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My snake kinda stinks?

Sinsational

Sinsational

New member
Ok so I fed Sammy on Saturday, and today he is soooo stinky. I haven't found a poop or anything yet. Is this normal for snakes to stink? Will he stink all the time? or just after he eats? Someone told me that snakes don't smell! Is there anything I can do to get this smell off of him? He stinks so bad that when I hold him, even though I wash my hands, I still smell!
 
Well, usually they smell a little, if you put your nose right on them. It wouldn't hurt, just once, to just soap up your hands with really mild soap and run him through your hands and then rinse VERY WELL under running, room temp tap water. I sure wouldn't make a habit of it. I wonder if you can just smell very well! I like the smell of snake.
 
I'm thinking he hid his poop under the substrate. Our little one did that when we first got her.

Our girl doesn't smell bad at all, and I have a pretty great nose, so if there's no poop anywhere in the substrate I'd check your snake out for possible infections. Does your little guy stink when you take him out to handle him, or does his tank stink?
 
Give him a good cleaning, then get someone else to give him a smell. If there is a chance that you have a sinus infection, etc. . . or might be pregnant, definitely get a second opinion on how he smells. Otherwise, you may have a sick snakie.
 
Wait, I think I missed something here.

Did he just stink when you picked him up? It's possible he did something known as "musking", where they release a strong-smelling substance from their vent when they are trying to get rid of a threat (or when they want to tell you how they really feel). I haven't been musked yet so I don't know the details of the process, but I know it is stinky and they sometimes do it if they don't want to be held.
 
Amanda, I would consider two things with what you have described.

1) You may very well have been musked on. "Musk" is generally a yellowish liquid with a very strong odor, sort of urine like. Can stick on your skin well if you do not use hot soapy water or hand sanitizer, and if snake has it on them then they will still smell as well.

2) You also mentioned that you fed snake on Sat and then picked up snake today and snake stinks really bad. When you fed snake, did you slit/cut the mouse at all? If so did your snake happen to squish blood or guts out of the mouse when it was eating? If it did, then snake may have slithered through it and may possibly have rotting blood or guts on it's skin. When ever one of mine makes a mess while eating and I see blood or guts on them, I drizzle a very small amount of tap water(just cooler than skin temp) into the feeding tub and gently swish it around to rinse the snake. In fact my snakes seem to like it, they try to submerge their faces and move them back and forth as though they are washing off their faces. I know that when I feed late at night before bed and leave the tubs to go through the dishwasher until the next AM the small amount of blood stinks very bad.

I would do like Nanci said and five your snake a gentle little bath with mild soap and rinse well, just cooler than skin temp for the water. Be sure to keep the water and soap out of your snakes nose. Then give the snake a sniff test, and check his tank well for poop, do a spot clean if needed and see if the smell comes back tomorrow, if so then I would be a bit more concerned. Just my thoughts.
 
Thanks for the responses, I'm not too sure, but I think he stank before I picked him up. But there is some fluid on the side of his viv, so maybe he musked in his tank and then I picked him up. It may be just the residual musking. I did cut/slit the mouse. It was a bit difficult to do because it was SOOO tiny and stretchy, but I managed to cut a couple mm on each side in the rib/stomach area. He didn't constrict it though, he just ate it. There was only one tiny drop of blood on the paper towel in his feeding container. I will give snakey a very mild bath tomorrow. My hubby didn't seem to think he smelt bad tonight though, so maybe it's just me. I'm not too concerned about him... I'll let you know how it goes. He seems VERY healthy. Has enough energy to strike me like 8 times today. lol. Silly lil hateling!
 
Make sure if you bathe the snake, don't make the water luke warm to your touch. The water temp really should be between 75-85, no more than that. I'm thinking you were musked.
 
katia said:
i guess i can't offer much else on this thread other than, next time you slit the mice, slit their back, as opposed to the ribs/stomach
Click to expand...

Sorry I guess I didn't make much sense. I tried to slit as close to the spinal colum as I Could, I split in the ribs though and then where our kidneys would be but on the mouse. I couldnt' slice down his back as he had such springy skin!
 
the way i do it is by using those tiny fold-able sewing scissors, or whatever they're meant for.

i defrost the mouse, warm it up in warm water, lay it down on the microfibre cloths i use to soak up excess water, and literally try to "pick up" the mouse by the back...with the scissors. i usually to 2-3 small slits down the back.

i really like the slitting method. only time i've ever had a regurge was when Winifred QUITE LITERALLY stole a mouse!! after she had ALREADY eaten! so the meal was too large and she regurgitated the pinky within a few days.
 
Musked

I just bought my son his first corn snake yesterday. I do know that the snake was stressed when we got him home but I needed to move him for a few moments and during that time I presume he musked me. Do you know how long it takes them to lose the need to muke for protection? I know with my Pythons usually about two weeks in their new home and they're okay. And I would have to say they should have called that beeing skunked instead of Musked because I've got to say that's the stinkiest thing I've ever smelled inside my home.

HotRods momma
 
It's recommended not to handle or feed a new snake for about a week. The chances are good that it will never musk you again. I have never been musked by my corns, even though the babies were a little flighty and one still is. Many times I have been musked by panicked wild garter snakes though! Smells like cheesy vomit.
 
Thank you so very much for your reply to my question. Hot Rod has been much better since then and seems to be adjusting well. This is my first time ever having a snake as a pet. I have had several bearded dragons and iguanas that grew to be very large and very old. I am hoping that this experience is as rewarding for my son as my other critters have been for me. I am open to any suggestions that you may have for a better life quality for HotRod.
 
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