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My new girl stinks.

T

ticky1105

New member
Hi! I got a new snake Saturday at the reptile show. She is a beautiful four year old snow. I couldn't help myself!!
Now I've been letting her hang out in her cage and get used to it. But I noticed something Monday. A real "snakey" smell. I picked her up, which she was fine with (she did rattle her tail at me but didn't attempt to bite) and looked her over. She has no sores or mite specks but she stinks! And my hand stunk after holding her too. Looked over her cage a little and couldn't find any poop to pick up. I didn't go digging for it so as not to disturb her too much. Is this normal. It isn't a horrible smell but it is very musty. Is there any way I can bath her later on? I don't want her to get a bath yet before she is settled in and eats but if this smell persist I might have to do something. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
 
Snakes do something called "musk" or "Musking". For example; "My snake musked on me"
Im not sure how to explain it to you, but the snake releases some colorless liquid that smels really bad. Usually the snake releases this liquid when it doesnt want to be held, or when its scared. Kind of like a skunk you could say?
You can give the snake a bath with mild soap and luke warm water. It might take a little while before you get the smell completley off.
 
It wouldn't hurt to give her a quick shower under the kitched sprayer- just rub mild soap in your hand, rub it over her body (not her mouth) and then rinse her in room temp water (which will feel cool to you).
 
Could she have musked her transport container? Because I noticed the smell before I touched her. Thank you both for the bath advice. I have a few books on snakes that I have been reading but none mention anything about grooming.
 
She probably did musk her transport container.
And, yeah snakes really dont need any grooming at all. Mainly because they arn't messy. Unless this is your situation (musking)
 
To me, musk smells like crushed milkweed... marigolds or dandelions. Really bitter. It is oily, so using dish soap will get it all off your snake.

I give my snakes baths occasionally, when they get messy on a rare occasion (one of mine slithered through her poo. Poor thing) Snakes don't seem to mind getting wet, and some of them seem to enjoy being in water. (very different from my cat!!)
Just make sure the water is cool, like Nanci said. Too cold is better than too hot.
 
If she smells kinda "poopy" she could have been kept in a dirty tub. The smell will go away after a shed or two.
 
Well I just fed her and she ate great. I was a little nervous because the lady when I bought her said she ate both live and frozen. I was worried that meant "Live but to sell her I will say both" but I fed her frozen and she accepted it. But to my point (I do have one. I just ramble). When I put her in her feeding bin she didn't stink. I guess it wore off?
 
ticky1105 said:
Well I just fed her and she ate great. I was a little nervous because the lady when I bought her said she ate both live and frozen. I was worried that meant "Live but to sell her I will say both" but I fed her frozen and she accepted it. But to my point (I do have one. I just ramble). When I put her in her feeding bin she didn't stink. I guess it wore off?
Click to expand...

Was probably just musk then. :D
 
sounds like we both got our snakes from the same person on Saturday. The women I got one of mine from said the same thing about feeding live and f/t.
And my girl also musked. Except she waited until we caught her during an escape attempt and musked the boyfriend a few times. :roflmao: Her name is now Stinky Lady.
 
I found out that snakes musk the hard way. I grabbed a wild rat snake to save it from getting killed by a boy. It took a long time for the smell to get out of my pores. I ended up using vanilla oil inside my shampoo to clean out my hair.
 
sounds like we both got our snakes from the same person on Saturday. The women I got one of mine from said the same thing about feeding live and f/t.
And my girl also musked. Except she waited until we caught her during an escape attempt and musked the boyfriend a few times. Her name is now Stinky Lady.
Click to expand...

I got her from that first booth at the Repticon Show in Gonzales. And I almost changed her name to Stinky after discovering that smell! But since it faded away I will let her keep "Bones" as her name. :D But that was some stinky stuff! I am so glad it faded and now is barely noticable.
 
ticky1105 said:
I got her from that first booth at the Repticon Show in Gonzales. And I almost changed her name to Stinky after discovering that smell! But since it faded away I will let her keep "Bones" as her name. :D But that was some stinky stuff! I am so glad it faded and now is barely noticable.
Click to expand...

Yep that is where we got ours also.
 
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