Smelly Oak Snake...

[Lindseylollygag]

My boyfriend found what seems to be an Oak Snake (by the pattern and head), spread out on his front steps last night. He put it in one of those large plastic garbage cans, a clean one, and he put leaves and stuff in it. we took her out today and handled her and she was very calm, like she was used to being handled. But she smelled, really bad! it has been raining the past few days so the dirt and leaves they put in with her could have been wet and smelled, but is there anything else that could cause her to smell bad? I will be calling my regular snake place to see if theyll do anything for her, but I'd just like to make sure. she looked like she was in great shape. this isn't her, but almost exactly like her.

http://www.pingleton.com/field/2006/FL06/oaksnake6.JPG

 

[airenlow]

Was it musking?

 

[Lindseylollygag]

that could be it! will be releasing soon

 

[Buzzard]

It appears to be a Gray Ratsnake or Oak Snake as it is referred to commonly now. Here is a helpful link to the University of FL Herpetology Department which lists the snakes of Florida - it has been very helpful to me in the past. As Josh mentioned above, it was probably musking you (a defensive measure) - we have been musked on frequently when encountering these in the field (and yes it does smell very bad)
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/fl-guide/pantherophisspiloides.htm

 

[Rich Z]

Generally gray rat snakes don't have any sort of odor. I've found lots of them around here, picking them off of the bird feeders, or just crawling across the yard, and none have musked or otherwise smelled bad. It's possible that the one you caught just regurgitated a meal from the stress of capture, and that is what you are smelling.