Yes, ponds attract snakes. Ponds are a source of fresh water, which snakes need to survive, and snakes may be attracted to ponds containing fish, as it’s an abundant source of food.
Ponds are appealing to snakes because they provide food. Some ponds also have rocks and vegetation, both of which could serve as great hiding spots and habitats for snakes.
Why do Ponds Attract Snakes?
Snakes get attracted to ponds because it’s a readily available fresh water source, and often contains (or is surrounded by) an abundance of food in the form of fish or other wildlife.
Ponds are easy to get to. A snake merely has to slide into the water, and it can easily access the fish as well as amphibians like frogs and toads. Snakes may not live there, but it is possible.
Read More: Do Snakes Eat Frogs and Toads?
Snakes may also be attracted to the pond if there are rocks or long vegetation surrounding it that the snake can crawl underneath and use it as a hiding spot.
Obviously, snakes will not stay in the pond if it is cold. Snakes are cold-blooded or ectothermic. They regulate their body temperatures using their environment.
Do Snakes Live Near Ponds?
Snakes may live near ponds if there’s a good hiding spot for them nearby, so that they can use the pond as a source of water and food.
There are many kinds of snakes that live near water. There are even some snake species that live in seawater.
However, it is uncommon for land snakes to stay submerged in fresh water for long periods of time. The anaconda is the most notorious, as it uses the water to hide and ambush prey.
A great example of a snake that lives near ponds is the cottonmouth. It is also called water moccasin.
Read More: Can Snakes Swim Underwater?
How To Protect Your Pond from Snakes
There are some ways by which a person can reduce the likelihood of snakes staying in ponds. However, these are not guaranteed.
1. Keep Grass Short
Snakes will hide in the grass to take cover. Thick vegetation is appealing to snakes because it lets them hide from predators like birds of prey.
2. Remove Rocks and Vegetation
Rocks that are slightly elevated are perfect hiding places for snakes. They provide cover from heat, and the soil underneath is moist. Dry leaves do the same.
The key to keeping snakes away from a pond is to reduce vegetation and other elements from which they can hide. Snakes do not like it when they are out in the open. Mulch or wood chippings can attract snakes because it provides a good environment for their prey.
Generally speaking, the snake must not have a hiding place. A pond must not have a lot of rocks and logs. Even if they look great, remember that snakes can use them as great hiding spots.
3. Avoid Stagnant Water
Snakes like calm water. Unfortunately, most ponds do not use flowing water. The water is stagnant, and it is these conditions that snakes look for when they hunt.
Will Snakes Eat Fish from a Pond?
Yes, all snakes eat fish. However, not all of them have the capability to digest it. There are some snakes that specialize in eating fish, and most of these are sea snakes.
In captivity, it is ill-advised to feed a pet snake with fish. Many experts recommend fish only as a treat, and this should be rare.
Read More: Sea Snakes vs Land Snakes Explained
In the wild, the snakes that are popularly known for hunting water creatures are the garter snake, the moccasin, and the ribbon snake.
Just because a snake cannot digest fish properly does not mean it will not eat it. In the wild, snakes are opportunistic. They will eat what is available until they get their fill. If the fish they ate is not great, they will simply regurgitate it and hunt for something else.
What Types of Snake Get Attracted to Ponds?
Any snakes may be attracted to a pond because there are fish and water there. Even without fish, frogs and other animals thrive around ponds, and these are also attractive food sources for snakes.
Though all snakes get attracted to fish and frogs in the pond, there are those that are dangerous that one should watch out for.
1. Blue Krait
The Blue Krait is also called the Malayan Krait. It is highly venomous and is usually found in Southeast Asia and may be found in or around ponds. Blue Kraits belong to the Elapidae family of snakes, which are extremely venomous.
The Blue Krait is dangerous because it likes to live close to water sources. They live in waterways and evergreen forests with rich vegetation. They also love living in rice fields and dams.
2. Death Adder
The Death Adder is a wait-and-ambush predator, and it is one of the deadliest of all snakes. Their natural geographical locations are in the northern territories in Australia. They also live in coastal areas.
The death adder likes to hide under leaves, and a pond can provide a lot of this. It has long fangs that can grow up to 8 millimetres. They eat small mammals, including birds.
Ponds that have vegetation are great hiding spots of the death adder, and it will lie in wait until prey comes by. It may not hunt for fish, but it will surely wait for rodents.
Related Article: Does Pine Straw Attract Snakes?
Summary
Snakes get attracted to ponds. The main reason they come over is the fish. Fish is snake food. Another reason is shelter, but this happens mostly in ponds where there are rocks and/or vegetation. They use these things as hiding places or ambush areas.
Stuart is the editor of Fauna Facts. He edits our writers’ work as well as contributing his own content. Stuart is passionate about sustainable farming and animal welfare and has written extensively on cows and geese for the site.