How would you describe the smell of snake musk?

How would you describe the smell, in the worst-case scenario?

Musk scent depends on the species. Skunk, stinky perfume, dead fish, rotting death are the ones I've run into. Some of the musks will saturate an area and even with a full wipe-down you can smell them in an area months later...

Worst case scenario: Your adult anaconda decides to musk you and it smells so bad that your neighbors 1/2 mile away call the cops and complain about the smell of a dead body. The cops show up at your house and find your reptile collection-they try to figure out if it is legal to have so many reptiles in your locale and radio it in to the station. Minutes later the local news crew shows up and plasters an evil picture of your face scowling in the face of a bright flash photo that takes you by surprise. The news goes national and you and your bad picture find yourself the figurehead for a campaign to protect people from the massive number of pet snake related fatalities that happen every year. Federal legislation is passed banning all snakes over 6 ft.--They name the Bill after you. The Bill ensures that you live on forever in infamy among the public and the reptile community. This is one possible scenario :)

:rofl:I'm glad I've never been musked by an anaconda....

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Back to descriptions, makes me want to gag, at least with some species. Some are way better than others. Rosy boas may be little & rarely emit vile substances, but on "occasion" they sure can. ;)

I don't know if musking is different from poop and pee. OMG a recently had a corn snake download right on me. I tried to contain it all in my sweatshirt but some of it ran down onto my brand new layzboy recliner. Omg I am still trying to get the smell out. I think I just about got it out after using pine sol cleanser, white vinegar, baking soda multiple times and now I am resorting to a few drops of perfume. Beyond horrible.

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Originally Posted by L.West

I don't know if musking is different from poop and pee. OMG a recently had a corn snake download right on me. I tried to contain it all in my sweatshirt but some of it ran down onto my brand new layzboy recliner. Omg I am still trying to get the smell out. I think I just about got it out after using pine sol cleanser, white vinegar, baking soda multiple times and now I am resorting to a few drops of perfume. Beyond horrible.

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Sounds like your snake graced you with a triple-whammy. :( Musk is the strongest...it lingers. Consider that many perfumes were based with animal musk (usually from civet cats, beaver & musk deer).

I will be putting something down on my furniture in the future when I have any snakes out. You just never know when they are going to download.

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Originally Posted by L.West

I will be putting something down on my furniture in the future when I have any snakes out. You just never know when they are going to download.

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Good idea, though in all the years I've been living with snakes, none have ever ruined any rugs, bedding, clothes or furniture, so I must be over-due? :rofl:

Most snakes have to be pretty stressed to emit musk: I found out about rosy boas only when I had to probe a bunch of neonates...& they nearly made me hurl. :O

My Japanese rat snake musks at every given opportunity - it's to the point that her bioactive tub smells like it when I open it. Usually bioactives smell like walking through a forest just after a rain, but this is just. Salty. Weirdly fishy. And I know it's her musk, because she has done it during handling sessions before. It is never pleasant, but it's also not truly terrible. It's not even gag-reflex worthy, it's just stinky enough to be noticeable.

(I had her setup running for four months before adding her to it, and it smelled like a bioactive should. Now, it smells like her musk :/. Whatever makes her happy, I guess.)

Edit: You can smell the bioactive forest smell underneath it, but you have to stick around long enough to figure out the different smells.