Photo by Steve Tsang on Unsplash
Stinky Animals
When it comes to traits that make certain animals desirable as pets, the absence of offensive odors tends to rank pretty high. When looking for a new pet, many people deliberately look for “non-odor” animals—this can apply to the animal’s body odor, environment, or secretions. While most animals have foul-smelling poop, some smell worse than others. Many species have special pheromones that they love to rub or spray in places where you’d prefer them not. Even pets as popular as cats can have very smelly urine, and some individuals spray to mark their territory.
Many exotic pets pose similar challenges. Pheromones and scent markings are quite common among exotic mammals, and are something potential owners need to consider. Some animals have noticeable body odors that can linger and can permanently change the aroma of your home.
8 Exotic Pets That Smell
- Anteaters
- Red Foxes
- Porcupines
- Ferrets
- Marmoset
- Skunks
- Sugar Gliders
- Binturongs
Dušan Veverkologist
Michael Rangeljr, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
1. Anteaters
This strange animal, also known as the lesser anteater, is definitely not a good pet for those who are not prepared to do extensive initial and ongoing research for its food needs. In addition to being an interesting pet to care for, they also have a scent that is several times stronger than a skunk and can be detected up to 164 feet away in the wild.
Like skunks, they emit a foul-smelling spray from an anal gland under the base of their tail to repel potential enemies. These little anteaters don’t smell as disgusting when they’re not stressed, but there’s still something left about them that some say smells like marijuana.
2. Red Foxes
The most common pet fox species, red foxes, are known to curious pet owners for their pungent, skunk-like odor. Wolves have a fragrant aroma that helps convey their status and mark their territory, but the smell of their urine is especially strong. Foxes themselves have a typical animal muskiness, but because their urine and feces have a strong odor and they often urinate and use it to scent the mark, they can accumulate the smell even if they bathe often.
Unfortunately, for this reason, these charismatic canids often have to be put outside, unlike their more expensive cousin, the fennec fox, which is almost odorless by comparison. The muskiness of red foxes can be reduced with spaying and neutering, but not eliminated. Gray and arctic foxes also have odor issues.
3. Porcupines
These spiny animals can actually make great pets despite their scary quills. However, they have a problem familiar to zookeepers who work with them. Some porcupines have a very strong odor that others say resembles human body odor. The species famous for this are mainly New World porcupines, such as the North American and Brazilian prehensile-tailed porcupines.
Thanks to the chemical compound R-delta-decalactone that the rodent secretes as a warning signal for predators, to attract mates, and to mark territory, porcupines are not pets for people who are sensitive to strong smell. The pungent odor is secreted from a patch of skin on the animal’s back called a rosette. Those who have smelled the scent of a porcupine know that it is unmistakable. Another species of porcupine that is not commonly kept as a pet is the Palawan porcupine, and while it does not have a strong body odor, its feces have a very strong odor for rodent poop, while urine has a distinct “saltiness”.
4. Ferrets
Ferrets are domesticated and popular exotic pets, and many are familiar with their smelly reputation. Ferrets can be a nuisance because they always use the bathroom, which is rather unusual for a carnivorous animal, and their enclosures and bodies have a continuous musky smell that tends to be “nose blind” by the owners while guests can smell the scent upon arrival. Some ferret owners say that their diet is to blame and that feeding a higher quality food or raw food can reduce the smell. However, it is impossible to completely eliminate musk.
Jaguar smokes (CC BY-ND 2.0) Via Flickr
5. Marmosets
At first, you’d think marmosets would make great pets because of their small size, but unfortunately, these little monkeys have foul-smelling urine. Furthermore, these active animals tend to urinate anywhere in their cage or even project it out of the enclosure. Marmosets will rub their perineum all over to scent mark. The smell of the animal is a “sweet muskiness”. Marmoset owners should be prepared to clean the animal’s habitat frequently to tame but not completely eliminate aromas. As with other animals, urine strength can be reduced by spaying and neutering.
Jaguar smokes (CC BY-ND 2.0) Via Flickr
6. Skunks
Skunks are an unsurprising addition to this list, as the nature of their smelly defense mechanism is ubiquitous in popular culture, and everyone knows about them. Because they are native animals, most people in North America are familiar with the strong odor of their urine that can travel for blocks and the smell of burning tires, pots, and smoke. Pet skunks, however, are largely “de-skunked”, or have their scent glands removed, making them one of the least smelly animals on this list, but their urine and feces are still very offensive. also. Surprisingly in the UK, removing the scent glands is not legal.
“pet skunk. his name is oreo.” by xinem is licensed under CC BY 2.0
7. Sugar Gliders
Sugar gliders are marsupials with a strong odor in a very small body. While ferrets tend to get a bad rap for smelling up a room, sugar gliders are even worse. The smell comes from their urine glands, feces, and the scent of an intact male that intensifies during breeding. Sugar glider experts suggest that a poor diet can worsen the odor, and that small enclosures can improve the odor by allowing waste to accumulate more quickly. Other owners say that some cage furniture, such as running wheels, can collect urine and need to be cleaned frequently. Despite all this, there is always a smell, and those who are sensitive to it will probably skip getting a glider as a pet.
“Sugar Glider” by Homini:) is licensed under CC BY 2.0
8. Binturongs
This strange looking animal is also known as bearcat. Unlike the other animals on this list, the smell of this unusually exotic pet can be quite pungent to some people. This is because they smell like warm, buttered popcorn. This is due to a chemical compound in their urine called 2-AP, which is the same compound found in a fresh popcorn kernel that results from the chemical reaction of certain proteins and sugars. Male binturongs have a stronger sense of smell, and the animals probably use the smell to communicate their presence and gender to other binturongs. These civet relatives aren’t the only animals that remind us of snacks; dogs are famous for having feet that smell like corn chips.
Neil McIntosh is licensed under CC BY 2.0
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not intended to replace diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals showing signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.
© 2018 Melissa A Smith
Comments
angelladywriter on March 29, 2018:
Very interesting article full of lovely creatures.