spotted skunkSpotted Skunk removal and control is a service that should be handled by a professional. we list many skunk removal pros in our list a pro tab located at the top of the page. Choose your state and your closest city and call the number, This is the skunk trapping professional we reccomend for this area. Now on to the Hood Skunk information:

Spotted Skunk information

The Spotted Skunk occupies mostly lowland wooded areas in North America, west of the Continental Divide from southern British Columbia to Central America. The Eastern Spotted Skunk is found opposite of the Divide in prairie and wooded areas south to Mexico but not as far east as the Great Lakes. The spotted skunk is the only skunk able to climb trees.
Both the Western and Eastern spotted skunks are the smallest members of the skunk family, reaching only 1-3 pounds in adulthood. They have very distinctive patterning: they are black with a large white spot in the middle of their forehead, and have several interrupted white stripes down their backs that look almost spotlike.
The Eastern spotted skunk is fairly flexible about where it lives. It prefers forested areas or habitats with significant cover, open and brushy areas, rocky canyons and outcrops in woodlands and prairies. Eastern spotted skunks are primarily insectivorous (which means it will be attracted to the insects that flourish under dead leaves and foliage). When insects are unavailable, this species preys on small mammals, mainly rodents and young rabbits. The Eastern spotted skunk’s range has expanded significantly along with the increase of land devoted to agriculture: agricultural practices provide outbuildings as shelter and encourage a corresponding increase in house-mice that serve as a prey base. By the 1940s Eastern spotted skunks were reported in North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, areas in which they had not previously occurred.
The Western spotted skunk is also not choosy about where it lives: it has been recorded in habitats varying from open lowlands to mountainous areas, streams to rocky places, beaches to human buildings and other disturbed areas, chaparral, and has been found at elevations of 2,500 m in California. Its preferred diet is insects and small mammals, but it will eat carrion, berries, fruits, and whatever else it comes across, including unprotected garbage, birdseed spills from bird feeders, and pet food left out for dogs or cats.

The Problem Spotted skunks

Both Eastern and Western spotted skunks will build their dens in a burrow abandoned by other mammal, under a brush pile, in a hollow log or tree; in rock crevices; under house, shed, or building foundations; under decks or patios; under scrap piles, wood piles, junk cars, or in a similar protected site.
Their defensive behavior consists of a rapid series of handstands, which serve as a warning device to aggressors. If approached too closely, they drop to all fours in a horseshoe-shaped stance, lift their tail, and direct their anus and head toward the potential aggressor. The foul-smelling musk can be accurately discharged for a distance of 15 feet.
Their love of insects will draw spotted skunks to the large numbers of ground dwelling insects found under dead leaves and foliage. Occasionally they’ll also go through residential garbage containers, and will rip apart garbage bags left in the open. Unfenced gardens are also prime food sources for skunks.
Spotted skunks are attracted to pet food and may find their way into garages, basements, or residential yards as a result. Skunks will sometimes enter homes through pet doors. Since they’re primary carriers of the rabies virus (as well as distemper – deadly to dogs – and fleas, ticks, and mites), skunks pose a threat to both people and domestic pets. This needs to be followed up upon immediately by 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. Your best bet, if you suspect spotted skunks, is to call in a pest skunk removal company experienced with skunk removal.

How to get rid of Spotted Skunks

There are several things you can do to make your property less inviting to spotted skunks.
· Since spotted skunks are burrowing animals, they will make homes underneath houses, sheds, decks, and other above-ground structures. Seal them off as well as possible - skunks can fit through holes as small as four inches. Three-foot high wire mesh, like chicken wire, works well; bury it at least one and a half feet deep, and line it with rocks. Fill in holes and ditches as well.
· Fence off gardens, keep bird feeder spills cleaned up, seal off pet doors, and do not leave pet food bowls outside. Remove scrap piles and elevate wood piles.
· 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 under their steps.
The main problem we are faced with is skunks under homes We also have some pages dedicated to the removal of baby skunks.

Trapping Spotted Skunks

Often, people are tempted to try to trap skunks on their own. Be aware, however, that 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). to help you understand why do skunks spray we have made this page to help you decide how to handle a skunk smell problem in and around your home.
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 suspect that you have spotted skunks on your property: leave skunk trapping and removal to the specialists. A trapped skunk in an angry skunk, after all. 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.

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