How to Get Rid Of Skunks

Identify

Physical Characteristics

Skunks are members of the weasel family, so they are related to river otters, badgers, mink, and of coarse weasels. In general, they have short, stocky legs and large feet with long hooked claws. Striped skunks are the most common and most widely recognized species. They have been dubbed polecats due to the signature white stripe that runs down their backs. They also have a bar of white fur between their eyes. While some species of North American skunks have less graphic markings, all species are black and white in color, and most are roughly the size of a house cat or smaller. Their long, bushy tails usually account for the majority of their body length.

Common Species

While there are a total of 12 species of skunks, there are only four that reside in North America. The striped skunk is the iconic species that most people can readily identify, but here is a comprehensive description of each species:

Common Locations

The striped skunk has the broadest geographic range and can be found across the continental U.S.. The Eastern spotted skunk is found primarily in the Eastern U.S., but they are sometimes located as far west as Colorado and throughout the Midwest. Though their range is broad, they are far less populous. The species has experienced a continued decline in numbers since the 1940s and are even considered a species of high conservation concern in some states. Hooded and Hog-Nosed Skunks can be found in much smaller geographic areas, making them much more elusive.

Skunks, in general, are highly adaptable animals that can live and thrive in a wide variety of habitats. They favor pastures, clearings, and open land that borders on forests, although some species live in deserts and mountains. More commonly, skunks will take over abandoned burrows that were created by other animals, but will also live in abandoned buildings, hollow logs, brush piles, and under large rocks. Because they do not travel more than one to two miles from their dens, skunks will invariably live near a water source.

While skunks tend to have poor eyesight, they have a very keen sense of smell. So if you do find a skunk on your property, open trash cans, compost heaps, pet food, or litter boxes are often what lead them there. They are very opportunistic animals, so a present food source or existing burrow are both attractants.

It’s not unheard of for skunks to make a den underneath a porch or in a crawl space, which can be very destructive for you, the homeowner. They have very sharp claws used to dig and forage for food, which may lead to damaged ventilation and even worse, a compromised foundation. Further discomfort can result when a skunk sprays while on your property. The oily spray they emit from their anal glands is extremely difficult to remove from fabric and surfaces, and can lead to a costly and time-consuming clean up if it gets into your house.

Inspect

Should I Relocate This Animal?

While skunks rarely cause considerable damage and are even deemed beneficial because they control insects and pests that tend to damage crops and agriculture, there are certainly many reasons to consider relocation if one is living on or around your property.

Disease

Skunks carry a variety of contagious diseases and parasites that are dangerous to both humans and pets.

Damage

Skunks are notorious diggers, which can lead to minor issues like holes in your lawn to more severe property damage. If you live on a farm, you’ll have to weigh the damage they reap against the benefit of them eating insects that are common threats to agriculture. They can damage corn by feeding on the lower ears and will also raid chicken houses for the eggs and sometimes even prey on poultry.

The good news is that it is possible to live trap and relocate a skunk without having to encounter their noxious spray and without harming the animal. And because skunks are not territorial, it is like that they will not return once removed. Live trapping is the most environmentally friendly method for removing a skunk. Having said that, it is imperative that you contact your local game commission or humane society for laws and information that pertain to the trapping and release of wild animals. State regulations dictate the legality of trapping, types of traps that are allowed, and guidelines for releasing the animal.

Gather the Tools You’ll Need

Trap

Complete a thorough investigation of your choices online before purchasing as there are many options.

Bait

You can use bait that you find in your homes like a piece of meat, cat food, or peanut butter. You can also purchase bait specifically for skunks.

Sheet

If you have a wire trap, you will want to drape a sheet over it to prevent the skunk from spraying.

Gloves

Skunks have incredibly long and sharp claws, so it is essential to protect your hands when handling the trap.

Plastic Bag

Make sure to place the trap on a plastic bag when transporting it to protect your car seats.

Plastic Bag

Make sure to place the trap on a plastic bag when transporting it to protect your car seats.

How-to Steps For DIY Removal

Select a trap

If you are not a professional, it’s in your best interest to select a trap that allows you to release the animal from a distance, thus avoiding unnecessary contact. You will want to decide between a one or two door model, though skunks are more likely to enter a one-door trap fully. Also, there are spray-proof traps, which would be beneficial in case the animal becomes alarmed and sprays.

Determine trap location

Place your trap near the area you have observed the most damage from the skunk. If you know where its den is, place the trap five to 10 feet from the entrance.

Bait your trap

It is important to place the bait in a way that will get the skunk to enter the trap fully while at the same time stepping on the trigger plate.

Set the trap

Since skunks are nocturnal, set the trap at dusk and make sure to close it in the morning if the trap is empty and reset it again that evening.

Monitor your trap

It is important to pay close attention to any activity to ensure that a trapped animal doesn’t remain in the trap for longer than necessary.

Relocate the skunk

Once you’ve caught your skunk, approach the trap slowly to avoid startling the animal. Pick it up very slowly and carefully transport it to your vehicle. Be aware of your local laws and understand how far you can move the animal. Skunks are not territorial and will typically not return once removed, so there is no need to take it an excessive distance. Ten miles should be sufficient as long as the law permits it.

Risks Of Disease

Skunks do carry a variety of infectious diseases and parasites that can be transmittable to humans and pets. Below is a list of the most serious illnesses that they carry.

Diseases people can catch:

• Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease spread to humans and pets exposed to water, soil, and food that has been contaminated with the urine of an infected animal.
• Humans can contract tularemia after a bite, scratch, or contact with feces or urine.

Conditions that are transferable to domestic pets:

• Canine Distemper is transmitted to pets when they come into contact with the feces or urine of the infected skunk.
• Canine Hepatitis
• Intestinal Roundworm and Ringworm
• Rabies
• Aleutian Disease

According to the Humane Society, skunks are one of four wild animal species known to be primary carriers of rabies, which can be fatal to both humans and pets. There are two forms of rabies to be aware of in Skunks. The first form is known as the ‘furious’ form leading to an aggressive and dangerous animal. The second is known as the ‘dumb’ form which presents as an animal that is seemingly unaware and unaffected by human presence. If you suspect that a skunk may be rabid, do not approach that animal and call animal control immediately.

Prevent

If you have had skunks on your property before, it is essential to take measures to prevent them from showing up again. If you have seen them near your property, it would also be in your best interest to employ these methods to keep them from causing damage or being a health hazard to you and your family. These methods are all easy, reasonably low-cost, and very effective.

Prevention Methods

Add Light

This is a simple and extremely effective method for getting rid of a lot of nocturnal creatures that tend to be a nuisance, including skunks. There are a number of products that produce flashes of light when their motion sensor is triggered. This will affect the animal’s safety instincts and send them running. Adding light is a preferred method because it is easy, inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and very effective.

Install an exclusion barrier

Skunks are opportunistic creatures by nature and will make a den under crawl spaces, porches, sheds, and decks. Install an exclusion barrier, like wire fencing or latticework, around the perimeter to prevent them from getting in.

Reduce attractants on your property

Skunks have a very good sense of smell and are most often drawn to open garbage cans. Open litter boxes and pet food can also attract skunks, so make sure outdoor containers are tightly sealed, especially at night.

Seal their holes

Animals have powerful safety instincts and will not return to an area where their holes have been closed off. Sealing holes is also an effective way to get them to evacuate an area so that you can live trap them if that is your plan. But often, sealing off their holes alone is enough to keep them away.

Install motion-activated sprinklers

There are a lot of skunk repellents on the market, but the most effective way to administer them is through the use of a sprinkler that sprays the scent automatically when triggered by the proper range of motion.

Repel them

You can also purchase a liquid repellent and manually apply it to the areas where you have already identified skunk damage. Areas typically include garbage cans, outdoor sheds, areas under a deck or porch, and holes the skunk has dug. Spray these areas with the repellent to keep them away.

Install a fence

While this is the most time-consuming and expensive option, fences are an excellent way to prevent skunks and other pests from coming onto your property. Installing a fence is an excellent long-term solution if you have areas that consistently attract unwanted creatures, like a compost heap, garden, or raised structure. Skunks will not dig underneath a fence as long as it is buried at least six inches deep curling into an L that extends an additional eight to ten inches.

When to Call A Professional

There are so many easy and effective prevention and removal methods for skunks that you should be able to handle the process on your own. However, there are a couple of critical situations where you should seek the help of a professional.

First, it is not recommended that you attempt to trap and relocate a skunk during their mating season, which runs from March—July for striped skunks and May—August for spotted skunks. This ensures that you will not capture a new mother, leaving her baby kits in the den to die. If you find that you need to remove a skunk from your property during this time, make sure to call your local wildlife expert or a pest control professional so that they can help you assess the situation and come up with a suitable, humane plan for removal.

Second, skunks are one of the most common carriers of Rabies. If you suspect that a skunk has any form of rabies, it is essential that you call animal control immediately so that they can come to get the animal. Behaviors that may indicate that a skunk is rabid include a dazed look, an off-balance gait, signs of disorientation, aggressiveness, and foaming at the mouth. Rabies is extremely harmful, and often fatal, to animals and humans.