Any snake with amoeba. Alive or dead, the smell just stings in your nose like you just got stabbed by two knifes in your nose.
What's the worst animal-related smell you've ever experienced at work?
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I haven't heard of that before! What's a "snake with amoeba," you mean a parasitic microorganism type of thing? What causes the smell? Is it the poop or something else?
Speaking of snakes...anyone ever experienced "Snake musk" which they use in self defense?
Yes, its parasitic. The smell Comes from the organs inside, which you van also smell on the outside. And, also the poop, which is more blood than poop.
Kakapo
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I did, in fact it was my first snake ever and I was extremely jealous to find such treasure. Of course I was a kid. It was a viperine snake (Natrix maura), famous by their smelly defense. I caught it by the tail just in time for avoid it disappearing quickly through the structure of a water seepage. Of course the snake proceeded to urinate (?) in my hand inmediately.
Worked with sea lions, but they poop in the water, so you don't have contact with it.
By far the worst is skunk spray. Surprised that hasn't been mentioned here yet.
Yikes, sounds nasty! No experience with the musk though? I've also heard their "regurge" really stinks...
Haha ick! The musk doesn't smell like urine though, does it? I thought musk was supposed to be a lot worse. Did it just smell like urine, or something else?
Oh true! I had forgotten about skunk spray, I guess most others did too haha. I didn't think that was something most people really experience since I figured most skunks at zoos are descented? Have you actually been sprayed then, point-blank? What's that like? I've only smelled it in the car at a distance and it's never bothered me, but I'm guessing up close is different?
Kakapo
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It was not so bad. If you caught a common wall gecko that defecated as defense in your hand (I caught tons of them since they are very common in my garden), you will notice that the viperine snake have a very similar odour, just much more intense smell.
Haha the musk smelled like gecko poop? I've never heard of that xD
Welsh Zootographer
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Not exactly work, but I am a hospital patient three times a week every week. There are four of us in the ward, always the same four until someone dies, and since late November we have had this old guy who always asks for a bedpan. Once the curtains have gone around the noises and smell are like something you would expect in a zoo. The two ladies in the ward, along with myself, have begun referring to him as Zooboy when he is not there. 
skunk, gorilla, maned wolf, binturong
Huh, so his poop smells like that of an animal? What's the difference between human poop smell and generic "animal poop" smell? xDNot exactly work, but I am a hospital patient three times a week every week. There are four of us in the ward, always the same four until someone dies, and since late November we have had this old guy who always asks for a bedpan. Once the curtains have gone around the noises and smell are like something you would expect in a zoo. The two ladies in the ward, along with myself, have begun referring to him as Zooboy when he is not there.
Twice, by California Kingsnakes. Pretty pungent, but didn't get large amounts either time. But the hands sure smell for some time after.
Vulture vomit ranks pretty well up there too in terms of smell.
Welsh Zootographer
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Nothing, man is an animal...
What would you describe the musk as smelling like?
And I've heard of vulture puke! How much worse is it than human puke?
Not sure how to describe it... Kind of smells like skunk, but not quite the same. Little more earthy and feces is the best I got.
Far as vulture vomit, depends on a couple of factors in my opinion. Mainly what the food was and how much. Though I consider vulture to generally be worse in smell potency. (Also, only speaking from experience with one species, Turkey Vulture.) Last occurrence I recall was the vulture regurgitated a reasonably sized amount of beef heart that had been about a 1/3 digested. I didn't realize it had even happened till suddenly the smell hit me, and it was pretty bad. The exhibit is fully open air, but even so it was pretty close on my tolerance, and I'm generally not too affected by bad smells. After a meal of rodents I think the smell is somewhat worse.
Ah ok. But it's definitely worse than human vomit?
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