Skunks are wild animals that are omnivorous, i.e. they eat all kinds of foods which is a reason why they often come close to people and their habitats-human neighborhood is excellent food source. It is nice to see skunks from safe distance, but anyone who has come close to skunks, or who has found them in their home, knows that these visually sweet animals are nuisance. Skunks make a mess on your property and when they expand their family, this mess will become even greater. On the other side, when they feel threatened, they might release their nasty stinking spray which might linger on your items, pets or even family members for days (yuck!). There is also a danger of rabies which can be something they can contract and transfer onto humans by bite. On top of all this, it is illegal to own skunks as pets, so if you notice one of them or an entire family, it is a good idea to contact wildlife rehabilitator to professionally assist you with getting skunks from your property-and getting them away for good.



In order to get skunks away, wildlife rehabilitators will use traps on site. There are different types of traps, and those that are most often used are one-way exclusion traps, which enable animal to enter and prevent it from getting back to your home. Once taken away from your home and trapped, animal is safely taken away and then released far away from your home, in the wilderness. It is not enough to trap animal and to release it outside your property-because it can easily get right back. Additionally, skunks are excellent diggers which means that you have to take strong measures to close all the entrances to your home and their den. There is need to bury mash wire at least 1 foot deep to prevent skunk from making their way back in. Since skunks are attracted to your garbage, fruits and veggies, pet food etc-anything they can find, so every wildlife rehabilitator will give you some practical advice on how to remove and prevent access to these in order to discourage skunks from getting onto your property (and stay there).

If skunks in question are orphaned babies, wildlife rehabilitators will do their work to nurture them until they grow up to be capable to care for themselves. Skunk babies are born in spring, so if you notice skunk baby or several of them wandering around during the day, it is very possible that they have lost their mother and need help or they will die of starvation. Wildlife rehabilitators will take them into their center and take care of them, i.e. feed them and keep them warm, which are first steps to keep them alive.

Wildlife rehabilitators know all there needs to be known to protect and keep alive skunks and skunk babies, and will know how to handle them and grow them to adulthood when they are capable to care for themselves alone.

You may also want to read:

What to do if I find a nest of baby skunks?

What diseases do skunks carry?

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