Skunks :: Terrier Technologies LLC

Identification

The striped skunk (the commonest species in our area) has two prominent white stripes down the back of its jet-black coat, and a single stripe of white down its snout. Its body weighs up to 8 pounds and may be up to 29 inches long; females are somewhat smaller than males. The skunk’s legs are stocky and its claws are well-developed for digging.

Skunks are capable of discharging a nauseating musk from their anal glands and this odor may be used to identify the presence of skunks.

Biology

Breeding period: February-March

Gestation: 63 days

Birth period: late April-early June

Litters per year: 1

Litter size: 2-10, average 6

Feeding period: Nnight

Skunks’ diet includes grubs, insects, small rodents, snakes, frogs, carrion, fruits, berries, bird eggs, etc. They will rummage through garbage looking for anything that might make a suitable meal.

Range

Inspection

Skunks have adapted to living underneath and around human structures quite well. They will commonly use spaces under sheds, decks, porches and other outbuildings as den sites. Customers may request removal due to a den site on their property.

Another common reason customers will request skunk removal is due to issues with skunk odor. Pets may be sprayed or customers may report the odor reaching the interior of the home. Skunks can be nomadic wanderers, especially during breeding season, and may have several den sites. The den site may not be on the property of the customer who is requesting service.

Remember to use the information provided by the customer as a starting point for inspection. This may come from direct communication with the customer or the notes from client service detailed in the work order/proposal.

On initial inspection start by looking for a den site. Most common areas for a den site are decks, sheds, porches, sunrooms or any other structure that they can get under. Dirt will be dug out where the skunk has burrowed underneath a structure. They can also go under raised structures such as decks without digging.

Skunks do not need a very large entry point to get under a structure. At times the entry point can be as small as 4 inches.

Look for white or black hair stuck to any surrounding wood, concrete or other rough surface to verify the presence of skunks.

Skunk odor may also be a sign that skunks are present.

Another sign of the presence of skunks is golf ball sized divots in the lawn due to grubbing.

Damage From Skunk Grubbing

Skunk Entry Under Deck

Skunk Entry Under Porch

Skunk Tracks

Skunk Droppings

Control

Trapping is the most common method of skunk control. We use live traps or positive control traps to capture skunks.

Commonly used baits include peanut butter, marshmallow, honey, sardine, cat food and professional baits (On-Target Bacon, On-Target Checita, Jameson’s Peaches and Cream, WCS TreeBerry and Kellen’s Black Label).

Any time excluding them from underneath structures is possible we will also provide a proposal for exclusion service.

Common exclusion for skunks is a buried wire. This can done around decks, sheds, porches and other outbuildings.

Emergency animal removal can be an option if animal is trapped in confined area such as a window well or with a sick or injured animal on the exterior.

Odor control can also be offered when appropriate. Odor elimination involves spraying the exterior foundation, siding, deck, heat pump, yard or anywhere outside the skunk may have sprayed. The deodorizers we use are Eco-friendly.

Covered Trapped Skunk

Skunk Deoderizer

Pro Tips

Traps can only be set on the property of the customer requesting service.

Sometimes the customer may request service because the skunk is roaming in the area and they have smelled the odor on their property.

On jobs where the den site is not present on the customers property, increase the catch rate by looking for the area that the skunk is accessing the customer’s property. Common areas to inspect are along fences, tree rows, ornamental landscaping, retaining walls and narrow side yards that the force the skunk along a small travel path.

In these situations, setting a baited trap with a drift fence can help guide skunks into the trap.

Adding multiple baits to each set and using commercial baits with strong odors can increase the catch rate.

Bedding traps with dirt or grass will make skunks more likely to enter.