With their unique looks and characteristic smell, skunks can become unwanted neighbours if they decide to live under your porch. Skunks may look cute from a distance, but having them under your porch can cause a lot of problems. Understanding skunk behaviour, spotting the signs of their presence, and taking the right steps for a safe and humane resolution are all important parts of dealing with this problem.
Figuring Out How Skunks Act
Before taking care of a skunk problem under your door, it’s important to know how these animals act:
Mostly busy at night, skunks are nocturnal, which means they are most active at night. This makes it less likely that they will meet during the day.
Skunks are opportunistic omnivores, which means they eat a lot of different things. They like living in cities and suburbs because they can eat bugs, small mammals, fruits, veggies, and even human waste.
Skunks often look for cover under porches, sheds, and decks, where they dig holes and sleep. In these places, they build dens to rest, raise their young, and stay safe from the weather.
How to Tell If You Have a Skunk Problem Under Your Porch
If you think you have a skunk problem under your porch, look out for these signs:
- Sightings: If you see skunks often near your porch, especially at night, it may be a clear sign that they are there.
- Skunk Odor: Skunk spray has a strong smell that can be used to spot it. If you keep smelling that smell, it means that skunks may be living under your porch
- Skunks are known to dig up things to find bugs and grubs, which can damage property. Skunk activity may be to blame if you see damage to your yard, like soil that has been turned over or small holes.
- Disturbance to Trash: Skunks are drawn to human trash. Skunks may be looking for food if you see trash cans on their sides or trash all over the ground near your door.
How to Get Rid of Skunks Under Your Porch
If you check and find skunks living under your porch, here are some things you can do to get rid of them:
- Find Entry and Exit Points: Look at your porch for holes that skunks could be using to get into their den. Most of the time, skunks get into the porch through cracks in the frames or walls. Skunks can’t get in or out of these holes, so cover them with hardware cloth or heavy-gauge wire mesh.
- Put in a One-Way Door. A one-way door is a gentle way to get rid of skunks because it lets them leave but not come back. Put the one-way door over the entrance and make sure it opens outward so the skunks can get out without any problems.
- Set up a trail camera: To keep an eye on the skunks, use a motion-activated trail camera. This lets you know when the skunks have left the den, so you can seal the hole they used to get in.
- Close Off the Entry Point: Once you’re sure the skunks have gone, close off the entry point so they can’t come back. You should only do this if you are sure the skunks are not in the den.
- Professional Help: If there are a lot of skunks in your area or you don’t feel safe getting rid of them yourself, you might want to talk to a wildlife removal service. They have the knowledge and tools to make sure the removal is safe and gentle.
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.
- Techniques for Deodorizing: If skunks hit you, your pet, or your property, there are a number of things you can do at home to get rid of the smell. Some of these are hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid soap mixed together, as well as store-bought skunk odor eliminators.
- Professional Help: If you see a skunk that looks hurt or upset, you should call animal control or a wildlife rescue center in your area for help. Do not try to handle the skunks yourself.
Finally, getting rid of skunks that are living under your porch requires knowing how they act, spotting the signs that they are there, and using the right methods. Should you follow these tips, you should be able to solve any skunk problems on your property in a safe and friendly way. This will allow you to live peacefully with these unique animals in your suburban or urban 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.