Are skunks good to have around the house?

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.

What are the benefits of having skunks in your yard?

Skunks are beneficial critters. They are omnivorous and eat a variety of garden pests, including mice, voles, beetles, various larvae, wasps and crickets. Skunks are also scavengers. They will seek out animal carcasses, which helps keep an ecosystem free of carrion.

Do skunks cause property damage?

Property Damage

Skunks will build burrows and tunnels under buildings, sheds, decks, and concrete foundations. These burrows can threaten the structural integrity of homes and businesses, but they also can provide access inside.

What to do if you see a skunk in your yard?

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.

Do skunks keep snakes away?

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.

How To Keep Skunks Away For Good!

What do skunks hate?

It may seem ironic, but skunks hate certain odors (as if they have room to judge). 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.

What eats skunks?

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.

Should I let a skunk live in my yard?

Skunks are nocturnal and non-aggressive, plus they play a beneficial role—all good reasons to just leave them alone until they have moved on of their own accord (which they readily do) or can safely be encouraged to leave an area where they are not wanted.

Can skunks bite you?

If a person approaches them quickly or ignores the warnings, they may bite and/or spray. Do not attempt to pet or feed a skunk. Skunks that are fed lose their fear of humans and are more likely to approach humans, resulting in bites. Rabies is normally transmitted by the bite of a wild or domestic rabid mammal.

Are skunks friendly?

A skunk is one of the most peace-loving, non-aggressive animals you could ever meet. Skunks are also extremely nearsighted. They will only “shoot” their defensive spray when frightened, and they give you plenty of time to back off by stamping their front feet as a warning.

What problems do skunks cause?

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. The typical skunk population is not known to be aggressive animals unless they feel threatened.

What attracts skunks to your backyard?

Skunks can be attracted to a yard or a house by certain items that might be in the yard or near the house. As stated before, bird seed and sunflower seeds are two main attractors of skunks. Pet food, garbage, grills and lumber can also attract skunks, as can openings under houses, decks or sheds.

What harm can skunks do?

Skunks use their spray as their primary form of defence, but they can bite and scratch if cornered. Bites and scratches from skunks can cause rabies, which is potentially fatal when left untreated.

Do skunks keep rats away?

Skunks and Opossums

Skunks may be striped or spotted, and are members of the weasel family. They are a nuisance, mostly because of the foul odor they expel when frightened or excited. On the other hand, skunks eat rats, mice, and other rodents, so at least a skunk is one answer to how to repel rats.

Should I be worried about skunks in my yard?

If there are many skunks in your yard, they could tear a huge portion over a single night to access grubs and other insects in the ground. However, note that digging isn't the only issue these animals cause. They can also damage your plants as they burrow looking for food.

Do skunks leave their den every night?

From early spring until late fall, skunks migrate from den to den every few days or so. Other than possibly digging a few holes in your yard and getting into your trash, damage from skunks is not usually cause for concern. For this reason, the best course of action is to wait out their stay until they move on.

Can skunks see you?

If you run into a skunk in the open, the first thing you should do is stop moving. Skunks have poor eyesight, and sudden movements may startle them. If possible, avoid letting the skunk see you at all.

Can skunks see humans?

They don't have good peripheral vision, so they really only see what is directly in their line of sight, and only if it is around 3 meters away or less. This lack of depth perception and visual acuity is why skunks are easily startled. Baby skunks can't see at all!

Can skunks bond with humans?

The more you handle your skunk, the more it will bond with you. Skunks love to play with you, sleep with you (if you let them) and love to go for car rides with you. Just make sure to never leave a pet in a car on even a warm day as cars can overheat very fast and that could be fatal to your pet.

Should skunks be killed?

It is really not necessary to kill skunks, plus it is generally not a good idea because of the stink that will follow. If you feel that you need assistance to live trap and dispatch a skunk, do enlist the help of a wildlife expert.

Where do skunks go during the day?

Skunks are nocturnal creatures that only come out from the early evening and all through the night. During the day, they spend their time sleeping in their dens. Their dens are dug underground, but these animals reside in vegetation during the warm months. Ordinarily, skunks make their nests in tree hollows.

What time do skunks come out at night?

Skunks are usually nocturnal, coming out well after dark, and heading back to their den around dawn.

What is the skunks favorite food?

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.

What is the biggest threat to skunks?

In addition, only skunks born in the wild learn the skills necessary to forage and hunt. Finally, without scent glands, domesticated skunks have no way to protect themselves from predators. Still, their biggest threat is the same as that facing wild skunks — cars.

How long do skunks live?

The average lifespan of a skunk in the wild is about 2–3 years, but they can live up to 15 years in captivity.