# Why is my semen black and orange **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 13, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567 "2004-11-13T15:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/1 "2004-11-13T15:32:52Z")
Okey dokey. When I masturbate I usually collect my semen in a paper towel, then put the paper towel in a ziploc bag. I have a reason for this mind you. Its because I don’t want to flush paper towels down the toilet and I don’t want to just throw the towels in the trash because the odor of semen is quite noticeable, so I have to store them in an airtight container until I throw the container away. So after I have collected about 6 or 7 of these and put them in a bag I notice the older ones are turning black and orange. Why is this exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/2 "2004-11-13T15:36:41Z")
Are the older ones from Halloween? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/3 "2004-11-13T15:37:26Z")
Have any pumpkins figured in your sex play lately? Did you recently offend any old women of greenish complexion with warts visible on their faces? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/4 "2004-11-13T15:39:48Z")
I am offended, I am. I only have sex with my hand and whatever cylindrical object(s) I can find nearby. Sex with pumpkins are just sick. Besides everyone knows an abandoned banana peel works much better. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/5 "2004-11-13T15:45:23Z")
Let’s see. If you had paid more attention in your classes leading up to Organic Chemistry, you’d be able to analyze it yourself. But instead, you paid attention to Orgasmic Chemistry, and are pitting your school. Nice. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/6 "2004-11-13T16:09:58Z")
If ever there was a TMI thread, this is it. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/7 "2004-11-13T16:23:08Z")
Because it’s **rotting**. Have you considered using toilet paper and then simply flushing it? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/8 "2004-11-13T16:26:42Z")
Do we have an acronym or idiom for “posts you really, really hope are joking”? ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/9 "2004-11-13T16:29:34Z")
Paper towels?! My friend, [let JB & KG help you in your time of need.](http://www.kungfunation.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=51) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/10 "2004-11-13T16:31:12Z")
I noticed the OP’s name. I hovered over the OP and read the first couple sentences in preview. I clicked in anyway. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/11 "2004-11-13T16:32:44Z")
I knew this would drop me a few steps down the food chain here on SD but I still think its worth it. The fact that its rotting seems the most likely reason. I didn’t know semen could rot that fast though. Thus ends this question. Toilet paper doesn’t have enough surface area to catch the flow as it is only about 4" wide. But yeah i’ve tried that before and I didn’t like it. I prefer the large surface area of a paper towel. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/12 "2004-11-13T16:35:17Z")
I knew I didn’t want to click on this thread. I didn’t, the first couple of times. But anyway… It reminds me of _Naked Lunch_, where Burroughs uses the phrase ‘rancid jizzom’. ---
**Author:** ![Burrido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Burrido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burrido)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/13 "2004-11-13T16:50:51Z")
> [@Wesley Clark](#): > > Besides everyone knows an abandoned banana peel works much better. Hmm, interesting… ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/14 "2004-11-13T18:16:46Z")
> [@Tapioca Dextrin](#): > > If ever there was a TMI thread, this is it. My thoughts exactly. The title alone is TMFI 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/15 "2004-11-13T18:59:55Z")
I didn’t read the mouse-over preview since I was feeling brave. I am quite relieved to know that the semen in question seems to have turned black and orange. I was rather worried when I thought at first that it was black and orange upon exit from the body. It’s still gross, though. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/16 "2004-11-13T19:02:09Z")
OH MY FREAKING GOD! What is wrong with you? You need to find a semen disposal method that does not involve storing it in airtight containers. That’s freaking disgusting. And bizarre. Jesus Christ! You’re asking why rotting semen turns funny colors? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/17 "2004-11-13T19:12:43Z")
> [@](#): > > I knew this would drop me a few steps down the food chain here on SD but I still think its worth it. “A few steps down”? You might want to ask that this theread be closed. A few more replies and the bottom feeders are going to have to use mining gear to find you. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-semen-black-and-orange/274567/18 "2004-11-13T19:25:10Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **Wesley Clark** _ > > Okey dokey. When I masturbate I usually collect my semen in a paper towel, then put the paper towel in a ziploc bag . . . I don’t think so. **Cajun Man** for the SDMB