OT: anyone know anything about skunks?

[jonquiljo]

Well, this is close to sleep anyway---- it's hard to sleep when you know there are skunks around ... somewhere.

I smell skunk all over the back of our house which is covered thickly with bougainvillea. It's hard to see under the vines and even through them. At first I thought a skunk might be nested in the bougainvillea, but it seems unlikely. My dogs roam out the back yard as it is fenced in, but they have yet to encounter one.

I read around the Internet and learned that either the skunks are likely burrowed under the foundation and in the crawl space (in Calif. we have limited crawl space - no basements) or they may have sprayed their territory - and that's what I am smelling. It's mild skunk, not the real "burning rubber" skunk smell that they really emit when they spray. So I'm just not sure, and I don't want to go poking around in there and find a critter than is going to skunk me. We live across from the Bay marshlands - so we get skunks often. Years ago we had one wander the yard all night for many nights until we got someone to trap them and get them out of here. It wasn't rabid, but it was not afraid of anyone or anything. But they've never tried to move in here - so I am baffled.

The house doesn't smell inside, so I wonder if it is really in the crawl space - and no, I am not going down there to look! It really smells like the bougainvillea is skunked, which is weird - only from the back yard against the back of the house?

Does anyone have any experience with this? If I didn't have two crazy young dogs who will chase skunks, I would not worry too much.

[NotMuffy]

Instead of looking for a live skunk, look for a dead one.

[jonquiljo]

Instead of looking for a live skunk, look for a dead one.

Huh? Dead where?

[Julie]

Under the bougies? Tomato juice will neutralize the smell if you find the source, or at least the place where the worst odor is coming from.

[rosiefrosie]

I know they can stink. I'll never forget the time when we first moved to where I live now. We heard this clunking sound outside. When we went out to look, there was this skunk coming down the road with a honey jar stuck on it's head. Needless to say we put it out of it's misery without much of an after smell.

rosie

[roster]

When we went out to look, there was this skunk coming down the road with a honey jar stuck on it's head.

Should have called the Skunk Whisperer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw5ML-3S91A

[Joe50]

Call Billy The Exterminator or someone like him.

[msla]

We used to have regular skunk visits. The neighbors were feeding thair cats outside. They were using a lot of cat food. Skunks are opportunistic feeders and love cat and dog food. Much easier than rooting in the ground for a meal. When the neighbors started feedin their cats inside and denying the skunks free food, the visits declined. If you are feeding the dogs or other pets outside and leaving the food out at night, changing your routine might help lessen the skunk problem.

Rolf

[chunkyfrog]

Skunk aroma--a very effective sinus clearer--but very difficult to market!

[mayondair]

We had a skunk problem, were sure it was living at the neighbors, but would see it waddling through our yard every day. Got some predator urine( yes it's a commercial product comes in fox, bobcat, coyote and mountain lion) from the local garden store,coyote if I remember. The trick is to think like the predator and mark territory with it, fenceposts, etc. Worked really well, do it again in a few days to make the skunk think big bad coyote is around and hunting. That skunk will gladly leave.

[Guest]

Besides the urine (and human works too, BTW) and getting rid of food sources, I have gotten rid of skunks for good with two things. Ammonia and moth balls. Skunks, and snakes, cannot stand moth balls or ammonia.

If they are under a building, you can soak a spare diaper, or rag, in ammonia, throw it in a ziploc bag, poke some holes in it and throw it under the house or structure. They will vacate as soon as possible. Try your best to cement in the hole, as they will tear their claws apart trying to get back in.

You have to get the real moth balls made of napthalene and not the useless environmentally friendly variety available now. If you get them crushed, even better. Just sprinkle some around the perimeter of your yard every so often and you won't have trouble.

If you have them under a house now, please try to get them out before they mate and litter and overwinter. The little ones stink to high heaven. There is some anecdotal evidence that trapping and drowning prevents them from spraying upon death.

To get the smell out of your house, boil some vinegar or roast some coffee grounds in the oven.

[helmetheadbob]

Whoops, that was me above.

[elena88]

The little ones stink to high heaven. There is some anecdotal evidence that trapping and drowning prevents them from spraying upon death.

The little ones have a musky smell and stomp their feet when they are upset before turning tails...

Skunks do spray when they are drowned, I saw this happen, so I know.. it was a skunk in a pool.. and that is cruel..

They stick around for cat and dog food, and water sources, and shelter..

the amonia rag thing is good, but if you stick the rags in slightly closed plastic sandwhich bags they last longer..


simple green is the best thing to get rid of a skunk smell, and eventually the skunk smell after awhile starts smelling actually like coffee

You can also go "mark" your own territory, sometimes that helps..

[jonquiljo]

Thanks all. I am going to go out today (when they are hopefully asleep) and poke around with a long stake. If I find anything of suspicion (a hole, etc.) I think I will call the professionals. If I find a dead one - I will try to get it out of there with no contact as it could have died from rabies - not likely but possible. We have tons of turkey vultures around here and I am surprised they don't go poking in the bougainvillea if there was something dead in there. They even swoop down to check me out if I stand out there and don't move much.

There is no food for any skunk out there - the dogs eat with us! And I do not see any tell-tale little holes in the lawn. We had that when we had to have one trapped a few years ago. BTW - it seems to smell skunky more at night too. I hope that's just because the cold damp air usually moves in.

Thanks again for all your comments.

[elena88]

Mild skunk is a skunk not spraying.. they have an "aroma"

I dont think you have a dead skunk, you would have a dead animal smell..


professionals will come out and trap the skunk, if you call a wildlife rescue group, they might do that too, and then release it away from
you into the wild..

I once went on a skunk rescue, a skunk was in someones bathroom drooling and foaming at the mouth and turning summersaults.. it was
crazed.... It had wondered off the street, into the garage, and into the bathroom.... I had a cat carrier, and I swept the skunk gently into
it with a broom.. then I took it down to the skunk lady..
We were concerned it might have rabies too, but that is quite rare... turns out, it had a head injury, got sideswiped by a car probably, and
in a couple days, the skunk was good as new.. and released into the wild..

However, I went to rescue this skunk with my husbands car, and I stuck the skunk in the trunk and put plastic over the carrier for the short ride,
but the little creep sprayed.. OMG.. the car reeked for about a week, then after a few weeks it started smelling like super expensive roasted coffee!
now that was a surprise!

I took care of some baby skunks for a few days once.. in a picnic basket in the garage.. when I would open the top, they would all stomp their
paws until I fed them formula with a syringe.. then they would calm down.. even though they didnt spray, there was a MILD skunky odor..
so you must have someone sleeping around down there.. its late in the season for babies.. that would be odd.. so hopefully its jsut one, or
you can keep making it uncomfortable for it to stay there, put a transisiter radio down there and put it on an obnoxious station