Where do skunks live? (2024)

FAQs

Where do skunks usually live? ›

Dens are located under wood and rock piles, buildings, porches, and concrete slabs—also in rock crevices, culverts, drainpipes, and in standing or fallen hollow trees. Skunks may dig their own dens, but more often use the deserted burrows of other animals, such as ground squirrels and marmots.

Skunks are nocturnal, usually active from early evening through the night. They typically spend their days sleeping in dens, although they may bed in vegetation during the warm months. Dens are usually below ground but may be found in streams or pond banks, lumber piles, or beneath porches or crawl spaces.

Their dens are dug underground, but these animals reside in vegetation during the warm months. Ordinarily, skunks make their nests in tree hollows. This is where they live and whenever they're looking for a home, they will look for an appropriate tree and create their den within the tree hollows.

Use Skunk Repellents

Citrus, ammonia, mothballs and predator urine (dog, coyote, etc) are three smells that can scare off skunks. If you use mothballs or ammonia-soaked cotton balls, be sure to keep them far away from children.

Skunks are opportunists at heart — they're mainly attracted to low-hanging fruit like garbage and pet food left out at night, as well as convenient denning sites, such as wood and rock piles, elevated sheds, and openings under concrete slabs and porches and crawl spaces.

They are most active at night, but will sometimes venture out in the daylight hours in search of food or to find a mate. Skunks do not hibernate, although they do stay within their dens during colder temperatures. Other than during mating season, they spend most of their time alone.

Most skunks come to a home because there is more food in the yard than there is in the forest. Skunks like all the insects that live in tall, lush grass, and they'll raid vegetable gardens, garbage cans, and compost piles.

Skunks use underground dens year round for resting, hiding, birthing and rearing young. They are located under wood and rock piles, buildings, porches and concrete slabs, as well as in rock crevices, culverts, drain pipes and fallen hollow trees.

Coyotes, foxes, dogs, bobcats, mountain lions, badgers and big owls can all eat skunks but rarely do. Gehrt's research shows that less than 5 percent of skunk mortality is caused by predators.

A bright light or a motion sensor flood light will scare skunks away. Most animals, including skunks, dislike the smell of citrus fruits. Place orange or lemon peels around the yard as a natural skunk repellent. Predator urine (dogs, coyotes) can be used to repel a skunk.

What do skunks do during the day? ›

Skunks might come out during the day if there is a food source available at a particular time, if they have been frightened out of their daytime sleeping spot, or if there is high competition in the area at night from other nocturnal animals. Baby skunks are also commonly seen outside during the day.

If there is an important reason to evict the skunks, here is a simple way to do it—skunks hate the smell of original scent Pine-Sol. A rag or block of wood soaked in the cleanser and placed as close as possible to a den entrance will often be enough to persuade a skunk to move her family to an alternate den site.

Citrus. Skunks dislike the intense scent of citrus fruits like oranges and lemons. This means that citrus is a natural and safe method to repel skunks from your garden or yard. Place citrus peels around your garden or yard to use as skunk deterrent.

If you're also looking to steer away deer, try tying a few bars of Irish Spring soap (Buy on Amazon, $14.21) to string and hang around your garden. Skunks don't seem to be a fan of this strong scent either, so it works to keep both pests away.

Skunks have public health concerns such as carrying rabies and transmitting diseases to humans and pets. Not only this, but skunks can also wander into your yard or garden to dig through sod, causing time-consuming damage.

Skunks prefer meat, but will also eat plants and vegetation. Insects, small animals, birds, eggs, poultry, worms, berries, grubs, and grasshoppers are also common food sources. Skunks are attracted to honey and also foods with a strong odor.

Skunks That Spray in the Night

It isn't uncommon for these shy and generally docile animals to use their primary form of defence at night. A skunk sprays when it feels threatened or is startled. Females also use their stench to tell a potential suitor that his attentions are not welcome.

The first thing a skunk typically does when it feels threatened is to raise and puff out its striped tail as an instant warning sign to stay away. The skunk may also stomp its front feet or perform a quick, aggressive-looking charge at the perceived threat. It may hiss or growl as well.

Typically speaking, skunks live in dens they dig with their front claws. They can also make abandoned fox holes, hollowed-out logs, or wood piles a new home for their family. If you look in your yard and see holes, it could be a skunk den.

In summer, you always know when a striped skunk has been around. But in winter, these animals make themselves scarce, hunkering down to wait out the onslaught of ice and snow.

What month do skunks come out? ›

At Accurate Pest Control, We Believe That Skunks Are Most Active From February Into Early March. However, a warm day can get them moving in search of a mate. Wildlife animal control in San Antonio experts considers skunks' prime mating period is during these months.

Do skunks always spray when threatened? No, skunks do not always spray when they feel threatened. They typically show warning signs first, like raising their tail, stomping their feet, and hissing or charging if their striped appearance isn't warning enough. They only spray if these initial warnings are ineffective.

Skunks Help Control Your Local Rattlesnake Population

During warmer months, seeing a skunk in your yard or near your home means rattlesnakes will stay away.

Skunk droppings look similar to those of a cat and are typically found in lawns and gardens. The waste is tubular, has blunt ends, and usually measures about a quarter to half an inch in diameter and one to two inches long. Skunk poop generally contains bits of undigested insects, berry seeds, fur, or feathers.

Don't turn your back, make sudden movements, raise your arms, or run. Instead, try to put about 10 feet between yourself and the skunk so you're out of range of its spray. But don't rush. Make calm, steady movements to avoid startling the skunk further.

Skunks do not pose a threat to your home or your lawn. In fact, they actually snack on critters that do. If you can manage the skunk population to keep numbers down, and if the creatures are healthy, a skunk or two in your area can benefit your lawn by keeping property-destroying animal populations at bay.

The Farmers Almanac suggests that the best skunk repellent is a light. Skunks are nocturnal and their eyes are very light sensitive. A bright light or a motion sensor flood light will scare skunks away.

The average lifespan of a skunk in the wild is about 2–3 years, but they can live up to 15 years in captivity. During the summer months, skunks typically sleep in retreats above ground; shaded areas in tall grass, under shrubs, in thickets, or under decks and building.

Poisonous substances used on skunks include Anticoagulants like warfarin, Antifreeze (Ethylene glycol) Bromethalin (rat poison), Cholecalciferol, and Strychnine.

Skunks don't feed on cats either, however, they might attack small kittens that are left unprotected.

What noises do skunks hate? ›

Yell, clap your hands, bang pots and pans together, stomp, or even use an air horn to scare skunks away.

The best substance to drive away animals is good old mothballs. Place these around any area you believe the skunk may be active. Do not put them in areas where it will affect your edible vegetation or where ventilation will bring the odors into your house.

Lots of animals, like snakes, skunks, raccoons, chipmunks, and more tend to live in areas that flood easily. Obviously, they can't stick around when their home is under water, so they head for flood-resistant, elevated areas nearby.

Skunks are animals that are known as crepuscular, and basically what this means is that they are active in the periods around dawn and dusk. During this time they will usually be exploring their range looking for food and taking on water, and once they have achieved this they will then return to their den.

The spray is a defense mechanism - so they will spray if they are surprised or feel threatened. Skunks will often give warning signs that they might spray, like stamping their feet or flicking their tail. Spotted skunks can even do a handstand while spraying!

Baby skunks are typically born in May and June and remain in their dens for eight weeks. If at all possible, be patient and wait for the skunk family to leave on their own.

Keep your lawn grub-free and you will prevent raccoons, skunks and opossums from tearing up your lawn to feast on them. Sprinkle plants with epsom salts or cayenne pepper to deter wildlife from feasting on them.

A: We do not recommend mixing any Pine-Sol^® product with other cleaning products or chemicals. Mixing cleaners can result in the release of hazardous gases.

While the exact number of species that prey on skunks is unknown, red foxes, cougars, coyotes and domestic dogs are among them. These animals tend not to prefer skunk, though, because it is difficult to successfully attack and kill one without being soaked in its pungent natural spray.

Skunks dislike the smell of citrus, so orange or lemon peels scattered around the yard may help keep them away. The urine of predators such as dogs and coyotes, may also be a deterrent.

Will Dawn dish soap get rid of skunk? ›

¼ cup of baking soda. 1 teaspoon of liquid soap (we have found dawn dish soap to work the best)

Use ammonia-soaked rags or mothballs (napthalene) in skunk hangouts. The harsh smell of ammonia and/or mothballs has been known to scare away skunks. Though they don't offer a permanent solution and will have to be reapplied as the smell of the chemicals fades, they do help in the short-term.

Skunks generally live in dens that they dig with their strong front claws. These dens will be holes that you find in your yard. Or they may find and live in an abandoned den built by other animals, such as a foxes or woodchucks. Sometimes they will live in hollow logs, woodpiles or brush piles.

It's true that skunks are mostly nocturnal, but they might be out during the day for many different reasons.

Skunks do not pose a threat to your home or your lawn. In fact, they actually snack on critters that do. If you can manage the skunk population to keep numbers down, and if the creatures are healthy, a skunk or two in your area can benefit your lawn by keeping property-destroying animal populations at bay.

From late summer through early spring, skunks will rarely stay at the same den site for more than a few days, so you can simply wait until they move on before sealing off access to the den site. From early spring through summer, females with young may stay at a den site longer.

Spring is usually considered the active season for skunks. Their mating season begins in late winter, and the babies are born in April or May. However, during the fall, you may see or smell signs of skunk activity in your neighbourhood.