ooo! I’d suggest changing the snake color like u said and add a reflection on the water! Also maybe change the texture of the snake to make it stand out even more?

i'd say add more color contrast in general, like brighten the bright stuff and darken the shadows (the colors are a bit dull), but also pay attention to how water interacts with water (since I'm assuming that's what the snake is comprised of). i think making the snake orange would make it stand out a bit too much

2oah