I grew up in the Midwest with a lot of land and space around me. I remember sitting outside on summer evenings with my Grandparents as we watched a Momma skunk walk along the edge of pond in the field nearby. She walked grandly with her nose in the air and her striped tail pointing to the sky. Behind her walked several baby skunks following in a straight line. We didn’t bother the skunks and they stayed away from us as there was plenty of space for us all.
Space is an issue if you live in a subdivision bordered by a stretch of woods or if the pond is a shallow pool right off your back deck. Up close, skunks aren’t much fun. Thanks to environmentally friendly companies like Havahart there is no need to harm wildlife in order to reclaim your space.
If a skunk has been coming too close for comfort, it’s possible to relocate them in a way that will prevent an accidental encounter that will frighten the skunk and leave you with burning eyes and an odor even a Mother couldn’t love.
Skunks are nocturnal and emerge from their dens at dusk. They do travel as much as a mile a night but seldom venture more than four miles from their den. You can use skunk repellent to keep them off your property, but if they continue to cause damage, relocating a problem skunk is quite easy as these are not territorial creatures. The Havahart Feral Cat Rescue Kit is perfect for skunk trapping because it has a cover that will keep any spray released by an angry skunk from spreading too far.
Using this trap is how to get rid of skunks. The trap is made with a spring loaded door and the rear door can be opened for release. This is a sturdy trap designed to last for years with smooth edges that avoid harming any animal in the trap. Tips on bait to use for various species of wildlife help you find the right treat to lure your skunk into the trap.
After trapping the skunk (and keeping the cover on, of course) you can transport the animal to a wooded area that is farther removed from homes, pets and playing children. When you trap and move a skunk you need to know a little about breeding habits. Skunks breed in February (striped) or April (spotted) and have a gestation period of about 60 days. Until babies are about six weeks old they are left in the den while adult skunks search for food.
For striped skunks it’s best not to place traps from March till July and for spotted skunks avoid May through mid-August if possible. This avoids the problem of trapping a Mother skunk while babies are left to starve in a den. If the problem is a solitary skunk nosing around in late winter or very early spring, chances are the culprit is a male who may have traveled quite distance just looking for love. Use Havahart traps as a humane way to protect your family and pets from noxious skunk spray without harming wildlife.
Speaking of skunks – my husband almost decided to adopt one. The local animal control had put a cage in our backyard with cat food in it to attract some ferrel cats that were wandering the neighborhood. The next day we looked out and saw a skunk in the cage. The little guy even made a bed by pulling pine straw into the cage. Uh oh – how are you going to get the skunk out of that cage without it squirting you?! Well, the animal control officer came out and he wouldn’t go near it. Later, my husband carefully made friends with the skunk and it never sprayed him! He took about 12 pics of the cute little guy (a young one), and almost decided to have it fixed so it wouldn’t spray. My husband actually wanted to keep it as his pet! We ended up deciding to set it free. He really was cute, even if he was a stinker…
We have discovered a skunk behind our gas grill. The skunk did not move or seem afraid when my husband was on the patio. How can we get rid of the skunk or encourage him to relocate?
Hi Sherrie,
We have skunk repellents which will encourage the skunk to relocate. Our repellent, Critter Ridder®, comes in a spray bottle or granules (http://www.havahart.com/store/animal-repellents/skunk). You can apply the spray or the granules to the area you have seen the skunk and the smell will encourage it to leave that area. Critter Ridder® is also organic and safe for use around children and pets.
You may also decide to relocate the skunk yourself with a live trap (http://www.havahart.com/store/live-animal-traps/1084). If you have not had experience with animal traps, we’d suggest using the repellent to encourage the skunk to leave your property.
Thank you,
Your Friends at Havahart®
When the skunk is in the trap, can it still squirt? I heard that if it can’t lift it’s tail, it can’t squirt. True?
Hi Angelo,
Yes, skunks must be able to lift their tails to spray, and they are less likely to spray if they can’t see that they will definitely “hit their target”. However, the skunk you trap in a typical skunk trap may be much smaller than the trap, giving it more room and a better ability to spray. Therefore, it’s best to put a blanket over the trap so the skunk cannot see you and will feel less threatened. This also comes in handy if the skunk is able to spray! It is also recommended to move the trap as little as possible to keep the skunk calm. You may want to reference this post for more tips on trapping skunks: http://community.havahart.com/skunks/trap-a-skunk
Thank you,
Your Friends at Havahart®