Living with Skunks
Skunks are members of the weasel
family (Mustelidae). Although their markings vary, these busy tailed creatures
are always black-and-white and absolutely unmistakable.
The most common are striped skunks,
measuring 20 to 30 inches long (including the wide, bushy tail) and weighing 6
to 10 pounds (about the size of a house cat), with two wide, white stripes on
its back that meet on its head; and spotted skunks, about half that size, with
white spots instead of stripes. All skunks have small heads and eyes, pointed
snouts, and short legs that make them seem to waddle. Their strong forefeet and
long nails make them excellent diggers. They tend to be slow-moving animals,
never in much of a hurry, and are generally poor climbers. A litter of from one
to seven young, averaging five, is born from late April to early June.
Skunks are generally nocturnal and
begin foraging at sunset. Skunks are omnivorous and help keep the rodent population
in check. They often travel 5 to 10 miles within their territory at night,
looking for field mice and other small rodents as well as lizards, frogs,
birds, eggs, garbage, acorns, and fallen fruits. They also dig for insects,
especially beetles, larvae, and earthworms. An estimated 70 percent of a
skunk's diet consists of insects considered harmful to humans.
TRY THESE TIPS..........
To discourage skunks from romping
around your property:
****It is important to check your
property regularly to insure screens that bar entrance into your home or
basement are intact. Close openings around decks, hot tubs, sheds and stairs.
Skunks are great rodent predators and often follow mice and rats into these
kinds of areas.
****A three-foot high wire mesh fence,
extended six inches beneath the ground surface, will keep skunks from digging
under a fence.
****Place ammonia stations around
your yard wherever the skunks frequent. To do this, take a shallow dish or
bowl, place a rag in it and pour ammonia over the rag until completely
saturated. Place enough ammonia in the dish so the rag will continue to stay
soaked during the night. Avoid lawn areas, as the ammonia will burn the lawn.
Animals find the odor of ammonia very irritating just as we do.
****Use mild repellants such as used
kitty litter that can be placed near or inside the den to one side so the skunk
has to pass them to get out; commercial or homemade castor oil repellants may
also be tried. (Avoid buying skunk deterrents that are based on predator urine
since these products are created under inhumane conditions, and are not
necessary to repel skunks effectively.)
****Skunks often dig for grubs and
worms in your lawn and garden. Placing piles of cayenne pepper in the spot the
skunks dig may discourage them. Using a wild animal repellent such as Ropel,
available at most hardware stores, may also be effective.
****Pick up all of your outdoor
pet's food dishes before it gets dark. Replace them with an ammonia station.
Lock pet doors to keep skunks from entering your garage or home, and place an
ammonia station in front of the locked door.
****If you have a skunk who has
established itself under your home, first find all the entrances and exits.
Block all of them off except one. Place a radio near where the animal is
nesting and keep it on loud during the day. Place ammonia stations near the
same spot. If the nesting area is not accessible, try placing the ammonia
stations at each of the air vents in the foundation.
IMPORTANT: If you have a female with
babies, be sure to give her extra time to relocate her entire family before you
seal up the entrance.
****If you or one of your animals is
sprayed by a skunk we recommend this particularly effective remedy that’s safe
for dogs and cats, as well as humans:
Mix together:
Wearing rubber gloves, wash with this
solution immediately after the spraying occurs. DO NOT get the solution in
eyes. (If you don't have peroxide, baking soda, and liquid soap on hand, use
vinegar diluted with water.)
Caution: Do NOT store this mixture
or make it ahead of time, as the mixture could explode if left in a bottle.
Rub the mixture all over and scrub
deep to neutralize the odor — however, if you’re washing your dog or cat, don’t
leave the mixture on longer than you have to as peroxide can bleach fur. Rinse
the solution off thoroughly, and the smell should be gone.
There are also commercial products
that have proven to be effective: Ryter's Odormute and Nature's Miracle Skunk
Odor Remover, available at most pet supply shops.
****Skunks can carry rabies and
other diseases. Although skunks are usually nocturnal, exceptions can include
newly weaned skunks who are still mastering skunk behavior. However, rabies can
also cause skunks to be active during the daylight hours. Typical behaviors of
a rabies-infected skunk are walking in circles, falling, and being overly
friendly or lethargic.
DO NOT TRAP OR RELOCATE HEALTHY
WILDLIFE