Skunk problems

I am having a lot of trouble with a family
of skunks as of late.
I went to feed the cats
and in the garbage barrel where I keep the food was a skunk.

Lucky for me I didn't reach in and scoop some food up.

Well anyway the skunk ruined that bag of food and the barrel

to.

Then I fed the Dog in his pen last night and when I walked

outside this morning all I could smell was skunk.

My pooch came up to greet me and I vacated the premises

real fast.

Had to give him a bath and then used perfume to combat the

odor.

I have tried tomato juice and never worked for me,so I

use perfume.

The only way I have found to irradicate the skunks is by use

of a

have-a-hart trap.Then you cover the trap with a blanket to

keep skunk from

spraying you.Haul the creature off to the woods and let them

go.

You can also shoot them but they will spray all over the place

and then you have to dispose of a stinky animal,which is not

pleasant.

So the best way to keep skunks away is don't leave dog and

cat food where they can get

to it.

Below I have compiled some characteristics of the skunk.



Physical Description

Striped skunks are easily recognized by their characteristic

colors and pattern. The fur is black with a white stripe that

begins as a

triangular shape on the top of the head, forks into two stripes

that travel down the sides of the back, and usually merges

again near the base of the tail. Another white stripe runs

from the base of the snout between the eyes and ends on

the forehead. Stripe width and length vary with each

individual. Stripes sometimes occur on the tail, but more often

the tail is composed of both black and white hairs intermixed.

Mephitis mephitis is about the size of a domestic cat, with a

small head, small ears, short legs, and a long, fluffy tail.

Feet are plantigrade with five partially webbed toes.

Claws are longer on the front feet to aid in digging.

The skull is distinct from other carnivores in having only one

molar on each side of the upper jaw and two on each side of

the lower jaw. The upper molars have a characteristic square

shape.

Reproduction

Females are monestrous, but they occasionally can have a

second estrous if the first pregnancy is unsuccessful. Mating

takes place from mid-February until mid-March. The gestation

period is between 60 and 77 days, with delayed implantation

probably involved. Usually, five or six young are born in each

litter. At birth, baby striped skunks are blind, deaf, and extremely

immature. They nurse for about a month and a half in the

mother's den. Fully weaned, the young then follow the mother

about, finally breaking from the family about a year after

reaching adult size.


Skunk

Behavior

Striped skunks are nocturnal, sleeping during the day in

underground burrows and emerging around dusk to search for

food. They prefer to use burrows made by other animals of

equal size or natural burrows under tree stumps or buildings.

They use their long front claws to build their own den if

necessary.

Both males and females undergo periods of inactivity from

November until March. Females often remain in their winter

dens for the entire winter, but males usually emerge during

mild temperature periods to feed. Winter dens usually consist

of six females and their young. One male sometimes

occupies a den with females, but usually lives alone in its

own den.


Baby Skunk

Food Habits

A skunk is a true omnivore, eating a vast assortment

of things including insects, small crustation,mammals,birds and

eggs, fruits, grasses,

leaves, buds, grains, nuts, and carrion. Insects make up

approximately 70% of their diet. Striped skunks often attack the

nests of colonial insects, such as bees and ants. When

attacking a bee hive, they wait for the angry bees to emerge

from the hive, then bat them out of the air and eat them.

Striped skunks are opportunistic and diet changes depending

on the time of year and available resources.