Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What is 'musking'? Do all snakes do it or are some species more apt to?

Snakes have a musk gland at the base of their tail. This gland produces a foul smelling oily secretion that they can exude if they are disturbed. They often release the musk and smear it on you/themselves. The smell of the musk varies from species to species but it is intended to discourage predators.

Some species are very quick to musk, others aren't. And some snake musk is only slightly noticeable while other species can really gag you. Some of the species which musk the most have relatively inoffensive secretions while others rarely musk but can make you want to lose your lunch.

Some of the most frequent muskers (among N. American snakes)
- Gartersnakes
- Watersnakes
- Ratsnakes

but some of the worst smelling N. American snake musk comes from
- Blind Snakes (Leptotyphlops sp.) (believe it or not!)
- Copperheads/Cottonmouths
- Rattlesnakes
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Chris Harrison

...he was beginning to realize he was the creature of a god that appreciated the discomfort of his worshippers - W. Somerset Maugham

blindsnake musk must be bad! I've actually heard about it, just never experienced it for myself.

And rattlesnakes? Never knew that either. I've handled a few. But then again, the ones I handled were calm and collected, and the angry ones I wouldn't handle, so maybe that explains no musk. Which species are the muskers?

I had a cotton shoot me in the face. Not pleasent at all, but personally, I think their musk smells to a lesser degree than kings. Most of the specks I find just can't wait to dump their musk ALL OVER you, and I just can not tolerate it at all. Harder to get off than water's or cotton's too. Andy
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Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

Prairie Rattlers are super muskers, IME. I have had to roll the car window down after picking one up off the road on more than one occasion.

I have also seen a Prairie Rattler spray a stream of musk right into someone's mouth while they were tubing it. Yucchhh!
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Chris Harrison

...he was beginning to realize he was the creature of a god that appreciated the discomfort of his worshippers - W. Somerset Maugham

I forgot another contender....wild Indigo Snakes. Their musk isn't as unpleasant as some other species, but they paint you from head to toe!
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Chris Harrison

...he was beginning to realize he was the creature of a god that appreciated the discomfort of his worshippers - W. Somerset Maugham

` Anacondas. Their musk can peel paint off walls. Just awful.

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What makes the Muskrat guard its musk ?................Courage !

Couldn't resist.......sorry.

Whats the next line, anyone ??