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.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
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.
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.
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