stocked with fish or that attract frogs or toads, snakes will swing by to see if they can pick up some fast food. Some fish, frogs, and toads are excellent meals for snakes.

Easy to Access with Lots of Places to Hide and Nest

Snakes are small, and it’s easy for them to find a way to your water garden since it’s right there on their level. Once they’re there, well-decorated water gardens with lots of plants and rocks offer tons of places for them to hide from predators or curl up for a nap.

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How to Keep Snakes Away from Your Water Garden

Use Snake Traps

These traps can be placed in shallow water or on the ground and baited with minnows or rodents. Then, the snake goes in and can’t get back out again. This allows you to relocate the snake to an appropriate new habitat humanely. You can get a variety of snake traps from your spring pond supply store.

Let Fish Hide

If snakes don’t see a meal quickly, they’ll move on. Building lots of hiding places in your fish-stocked water garden with underwater logs, underwater vegetation, overhangs, or fish shelters will make snakes think there’s nothing yummy there, and they’ll leave for a better meal.

Scent Deterrents for Snakes

You can buy several kinds of deterrents that smell like things snakes don’t like and will avoid. For one, you can buy a spray that has mongoose, fox, mink, or badger urine to spray around your pond area to make snakes think twice about risking their hides in your water garden.

You can also use cinnamon, clove, or eugenol as a natural repellent that doesn’t affect other animals.

Get the Water Moving with Fountains, Waterfalls, and Aerators

Snakes prefer still water, so if your pond constantly recirculates water, they won’t like it as much. Waterfalls, aerators, and fountains are great for the health of your pond water, plants, and fish and will make a snake less likely to choose your pond. Your spring pond supply store should have lots of great options for you.

Introduce Plants Snakes Dislike

Snakes have sensitive systems, so planting plants that emit compounds they don’t like is a great way to get rid of them. You can try the following:

• Garlic
• Lemongrass
• Marigolds
• Wormwood

Introduce Snake Predators

You can stock some animals or attract them that will eat snakes. These range from itty-bitty to a big commitment that needs lots of space to go along. Animals that will eat or kill snakes include:

• Large adult bullfrogs
• Largemouth bass
• Opossums
• Goats
• Deer
• Horses

Say So Long to Snakes

Although killing snakes should be your last choice because of their importance to the ecosystem, you have lots of options for getting rid of snakes from your pond and keeping them out; first and foremost: get the water moving!

Get the Water Moving with Fountains, Waterfalls, and Aerators!

Snakes prefer still water, so if your pond constantly recirculates water, they won’t like it as much. Waterfalls, aerators, and fountains are great for the health of your pond water, plants, and fish and will make a snake less likely to choose your pond. Your spring pond supply store should have lots of great options for you.

Check out our PondMAX (www.pondmax.com) and Teton (www.tetonus.com) websites to find Waterfalls, aerators, and fountains products for your pond to keep those snakes away!

If you are ready to order, visit our Dealer Locator to find a store near you: castleaquatics.com/dealer

Want to become an Authorized Dealer with Castle Aquatics? Click here to learn more!