I wonder how long the ordor lasts, and does the smell eventually go away? Do they let the ordor release when holding them, and does the smell wash off easily?
Answers:
The fluid from a musk turtle is oil based. The musk turtle usually uses this fluid when he/she is scared. They will secreet this fluid out of there body in hopes the smell will drive the animal away but in your case it was your hand and unfortunatly it is not very easy to remove. Use an automotive hand cleaner usually the orange scented works best. Usually when handling musk turtles it is best to handle them with a latex glove or rubber glove on than with your bare hands. I have several species of musk and snapping turtles and I have run into this problem many times so I have learned my lesson. The scent normally last for several days even though my larger musk turtle's scent has lasted up to a week at one time so be careful as they get bigger there scent glands also get larger and hold more fluid. Good Luck
The only musk turtle that is much of a problem is the Common musk turtle or Stinkpot, and even that one is not considered an issue in captivity.
