I currently keep a black rat snake and a corn, and I sort of curate 2 other obsoletas (long story), and I'm looking into getting a third snake for myself. I've wanted a pine snake ever since I saw one in a book as a kid, and I'm thinking either Northern, or black. The one problem I have is that I read somewhere that pine snakes have a stronger scent than other snakes on the order of corns and rats. I personally wouldn't mind so much, but I'm not allowed to keep pets of any kind in my apartment, so that might end up being problematic for me. I've dropped into this forum from time to time, and haven't seen a single post about it. Can someone please tell me whether this is true or not, and if so what the scent is like? Thanks.
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Fresh Pine Scent
jtibbett
Dec 22, 2004 12:56 AM
Replies (3)
chaoscat
Dec 22, 2004 03:43 AM
>>I currently keep a black rat snake and a corn, and I sort of curate 2 other obsoletas (long story), and I'm looking into getting a third snake for myself. I've wanted a pine snake ever since I saw one in a book as a kid, and I'm thinking either Northern, or black. The one problem I have is that I read somewhere that pine snakes have a stronger scent than other snakes on the order of corns and rats. I personally wouldn't mind so much, but I'm not allowed to keep pets of any kind in my apartment, so that might end up being problematic for me. I've dropped into this forum from time to time, and haven't seen a single post about it. Can someone please tell me whether this is true or not, and if so what the scent is like? Thanks.
Phew. Ever since I got into pituophis, my snake room constantly stinks because one or another snake leaves me a pile of fresh, odorous feces. I have no way to describe the odor, except the word "pungent" comes to mind. 
Of course, I do have about 20 pits, so that is why.
With one, I can imagine if you keep the enclosure clean, you shouldn't have an odor problem. Me, I'm spraying cages down to clean them every day.
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Lower Ground Reptiles
BILLY
Dec 22, 2004 05:07 PM
If you are talking about scent as in the scent of their feces...well...all snake feces smells bad to me! LOL! They can have some ones that will knock you over though.....
But..the snakes themselves do not let off any kind of particular odor of course....
I have 20 pits currently...and the overall smell of my room is the best it has ever been. I attribute that to using newspaper and paper towels more than anything. Aspen magnified the poop smell in my experience. Ever since I quit aspen, the smell is about 97% gone.
Get a pine. You will never regret it and they are the best!
Take care!
Billy
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Genesis 1:1
guero
Dec 22, 2004 11:52 PM
I use both aspen bedding and newspaper. The newspaper is easier and much quicker to clean. The aspen seems to absorb and hold the feces better therefore making it somewhat more "pungent", IMHO. For smaller tubs I use the newspaper but the larger ones, I'll fill with bedding. I just check on them regularly.My pits seem to defecate with much more frequency than my other colubrids. But all things aside, Billy is right on about them being addicting.
Scott
