The skunk is a member of the weasel family. People are aware of the smell of skunks and they may have smelled it from road kill or when skunks have discharged on their dogs. The skunk is known as a major carrier of rabies, and the most common ones are spotted and striped skunks. The striped skunk has been characterized by its black body and narrow white stripe at the forehead with the wider stripes which extend starting from the neck and along each side of the back. It is the same size as a large domestic cat, while the spotted skunk is half the size of a cat.



Skunks are normally nocturnal and they are active from early evening throughout the night. They will spend the days sleeping in their dens, and even during the warm months they will have a bed made in vegetation. The dens are typically below the ground, but they can also be found around ponds or stream banks.

The skunks are well known because of their obnoxious odor that goes out when they are provoked. It is released in self-defense, and the skunk will release the spray of the oily liquid to up to 10 to 15 feet. They can spray at least six times one after the other. This fluid is painful when it gets into the eyes of the pet or the person, and it can lead to temporary blindness for about 15 minutes. The skunk stamps their feet, growl or hiss and raise their tail to give a warning of the oncoming discharge. After the full discharge, it will take the skunk 10 days to be able to replenish the spray store once again. The skunk will spray only as a last resort and it will often choose to retreat from danger instead of spraying.

Most of the time, the skunk will not cause harm to its victims, but the smell is horrible and it can be difficult to get rid of. It is a spray made of oily liquid that is produced under the tail of the skunk.

There is an old saying that tomato soup or juice is capable to remove the smell of the skunk, but this will not be very effective. The mixture that has been proven to work is hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid soap or dish detergent.

If the skunks come to your home, you should prevent them from staying through excluding the skunks from the space found under buildings. The skunks may be prevented from entering under the building or other structures when you close the entry points with metal screens and wood. To find out where the skunks enter into your home, you may use tracking patches using dust, flour and sand around the area and follow their tracks. In the dark, the skunk will leave the marks coming from eating and they will show you where their home is.

You may also want to read:

How to remove skunk odor from a pet or human

How to remove skunk smell from a car

Why do skunks spray?

Do skunks warn before spraying?

How to protect yourself from a spraying skunk

Do skunks run out of spray?

Do baby or juvenile skunks spray?

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