Skunks are a cat-sized mammal mostly found in North and South America belongs to the family of Mephitidae. They have distinctive black and white fur.
Skunk, (family Mephitidae), also called polecat, black-and-white mammal.
When feeling threatened, they spurt a fine spray of foul-smelling irritant liquid from their anal glands to prevent the attacker.
Usually, Skunks are timid animals but when agitated they may bite or scratch even, which raises the risk of leptospirosis, a bacterium found in standing water.
Skunks are vulnerable to rabies which can get easily transmitted to humans and pets. They also suffer from worms and may host a wide variety of fleas and ticks.
If domesticated skunks are wonderful pets but wild skunks are very problematic. They will dig holes in your yard to search for insects.
They can also enter into your garden, warren under your home, damage your wires, forge through your garbage in search of food and litter.
Skunks can find shelter inside your garage, under your car. Moreover, the smell of their musk spray is difficult to remove, and this animal grows quickly during winter.
All these make it imperative to remove the wild Skunks if they happen to habitat in your backyard.
Identifying the Skunks Problem
Presence of skunks can be identified with the holes present in and around lawns, which means that the creature is looking for food. You may notice holes near your home, garage, deck or porch where it might take shelter.
The most obvious indication is the obnoxious and unmistakable smell of the juice sprayed by them. Skunk feces also indicate their existence.
Ways to Getting Rid of Skunks from Yard
The killing of Skunk is illegal in some states, hence you need to get rid of them without hurting them, which requires some efforts.
Use of Skunk poison is not advisable if rules don’t permit. If there are kits in the hole, it is best to hire a professional to get them out of your home.
Besides, it is never a good idea to try to catch a Skunk on your own. They make spray the fluid on you. Moreover, there is a high chance that a Skunk is infected with rabies if it is acting erratically.
However, here are some tips to keep them away from your property.
Skunk Repellants
There are numerous repellents on the market. However, many of these repellents contain harmful chemicals which may poison your pets or children if they come into contact with a treated area.
In addition, they are often ineffective.
Use Urine of Predators
Spraying predator urine such as that of dog, cat, and coyotes near the hole of the Skunk will discourage the animal from entering your premises.
However, this is a temporary solution which requires reapplication every 24 hours or so. For better precautions, you need to install a fence to keep them away permanently.
Ensure that you make the fence high enough so that Skunks cannot climb on them.
Editor’s Recommendation
Application of Ammonia
Home remedies like the use of mothballs or ammonia are not very effective means of repelling the Skunk. They need a repeated application as well.
Home Repellents
Wondering how to make a Skunk repellent on your own? You can easily make homemade repellents using jalapeno pepper, and onion you can make a home repellent to resist the Skunks foraying into your garden.
- Chop one yellow onion and jalapeno pepper and mix it well with a tablespoon of hot pepper.
- Boil this mixture in two-quarters of water for around 20 minutes.
- Stain the solution and store it in a spray bottle.
- Spray it around the area where Skunks visit often.
They will start avoiding the places soon. This natural repellent must be applied every three to five days.
Citrus fruit peels such as orange or lemon are also quite effective. Sprinkle these around where the skunk likes to go and it will start to avoid those areas.
Use Traps to Catch Skunks
Provided it is legal in your state to trap hunks, you can use live traps to catch Skunks.
Add a bait that the skunk is sure to get attracted to. It could be food like apple slices, marshmallows, bread covered with peanut butter etc.
But do remember, trapping skunks requires adequate planning and skill as the creature is very intelligent.
Moreover, there may be regulations on how to treat the animal after being trapped. Hence, it is advisable to seek professional help in such cases.
Automated Sprinklers
Automated Sprinklers are also known as the scarecrow sprinklers are also a common way to deter skunks.
The automated sprinklers have motion sensors that come on and squirt the skunk or any other animal that comes within so many feet of it.
The skunk then associates this frightening experience with your yard and decides to never return.
Professional Help
This is the ultimate way to get rid of the skunks. After trying every possible treatment within your legal rights, if you still find them back in your lawn making holes on them, call for professional help.
Tips to Prevent Skunks from Your Yards/Lawn/Garden
Once you have got rid of the Skunks in your yard, it’s important to take preventive measures to keep them away. There are several methods to help keep skunks away. U
Practicing them and using these methods regularly helps to keep them (and other animals) from returning:
- Try and seal all the trash bags and keep them in dustbins with tight-sealing lids so that the Skunks do not get their nibble.
- If you have fruit-bearing bushes or trees in your garden, try to keep the ground clean of fallen fruit that might prove a potential food source for the Skunks.
- Always keep a high fence in garden spaces, and remove any potential water accumulation.
- Checking under your porches, sheds, patios and crawl spaces for openings that need to be sealed can keep skunks from coming into your home in search of food as well.
How to Get Rid of Skunks with Chocolate
Chocolates are poisonous for skunks. They will be dead with an overdose of it. Otherwise, they will fall sick for a few days after its consumption.
Provided it is not illegal to kill skunks in your state, you can use this tactic to eliminate them from your garden.
How to Get Rid of Skunks Digging in the Yard
You can set up a skunk trap which is different from other live traps as they are designed to reduce the possibility of skunks spraying.
Editor’s Recommendation
Best Mouse Pellets, Poisons, and Repellents to Get Rid of Rats & Mice
How to Scare Skunks Away without Getting Sprayed
Shunks are essentially nocturnal creatures. They prefer to avoid daylight. Shining a bright light on them you can scare them away without getting sprayed.
These remedies are likely to act as a deterrent for the skunks entering your property and creating havoc.