Home| Ask the Expert | Contact | Site Map | Store

| About | FAQ| Disclaimer |

The photo,  at left, shows why it is a bad idea to feed your pets outdoors.

Scientific Name

• Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis
• Western spotted skunk Spilogale gracilis
• Eastern spotted skunk Spilogale putorius

Skunk Control

General Skunk Information

Deodorizing

Univ. Publications

Skunk Bibliography

Help us by:

l suggesting a link.
l noting a problem.
l telling your story.
l sharing advice!
l sharing photos!
l volunteering!

just visit http://members.icwdm.org
User name  ICWDM
Psswrd       guest    
We appreciate your help!!

Biology

A Striped Skunk Skull
Description: Similar to a mink skull but larger.
Photo Credits: Dallas Virchow

Signs

• Smell--although skunks don't emit the odor the way cartoon figure PePe Lepew does, when they spray, everyone knows it! Deodorizing Information
• 3-4" half moon depression, typically under a porch, deck, or shed.

Damage

• kills poultry and eats their eggs;
• eat garbage, corn;
• makes 3 to 4-inch cone shaped holes in turf,
• damages bee hives;
• odor and disease hazards

Solutions

Habitat Modification

• Cover Window Wells--Skunks become trapped inside uncovered window wells. Prevent this by securing your window-well with a plastic cover. Click thumbnail for larger image.

Rescuing Skunks Trapped in Window Wells

Please note all of these techniques carry risks.

Option 1. Carefully place an 8" wide board, with cleats to allow skunk to climb out. it is critical that the board not be too steep or a skunk won't be able to climb it. Endeavor to make the slope less than a 45 degree angle. Photo by: Dallas Virchow.

Option 2. Carefully place a 7x7x24 covered and baited box-trap into the well. Bait with tuna or chicken.  Once skunk is caught, he can be released on site (around dusk) after the window well has been covered.

Option 3. (professionals only) Use cat grasping tongs to grab hold of skunk and rescue him from the window well.

Structural Exclusion techniques for preventing skunk entry

Preventing Lawn Damage:

Grub Control: In our experience, damage will continue up to three weeks after application of an insecticide for controlling grubs. Whether this continued activity is due to faulty application or the time needed for the insecticide to kill the grubs, we don't know at this time. However, there are plenty of ways insecticides can be ineffectively applied.

However, we would stress that grub prevention is key. If you can stop grubs before the skunks find them, then you will be ahead of the game. If you are too late, then fencing and other exclusion techniques will be the only sure-fire way to stop the damage from continuing.

We strongly recommend reading White Grubs in Turf published by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

White Grubs in Turf --Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln

Repellents

• No known effective repellents

Trapping

Trapping is very effective. There are specially manufactured box traps designed to reduce the risk of being sprayed by skunks.

	Skunk plasti-catch cage trap manufactured by Minnesota Plasti-Catch provides a safer way to capture skunks.  Photographer: Dave Purwin, Desert Wildlife Services, Inc.
	Cage traps can be covered as the traps below.   Hooded skunk near covered cage traps. Photo Credits: Critter Control, Inc.
	Gravity door cage traps, like this home-made trap, allow the door to drop open when trap is turned upside down.

Shooting

• Shooting is effective but potentially a smelly affair as shot skunks may spray.

Toxicants

• None registered for skunks

Diseases

Skunks suffer from a number of diseases including

• Distemper
• Rabies

Striped Skunk with possible distemper
Photo Credits: U of Nebraska
 

General Skunk Information

How to Release Unwanted Skunks From Cage Traps

Striped Skunks (Mephitis mephitis)--Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Deodorizing Skunk Odor

EPA Statement on Ozone Generators--Explains why Ozone Generators may be harmful.

Removing Skunk Odor--Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln

University Publications on Skunk Management

Backyard Wildlife DVD

vol. 1. The Fundamentals of Cage Trapping. Over 60 minutes in length. This video covers

• Choosing a trap
• Baiting strategies
• Setting techniques
• Releasing mistakenly trapped skunks
• Animal euthanasia
• Disease prevention

Order your copy