Just like a regular garden, water gardens also offer the same or at least very similar benefits. This is the same case with the threats that come with them too. A good example of a threat to both worlds is snakes.
Do water gardens attract snakes? The answer to this question is a definite yes. If you can find snakes in a garden bed, then you can find snakes by a water garden as well. Water gardens that have a thriving ecosystem, especially one filled with living creatures, can certainly attract wildlife.
But despite this reality, it is possible to keep snakes from destroying or attacking your beloved water garden and its host. In fact, if you know what you’re doing, you might even be able to use snakes to your advantage in keeping your water garden’s ecosystem balance.
Why Do Water Gardens Attract Snakes?
You can find snakes pretty much in all parts of the world. There are only a few countries that are blessed without these slithering creatures, usually island countries such as New Zealand and Hawaii.
However, snakes aren’t all bad. Most species are nonvenomous and are only after food if they ever go into your yard. But, if you live in places where it can get very dry or there is a lack of water, they might end up making your pond their new home, being a place of a constant water source.
Good for Food
If you have good irrigation and tend to attract small creatures, such as frogs or snails, then you can expect to also attract snakes as this will act as a source of hunting ground for them.
Don’t be afraid, though, as these snakes will most likely be the small kind and won’t be venomous. In fact, snakes only ever attack if they feel threatened, so you should never attempt to approach one unless you’re an expert.
Good for Comfort
Snakes can even make your pond or fountain a home for themselves, which would mostly be dependent on the weather. For example, during hot seasons, if they’re not feeding, they will look for places they can feel cool, such places as the rocks by your fountain will feel like a perfect place for them to relax. Water type snakes might even enjoy swimming in your pond. Thankfully, during winter or on very cold days, you may not find any snakes roaming around. Snakes are cold-blooded animals so they cannot produce their own body heat, which means they have to rely on heat from other sources, such as the sun. During the winter season, they tend to hide underground where it’s warmer until the season ends.
How to Keep Snakes Away
Many people believe that certain plants and flowers attract snakes. Although it is common that snakes love to bask in gardens or prefer to hide in dense plant areas for protection, it is more the food source the garden attracts that they’re there for.
There are, on the other hand, some plants that can keep snakes away. If you have plans to have a lot of plants in your water garden, then you can consider looking for these types. Here are some kinds that you can plant around your water garden feature.
- Marigolds
- Pink agapanthus
- Sarpagandha
- Lemongrass
- Wormwood
- Mother-in-laws tongue
Having these plants planted around the perimeter of your water garden or yard can make a difference in keeping snakes away. It is both the aroma and the appearance that these plants keep snakes away.
Tricks to Avoid Snake Problems
It is advisable to have a fence as your main protection from snakes. Although they may not keep small snakes way, at least you can feel much safer knowing large snakes will never enter your yard. A net over your pond or fountain is also a great solution to keeping your fishes safe.
But, if you despise the other wildlife your water garden attracts and you want to keep them in check, such as slimy frogs or disturbing snails, there are some homemade solutions that can scare snakes away after they’ve done their job of clearing those unwanted creatures.
Garden Hose
Almost every yard has a garden hose. If you spot a snake, the first thing you should do if you are unsure of what type it is would be to call animal control. It would be wise to study the different types of garden snakes there are so that you can know the difference between a venomous snake and a not so dangerous snake.
If you know it is a garden snake, then you can spray it with a hose from a safe distance to make it slither away. Often, snakes won’t come back if they are consistently unsuccessful at a hunting ground, although this trick is more for those who are creeped out by the sight of snakes.
Snake Repellant
Snake repellants are great solutions if you know where the snakes are entering from. An effective repellant is Snake-Away, which you can place where you’re sure snakes enter at. This repellant interrupts or affects the snake’s sensory system when they make contact with the product, thus causing them to turn around to avoid the confusion affects.
Another great repellant is ammonia. This is a gas-based repellant and snakes hate the smell. You can soak rags with this product and leave them where you usually see snakes come from. Make sure to place the rags in an unsealed plastic bag so they don’t get soaked from the rain and to reduce the smell from dissipating quicker.
Vinegar
Vinegar is great for keeping away other unwanted creatures too. Not only is it an easy homemade solution, but it is very safe for kids and pets. Snakes can absorb liquids through their skin, so if they sense vinegar where they can sneak in through, they will definitely turn back around and avoid sliding through this chemical.
What to Do With a Snake Bite
If you find that snakes are becoming to frequent in your water garden, then you should probably first find out why they are visiting. Snakes, especially if there are a lot of them, might be a sign that your ecosystem contains too many unwanted creatures, a good example being rodents.
Fortunately, most snakes that will visit your yard are nonvenomous. These snakes are called garter snakes, most commonly known as garden snakes. They are small and quite harmless. Even if they bite, it will not be fatal or cause death, although it will still be painful.
If you ever get bitten by a snake that you’re not familiar with, the best course of action is to see a doctor. If you are familiar with the snake, then you should make sure to clean the wound immediately as most harmless bites are not caused by the bite itself, but the infection that can come from the wound later on.
The most that will come from a harmless bite will be swelling and itching, so you can find some first-aid treatments that can address this, such as ice and moisturizing lotions. Don’t forget to also place band aids to the wound to stop the bleeding.
Related Questions
Snakes can be both a pest and a friend. Whether you want to completely keep them all away from entering your yard or you just want to protect your water garden from harm is up to you. The decision will no doubt make it easier on what course of action to take. This article has given you all that you need to know concerning what to do, but here are a few more questions to help you out.
- “Do mothballs work in keeping snakes away?” – Because mothballs were not meant for snakes or anything larger than moths, they might not be strong enough to repel them. If they are used, the rain may also wash them away from the spot you’ve placed them, so they’re not an effective repellant.
- “Are snakes afraid of humans?” – Snakes are very fearful creatures, so they’re pretty much afraid of anything that can cause them harm, especially those that are bigger than their size. They are also sensitive to vibrations, so loud thumping can cause them to flee. Just make sure to never get too close as they can bite out of fear.
- “Does cleaning my yard keep snakes away?” – Snakes love to hide in dark and secure places, so yes, having a clean and clear yard will surely help keep the snakes away. At the very least, it will make it easier for you to spot them. If you have pets, although they can also help keep snakes at bay a little, remember to always clean after them as their feces and food dishes can attract rodents.