How do skunks nest

So where are skunks most likely to live on your property? Skunks also like to create burrows by digging up lawns, golf courses or gardens. While skunks are nocturnal, you may see an animal during the day in the spring, when females are pregnant, or when. Where you can find skunks as fall rolls into winter? During the spring and fall, skunks may destroy your yard, looking for grubs to feed on.

As omnivores, skunks will eat a variety of things in suburban areas, including insects, worms, eggs, eggs from backyard chickens, berries, pet food, garbage and even rodents. During the colder months, a skunk will spend more time in its den in a protected space, which can be around porches, decks or under homes. However, they are likely to choose a new home for winter rather than the den they had during the summer.

This makes winter one of the best times to look for and eliminate skunks. Although they will be less active, skunk dens on your property are usually best handled by a pest professional. This is because some mother skunks will create a communal den with her babies and if you wake the mama skunk and she sees you as a threat, she will spray you.

A family of skunks. February and March are prime breeding times for skunks, and females will start to have babies by early May. The other thing you should be warned about during skunk breeding season: Female skunks can release a terrible odor to keep unwanted suitors away. Also, many male skunks end up getting run over by cars while searching for a female, which can also results in an extremely foul smell. When looking for skunks during breeding season, the first place to check is under your porch or patio.

Inspect these areas first during the spring to address a potential skunk issue quickly. They might spray you. Even worse they may have built a den close to your home. Although some skunks will dig new dens, most live in abandoned sites of other animals. Underground dens are used all year for daytime use, birthing and raising young. In the wild, skunks will often build their home in rock crevices, culverts or fallen hollow trees.

But, skunks can also build dens on your property under decks, sheds, porches, steps or patios. They might have one den or a series of different sites they rotate through. During the spring dens are used to house babies becoming independent within two and a half months. Litters generally range from 2 to 12 kits. At this point the den becomes quite full.

In the winter there can be multiple females and one male living in a single den. This is to keep warm during colder temperatures. Primarily they will commit to a single home during this time. Skunks search for food in yards by digging little three to four inch half-moon shaped depressions into the ground.

Similar to raccoons, they will damage the sod on lawns. Seeing a skunk is an obvious sign of a problem. If you see a skunk during the day, it is possible that they have rabies, which should be looked into immediately.

Like other wildlife animals, agriculture and natural resources that are readily available are attractive to skunks. Skunks are attracted to food, water, and shelter. Skunks eat fallen fruit, birdseed, ground worms, grubs and other insects, berries, corn, and more.

There are many things around your property that can attract skunks such as dog and cat food left outside for pets. Skunks will also be drawn to chicken coops, and are capable of killing chickens and eating their eggs. Skunks prefer to nest in dark, warm areas. If they are unable to find or use burrows from other animals or make their own, they will seek other areas for shelter.

This is why they are often attracted to residential areas because of the availability of resources. Skunks will make nests and homes out of your crawl space, shed, basement, and underneath decks and porches.

There are two types of skunks, the striped skunk Mephitis mephitis and the spotted skunk Spilogale putorius. The striped skunk, as the name implies, has a black body with a narrow white stripe between the eyes reaching to the forehead, and two wide white stripes splitting down the back and tail. A striped skunk is the size of a domestic cat, while a spotted skunk is half this size.

A spotted skunk is black with random white markings either in spots or zigzag streaks on both the back, sides, and tail. Both the striped skunk and the spotted skunk have sharp claws on their front feet for digging.

Their tracks are unique from other similar-sized wildlife animals, as their front and hind paws look entirely different. The front paws can be compared to a cat, but with notably longer claws that show in their paw prints, as they do not retract like cat claws. Skunks also have five toes, while cats have four toes. Their back paws are completely different, as they could resemble a tiny human foot, but with claws.

These back claws are shorter than the front claws. Being nocturnal animals, skunks are active during dawn, dusk, and nighttime.

Striped skunks can be active during the daytime if they are in urban and suburban public areas, or sometimes if they have rabies, and lose their fear of humans. Spotted skunks are seldom seen during the daytime. Skunks do not hibernate during the winter, and for shelter they often form communal skunk burrows under decks, porches, or buildings. It is also important to keep watch during the months of January to March, as this is mating season for skunks. Female skunks are pregnant for 60 days, and give birth to baby skunks typically in April or May.

This means that mothers will be looking for a nest during this time. Skunks are most commonly known for their repulsive smell. This can be caused by a skunk being frightened, a dead skunk, or a male skunk spraying to fight another male over a female skunk during mating season. This warning includes stamping their front feet, arching their tail forward over their back, and hissing. My dog kept trying to mess with a skunk that was hanging around our house. I called All N One and when they came out they told me that there were skunks living under my front porch!

They did a great job taking care of the issue. Avoid the Stink! Get rid of skunks and their stink now! One of the most common health risks associated with skunks is carrying rabies. Not all skunks show symptoms of rabies, but this does not mean that they do not carry the disease.

Rabies can be transferred to pets or humans through bites or by ingesting skunk droppings. However, it is important to note that skunks are not typically aggressive animals unless they feel threatened. This means that prodding pets are more likely to scare skunks, increasing the chance of a bite or getting sprayed. Other diseases that can be carried and transmitted by skunks are most commonly leptospirosis, Q-fever, tularemia, canine distemper, canine hepatitis, and listeriosis.

All of these diseases can be carried by skunks without significant or identifiable symptoms. Skunks and other wildlife animals also have the possibility of carrying ticks, fleas, lice, roundworm, tapeworm, and more.

All of these can affect humans and pets, so if a substantial skunk infestation is detected, it is recommended to be aware of these diseases and to check for them if necessary. Skunks are especially a danger to pets, as their spray can cause burning of the eyes as well as temporary blindness. Luckily, it has not been found that skunk spray itself carries diseases. If your pet was sprayed, this does not mean that will contract a disease, unless they were bitten as well. Regardless, it is still recommended that they be checked out by a veterinarian following a skunk spray.

If you find yourself in an encounter with a skunk, avoid sudden movements as this could startle them causing them to spray. Though it is a popular belief that tomato juice will get rid of skunk odors, it only masks the smell temporarily. It would be easiest to prevent it entirely, but skunks are common and so is getting sprayed.

It is most likely that your pet will be the one getting sprayed.