Skunks are nighttime animals that are easy to spot because of their black and white marks and strong smell. They like to hide in sheds, decks, and porches. If you find a skunk den on your land, you need to take quick and effective action to protect yourself and the animals. This guide describes how skunks act and gives tips on how to get them out of their dens in a safe and gentle way.
Figuring Out How Skunks Act
Before you start the cleaning process, it’s important to know how skunks act:
- Nocturnal: Skunks are mostly nocturnal, which means they are most busy at night. This makes it less likely that you will see them during the day.
- What they eat: Skunks are greedy omnivores. They eat many things, like bugs, small mammals, fruits, veggies, and even trash that people throw away. There is usually a lot of food for them in suburbs and cities.
- Skunks like to hide under sheds, decks, and porches, where they can burrow and sleep. In these places, they build dens to rest, raise their young, and stay safe from the weather.
How to Spot Skunk Dens
If you want to find a skunk den on your property, look for these signs:
- The fact that skunks are often seen near the building, especially at night, is a good sign that there is a den there.
- Skunk Odour: Skunk spray has a strong smell that can be used to spot it. If you keep smelling that smell, it means there is a skunk den close.
- Skunks are known to damage lawns and plants by digging in them to find bugs and grubs. If your yard or garden has damage like soil that has been turned over or small holes, it may have been caused by skunks.
- Disturbance to Trash: Skunks are drawn to human trash. If you see trash cans that are upside down or trash all over the place near the den, it could be because skunks are looking for food.
Effective Ways to Get Rid of Skunk Dens
Once you know for sure that there is a skunk den nearby, here are some safe and gentle ways to get rid of them:
- Find Entry spots: Look over the structure carefully for possible entry spots. Skunks normally get in through cracks in the walls or foundation. Skunks can’t get into their home through these holes, so cover them with hardware cloth or heavy-gauge wire mesh.
- Set up lights that turn on when something moves. Skunks are easily scared by quick movements and bright lights. Putting up lights around the room that turn on when they sense movement can scare them away.
- Make the Area Unwelcoming: Skunks look for safe, comfortable places to live. Make the area around the building less appealing by getting rid of things that could be food, like rotting trash or falling fruit. This might make skunks want to move.
- Consider Hiring a Professional: If getting rid of the skunk den gets hard or takes a long time, it’s a good idea to talk to a professional wildlife removal service. They know how to look at your case and give you advice on how to get rid of the animal in a safe and humane way.
How to Handle Skunk Encounters
If you come across skunks while clearing out the area, it’s important to handle the situation carefully:
- Keep your distance: Skunks are usually not mean, but they may spray if they feel threatened. Don’t get too close, and give them room to leave on their own.
- Deodorization Methods: If a skunk sprays you, your pet, or your property, there are a number of deodorizing methods you can use at home. Some of these are hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid soap mixed together, as well as store-bought skunk odour eliminators.
- Professional Help: If you see a skunk that looks hurt or upset, you should call animal control or a wildlife rescue centre in your area for help. Do not try to handle the skunk yourself.
- In conclusion, getting rid of a skunk den from your land requires taking precautions, learning how they act, and treating them with respect when you do come across one. By following these rules, you can make sure that your property and these unique animals can live together peacefully in an urban or neighbourhood setting.
At Skunk Control Barrie,guarantees complete skunk removal using industry-standard methods that have been time-tested on numerous cases before and are approved by the federal and provincial governments.