Whether it's slithering around in your grass or coiled up in the corner of your garage, a snake is never a welcome sight. But even worse is finding a snake inside your home. Considering how silently they move, it probably seems impossible to know if you have a snake in your house, but experts say certain venomous snakes can emit the scent of a familiar vegetable. To learn about the confusing odor that may tip you off to a copperhead or rattlesnake in your home, read on.
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Venomous snakes can smell like a common vegetable.
It's officially snake season, and there are already scary reports of a Wyoming family finding a pair of snakes in their garage walls, a Missouri woman noticing a snake in the hood of her car, and snake hunters capturing one of the largest Burmese pythons ever found in Florida.
In most cases, it's difficult to know if you have a snake in your home or yard until you see it, but some venomous snakes, like copperheads (which are found in 28 U.S. states), can smell like cucumbers, according to experts.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) says that copperhead snakes can give off an odor that's produced by glands at the base of their tail and can also be mixed with feces. "To some individuals this musk may smell somewhat like cucumbers," they note.
And with temperatures increasing across the country, copperheads are coming out in higher numbers.
"Copperhead snakes are common in many outdoor environments, particularly in the southern and eastern U.S.," Gene Caballero, co-founder of lawn services company GreenPal, previously told Best Life. "But understand that they are an integral part of the ecosystem and usually aren't interested in confronting humans unless they feel threatened."
But copperhead snakes are not the only venomous snakes that can emit an odor akin to cucumbers. Pest control specialist and entomologist Nicholas Martin says that rattlesnake dens can smell like cucumber, too.
"It’s not clear if it’s the hibernation odor or a smell of a dying snake," says Martin. However, he does note that a "heavy musky smell" is a more common scent associated with rattlesnakes.
Like copperheads, rattlesnakes (also known as the American viper) are becoming a more common sight due to rising temperatures and longer warm-weather seasons. As Best Life reported last year, "An adult viper can grow to be seven feet, and their venom is potent enough to kill a human."
RELATED: It's Rattlesnake Season—These Are 6 Warning Signs One is Near, Experts Say.
The cucumber smell tends to come when snakes are scared.
The MDC says copperheads tend to give off this defensive cucumber-like odor when they're frightened.
"A snake has to have a reason to expel its musk," they explain. "Thus, a copperhead at rest under a rock or alongside a log will have no reason to give off its musky defense. You could walk within a few inches of the snake and never know it's there."
Live Science adds that copperheads most often smell like cucumbers when they're touched.
Martin also points out that various breeds of snakes emit different scents "that are untypical for most households."
You may also be able to pick up on the scent of a snake's droppings. "Snake excrements smell quite similar to any other animal’s excrements," Martin explains. "If a snake is well-hydrated, you’re not likely to smell its pee, but a poorly hydrated animal will produce stinky slime."
What to do if you suspect there's a snake in your house:
If you smell something strange in your home or you see a snake, you shouldn't try to solve the problem on your own, warns Martin.
"Getting rid of snakes on your own is a dangerous task," he cautions. "Dealing with snakes requires training and special equipment, so it’s highly recommended to call an exterminator to solve the problem and inspect the house for any potential infestation reasons and snake egg-laying sites."
If you've been bitten by a snake, the first rule of thumb is "don't panic," advised Anne-Michelle Ruha, MD, chief of the medical toxicology department at Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix, in a hospital press release issued last year after a patient suffered a rattlesnake bite.
"The most important thing is to get to a health care facility for treatment as soon as possible," Ruha continued. "While applying a tourniquet or trying to suck out the venom are discouraged and can cause more harm, elevating the wound may aid with any swelling."
