Schedule a service with an expert from ABC and get rid of pests once and for all. The gestation time of the lynx is about 70 days. To protect themselves from predators, skunks often choose nesting spots that look like nothing out of the ordinary, such as under piles of leaves or under logs. It is more likely you will smell a skunk than see one. Dogs get sprayed by skunks because their presence threatens the skunk. A skunk’s body temperature will lower and their metabolism slows. Leave the door in place from two or three nights to a week to be sure the skunk has left. Place a rough board (or one with cleats, carpet, toweling, chicken wire or other material to give the animal traction) that is long enough to serve as a ramp out of the well. Call your local animal control officer, wildlife rehabilitator, health department, or police department for assistance. Here’s a particularly effective remedy that’s safe for dogs and cats, as well as humans: Wearing rubber gloves, wash with this solution immediately after the spraying occurs. Family pets are most likely to scare skunk families out of their homes. Skunks don’t necessarily hibernate, but they are considered dormant during the winter months, meaning that you likely won’t see these creatures in your yard during the coldest months of the year. The traditional remedy for removing the smell of skunk spray is a tomato juice bath. Since skunks are nocturnal, they are more likely to try and search for food or get around at night. Do Owls Eat Bats. Skunks who have wandered into a garage can simply be allowed to wander back out by making sure the door is open before dusk. But don’t put off this process just because it’s tedious. Some signs that a skunk on your property is rabid include: Another thing to keep in mind is that symptoms of rabies can take anywhere from three to six weeks to appear, and once the symptoms are present, there is no effective cure. © Copyright 2021 ABC Home & Commercial Services All Rights Reserved. The HSUS's tax identification number is 53-0225390. If you think you see an entrance to the den, place a thick layer of flour around the area. Like the newspaper test, you can check the next morning for evidence of skunks. Water for swimming isn’t a requirement, but they do love water. Skunks accounted for one-fifth of all reported cases of rabies in the U.S. in 2017. If you try to remove a skunk from its home, you too might be on the receiving end of the byproduct of a skunk’s stinky glands. Skunks are poor climbers, so the board should lean no steeper than a 45-degree angle. Palo Duro State Park is a popular area for hiking, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, and geocaching. The young stay with the mother for one more winter, a total of around nine months, before moving out to live on their own as young adults. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Ducks do not require water besides for drinking purposes. Another method of placing the board is to tie it to the end of a long pole and lower it by holding the opposite end of the pole. While you procrastinate, the skunk population on your property could be growing. Raise woodpiles and garbage bins so skunks won’t be tempted to live and hunt for food there. Place a rough board (or one with cleats, carpet, toweling, chicken wire or other material to give the animal traction) that is long enough to serve as a ramp out of the well. Avoid buying skunk deterrents that are based on predator urine — these products are created under inhumane conditions, and are not necessary to repel skunks effectively. Unlike an animal that is in hibernation, these creatures will remain inactive for short periods of time—typically during the day. Exclusion techniques should be used proactively to prevent denning before an animal moves in. Do Make Your Property Less Attractive To Skunks. This may be done by loosely filling the hole (or holes) with soil, leaves, straw, crumpled paper or similar material. Contributions to the HSUS are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Whiskered screech owls feed on cave bats. Even though skunks are mostly active at night, they sometimes look for food by day—particularly in the spring, when they have young and may be extra hungry. When it comes to finding a home, skunks can be relatively lazy and will look for holes that have already been created for them, such as an old fox den if they’re in a rural area. Once the skunk enters and begins to dine, carefully tilt the can up a bit, raising it elevator-style out of the window well, then gently tip it on its side again so the skunk can amble out. This time period is scientifically known as torpor, and skunks will fall into this state as the temperature drops and food starts becoming scarce. Skunks, easily identifiable by their characteristic black and white striping, are infamous for producing a foul odor when frightened. During the summer months, skunks raise their young and search for food. YOU can save wildlife from being killed just for a trophy by supporting our work to ban trophy hunting. It is located in a residential area of Hamilton. For Tumbleweed (plant), see Atmosphere. A gentle species rarely worth raising a stink over, Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity, 1 quart of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide (available at any pharmacy). In fact, skunks may benefit humans by eating many insects and rodents many regard as pests. DO NOT get the solution in eyes. But first, we’ll discuss how skunks behave during the other three seasons. You may find small, shallow holes in the lawn, similar to those made by squirrels, which are a result of a skunk foraging for grubs. Message and data rates may apply. Skunks are poor climbers, so the board should lean no steeper than a 45-degree angle. Once the first-born skunks have left the den, it’s time to stock up on food. It is important to make sure the skunk has not been coming and going for long enough to have established a den and given birth, and that any accessible foods (bags of bird seed, for example) have been moved and secured in tightly sealed containers. Deer, squirrels and rabbits stay active. When evicting skunks, be sure that dependent young are not present. If a skunk is using the den, either harassment or eviction using a one-way door system is recommended. You may be wondering: If skunks are essentially asleep for the majority of the winter, why do I need to be extra cautious about them? But skunks need shelter when they are most vulnerable (during the coldest parts of the winter and when raising young). In the winter, skunks may remain inactive for longer periods, so provide them with a bit more time to disturb the plug before blocking the den entrance. If you want to get rid of skunks, you have to make the areas around your property less tempting for a skunk looking or possible nesting spots. Don’t be concerned if you see an adult skunk in the daytime unless they are also showing abnormal behaviors: Don’t approach the skunk yourself. 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. Homeowners trust the team at ABC Home & Commercial Services to safely and legally remove skunks and take the necessary steps to prevent future infestations. one-fifth of all reported cases of rabies, If they have been scared out of their den, If a high level of nocturnal pests and critters in the area make it hard to hunt for food at night, If they have found a particularly delicious food source that only appears during the day, If they are about to give birth or they have recently had babies. The skunk is one of four wild animals (including the fox, raccoon and bat) considered to be primary carriers of the rabies virus and is, therefore, classified as a rabies vector species. Check the area the next morning to see if the paper was moved around. Despite their activity from spring to fall, you likely won’t spot a skunk while going about your daily business. In this post, we’ll go over everything you need to know as a homeowner with a skunk living on your property, including these creatures’ sleeping patterns, whether they’re aggressive and how to keep these uninvited guests away from your property. Trappers and hunters also like skunks, but only because they want to sell their fur. Skunks have also been known to carry leptospirosis. Skunks are nocturnally active, so opening the door at dusk and closing it later in the evening is likely to be a solution to this problem. Since temperatures drop in the winter, skunks are on the lookout for places that will provide adequate warmth throughout the season. This can be as simple as loosely repacking the den hole with leaves or straw or other material to see if the skunk gets the message and moves elsewhere. The nocturnal habits of skunks, their non-aggressive nature and the beneficial role they play are all good reasons to leave them alone until they have moved on their own accord (which they readily do) or can safely be encouraged to leave an area where they are not wanted. Secure entryways so skunks can’t get in or remove any debris in your yard that might look comfy to skunk families. No animal should go through life with a target on their back. Rinse the solution off thoroughly, and the smell should be gone. You should look for these additional clues; foxes also have their own musky scent that may cause misidentification. We call this migration. This is the most significant risk that comes with having skunks on your property. For effective skunk removal and prevention, turn to the experts. Skunks use their powerful defense only when they or their young are threatened and cannot escape. Of course, all risks that come along with skunks can be avoided if you’re able to keep these creatures off your property.