Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Should I be concerned?

I feel like this is a newbie question, but today I discovered my small pond is home to a rather large turtle and a large snake.

Seeing as how I just stocked the pond, I don't want all of my little fish to become a buffet. Should I deal with these two fellas or just let them be and not worry about it.

I've never considered turtles a problem. To me, they are mostly the clean up crew when a fish is sick or dies. They are mostly vegetarians. A snapping turtle will take an occasional healthy fish but it is unusual.

I know nothing about snakes as predators of fish. I'm sure they are but doubt that they can effect the population balance. I did catch a huge brown water snake a couple of years ago in a large fish trap and I figure he was in there due to the fish that I had caught. I released it. I dang sure don't like getting them in a seine but it happens.

Both snakes and turtles will come and go in the pond. I don't worry about them.

Ditto

FWIW I had a scuffle with a 3 to 4 foot long snake in central Indiana eating fish on our stringer. I pulled out the stringer and the snake got pretty aggressive. I don't know what kind of snake it was but I am not a fan of large water snakes. I would get rid of the water snake unless yer show what kind it is and know it's harmless.

Last week I had a run in with a 3' cotton mouth. He was summon on the board walkway to the pier. He didn't want to leave so he opened his mouth an showed his dental goods, I just poked him with my fishing pole to make him leave. And yes I would have blasted him if I wold have been packing

Alright, thanks guys. The turtle is more than welcome to stay, but I can't say the same for the snake.

It was about 3' in length and colored like a rattlesnake, but no rattle. I'm guessing it was a water moccasin, but can't be sure. Either way, I'm not taking any chances.

Was it in the water? Prob a water snake. Water moccasin will float when swimming, where a water snake just the head will be out. Moccasins are short and fat and almost black- nasty smelling also

Na, it was sunning up on the bank. Looked identical to this one.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7097/7049135693_2211718a7f.jpg

Cottonmouth are fat and short... Goggle them

That looks a lot like the snake I had the scuffle with. What kind is it?

That feller looks to be a subspecies of a water moccasin, note the pit under the eye
Not 109% sure

That pic I posted is a water moccasin, also known as a cottonmouth.

(Which I surprisingly just learned are one in the same...I always thought a cottonmouth was a version of rattlesnake.)

Here's one getting handled...although I don't know what in the world this guy was thinking picking it up like that after he shot it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNwPh08S9RQ

Most cottonmouth Mocs are almost black except for the species you showed... Nasty fellows

Or, at least they are usually black in Texas.

I have found that very few water snakes are actually venomous. Cottonmouths are the only water snake I've found with an attitude. Most snakes just want to go somewhere else in a hurry.

Did not know cottonmouths and water moccasin where the same--and living outdoors most of the time I should have known, good info

I think this is what I had the scuffle with. Diamond back water snake.

Had one this weekend open mouth and all that- dangit no pistol with me at time

That is a copperhead, Bill.

Venomous but most healthy adults will recover without much effort. The very young, the very old, and the immune system compromised suffer most from copperhead bites.

Yup just a common water snake. These species will bite if provoked or strike out when attempting to flee if threatened. No venom, but a puncture would could cause an infection depending on the bacteria in the water snake's mouth. They will dine on fish, frogs, tadpoles, mice, etc.

Look again bass lover that is a lesser seen cottonmouth that is brown and not blackish .

We have the diamond back water snakes in our ponds but they are more the brownish color like the water moccasin pictured. But can definitely tell by the head that ours is not poisonous. The poisonous snakes have that broad more diamond shaped head where the poison glands are. Non-poisonous heads more slender. At least that is the way it appears to me.

Saw one in our old pond last summer with a 4" or so bullhead in its mouth swimming out to deeper water. When I came along it was at the bank and I scared it, so it swam away, but was not going to give up its meal so was swimming on the surface with its catch. Have a half dozen 13" LMB in that pond now, so it better watch out or it will become the meal.

IIRC I read somewhere you can also tell by the pupils in their eyes. Nonpoisonous have round pupils and poisonous are verticel elliptical shape.

I dun plan to get close enough to get that good a look!

Bill D. The pic you posted is a dead ringer for the one I walked up on. I won't be getting close enough to check its pupils either. Ha. Hopefully we'll cross paths again this weekend when I'm armed.

I read somewhere those guys can get 10 to 12 feet long down South!

6' is a big one