Skunks are a member of the weasel family. They are intelligent and
may look to some as adorable creatures however, watch out for their bad
habits and of course, their notorious spray.
Many times, skunk's
burrowing and feeding habits conflict with people. Skunks may burrow
under buildings or porches by entering openings under the foundation.
They destroy property by digging holes in golf courses, lawns and
gardens in search of insect grubs.
Skunks are omnivorous too.
Hence, they eat eggs and other leftover piece of meat from the garbage.
They are also known to eat bees.
There are many evidences which
shows that skunks have killed poultry or attacked pets in order to
protect themselves. When a skunk feels disturbed or insecure it will
then use its spray which is their most powerful weapon. This spray is a
smelling blend of sulphurous oil and can damage building materials,
furniture, clothing, and other property. If this spray comes in contact
with human eyes then it can cause intense itching and partial or
temporary blindness. Due to such irritating behaviour of skunks, it
becomes very difficult for people to tolerate these smelly creatures.
Removing
skunks from your home is a must. However, it requires expertise and
other tools and techniques. There are several easy methods available and
some of them are as follows:
- Skunks detest lights and prefer to stay away from highly lit locations. Skunks prefer a dark location. Hence, adding lights in yards will help to resist skunks from choosing your backyard as a nesting ground.
- Skunks like to burrow under decks, sheds, and foundation openings. They damage properties by nesting in these areas. It is recommended to seal these prime locations from skunks with effective products like solid steel sheeting and quarter inch screening.
- Exclusion is the best way to keep your property skunk-free. If skunks have a place to live on your property then the odds of you or your pet having a run-in with them are greatly increased. Remove any and all skunks from under sheds, decks and porches and then block off their entry points to ensure the skunks must relocate to another area.
- You should try to reduce any attractants from your home. These may include pet food, garbage, water bowls, leftovers vegetables, fruits, etc. Place motion activated sprinklers close to locations where you suspect a skunk might want to shelter. Such products are cost effective and natural ways to keep these smelly animals away . There are many repellents available in the market which are made up of natural ingredients and are effective to repel skunks as soon as they smell or touch the product.
- To avoid any future infestation by skunks, fence your gardens by using wires or net. While fencing, it should be kept in mind that fence should be one or two feet below ground level, so that skunks can not dig holes underneath. Also, it should stand four feet above ground level as skunks are not skilled climbers.
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