![]() ![]() It does nothing to break down the potent sulfur compound.įurthermore, skunks are often carriers of diseases such as rabies. For those of you wondering at home, tomato juice only covers the smell. ![]() Not to mention there’s the serious chance of being sprayed. While you can buy a trap yourself, you actually need a permit if you want to relocate and release the skunk due to the risk of spreading rabies to other populations. You don’t want to trap these guys under your home without having a plan ready. Remember that this is only useful if a skunk hasn’t already moved in. Otherwise it will only stop the lazy skunk. Make sure the mesh is at least six inches into the ground. You can also put up wire meshes like chicken wire around decks and porches to discourage them from moving in. What Can I Do to Prevent This?Ĭhecking your property on a regular basis, especially around the foundation of your home and deck is a good place to start preventing skunks from stinking up the place. If you notice a large hole leading underneath your house, shed, porch, or any other structure on your property, you may have a new tenant and need a professional immediately. Holes/Burrows – While skunks prefer to use abandoned burrows and holes made by other animals, they are powerful diggers and can easily make their own accommodations. If you keep consistently experiencing this awful smell though, it may be time to call and have a professional inspection done. However, they are known to wander throughout neighborhoods, so it may have already passed through. The Smell – If you step outside and smell that pungent scent, a skunk has definitely been nearby. Some are obvious while others can be a little ambiguous unless you’re looking out for them. There are several signs of a skunk family having moved in underneath your house or deck. ![]() To a cold or expecting skunk mother, your porch might be the perfect place to burrow. They’ll be looking for a dark and warm place to nest and eventually raise their litter (typically in late spring). While winters in northern California are fairly mild, skunks do not hibernate. Skunks may decide to burrow under your house or deck any time of the year, but you should on the lookout for them during the winter and spring. You and the skunk will be happier if you walk away. While incredibly cool, we don’t recommend sticking around to take a video of this little dance. You’ll know these guys are about to spray when they stand on their front legs and wave their tail in the air. These guys are smaller than their striped cousins, but their spray is just as potent, lasting for days if not taken care of. The other and less common species is the western spotted skunk which looks like a black and white tie-dyed skunk. These are about the size of your average cat and more prevalent in most neighborhoods. The one most people are familiar with is the striped skunk, a mostly black animal with two distinct white stripes racing down its back. In northern California, there are two main skunk species running around. Which Ones Are Local to Humboldt & Del Norte County? As such, they often resort of stomping their feet and charging threats before they turn and lift their tails. Their sulfur-based spray is limited to about six shots before they are completely out for the next several days. They will spray if they are threatened, but only as a last resort. This makes them a great, if somewhat smelly, form of pest control for your gardens. They prefer to eat snails, slugs, beetles and other common pests. They’re omnivores and will eat almost anything available to them. So long as they’re not dealing with a nosy dog, these critters mind their own business. Others think they’re cute enough to be pets! These black and white striped animals are distantly related to weasels, badgers, and otters, but are unique enough to be in their own family scientifically speaking.
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