Hog-nosed skunk removal and control is a common call we get, here is a bit of information about hog nosed skunks and their control and removal. we suggest that you always hire a professional to have your skunk problem handled. you can click on our located a pro tab, then click your state, then click on the closest city that represents your location. If there is no professional in your area, click on the Email us tab, we will find a quality professional skunk removal company in your area at no charge to you! Located a a skunk removal professional from our list of animal removal companies.

Hog Nosed Skunk information

Hog Nosed Skunks has one wide stripe down its back, head, and tail, has a black underbody, but variations of double stripes, no stripes, and short stripes are occasionally reported. Its trademark feature is its long, bare nose. These features give it some alternate names: the white-backed skunk, rooter skunk, and the badger skunk. You’ll find it in riparian (river- or stream-edge) areas, rocky canyonlands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands with brushy and rocky habitat in New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and south to the Strait of Magellan. But because of human expansion into previously wild lands, the hog-nosed skunk is increasingly moving into suburban areas and becoming a pest.
Like most other skunks, the hog-nosed skunk is primarily nocturnal, but it will forage during the day in the winter. Both males and females usually den alone, but females will occasionally den together. They dig their dens in underground burrows, under brush piles, in hollow logs, or in rock crevices – sometimes in the crevices of residential landscaping rock features. They will also use old dens left by other animals. Other nesting sites for Skunks under steps, porches and patios, sheds, and even in hot tubs.
Hog-nosed skunks are primarily insect-eaters, and will dig up (“plow” or “grub”) large areas in search of terrestrial insects. This is one clue to their presence: they have been known to dig up an area 12m in diameter in search of food. When insects are less available, hog-nosed skunks have been known to feed on carrion, small reptiles and mammals, gastropods, ripe fruit of prickly pear cactus, berries, nuts, food left out for domestic pets, and residential garbage.
Skunks only spray as a last resort. If threatened, a skunk will first face its attacker, arch its tail, chatter its teeth, and stomp its feet. This is when the threatening person or animal needs to leave. If the threat does not go away, then the skunk will turn around and spray.

The Problem with hog-nosed Skunks

Hog-nosed skunks are carriers of rabies, mange, and distemper, as well as a variety of parasites, ticks, and fleas. Their droppings can contaminate the soil and pass along parasites to other animals, including domestic pets. They have excellent hearing, making them hard to catch.

How to get rid of Hog-Nosed Skunks

To make your property less inviting to hog-nosed skunks, clean up scrap and brush piles, and don’t leave pet food out. Fence off gardens, clean up bird feeder spills, and rake up fallen leaves (hog-nosed skunks are attracted to the insects that thrive in the soil under the leaves). Fence off potential den sites under decks, sheds, patios, etc with chicken wire, buried at least one and a half feet deep; line the fence with rocks. Seal gaps under the foundation of any house or building. Use care when doing this: skunks can fit through an opening only four inches wide.
If you suspect that you have a skunk on your property, call a qualified professional; do not approach a live skunk on your own. Governmental animal control agencies are good with domestic animals such as dogs, and large animals like deer, elk, and cougars, but not small nuisance wild animals like skunks. We have some information on baby skunk removal here.
Chemical repellents are reported to not be very effective, and need to be reapplied every few days. Poisons are not recommended; no one wants a dead skunk, or a den of dead skunk babies, rotting under their house or porch. We specialize in Skunks under House's

Trapping Hog-Nosed Skunks

Leave skunk trapping and skunk removal to the specialists. A trapped skunk in an angry skunk, after all. Skunks have great confidence in defending themselves against other animals, including humans, and are not likely to back away from a conflict. They’ll spray and bite humans without hesitation (remember about skunks being a major carrier of rabies?). A homeowner may successfully trap and kill an adult skunk, only to end up with baby skunk carcasses rotting under their house or business. It can take between one and two years, depending on the size, for a skunk’s body to decompose, and even longer for the odor to dissipate. If you want to understand why do skunks spray you can visit this great information page.
A qualified animal control company will also have the chemicals to clean up the smells left behind by skunks, can make recommendations on how to keep the skunks from returning, and are familiar with any local laws regarding the trapping and removal of the animals. Reputable companies will have all required state and local licensing, and will carry insurance.