help with skunks

[dawnn12]

I went out tonight and when I came home I seen a skunk go under my house what can I do to get rid of it? last thing I want to do is get sprayed. does anyone have any clues how to get rid of it(I only seen one) I dont want to hurt it if I dont have to. thank you guys

 

[GRUMPY D]

call your local animal control officer or state game commission they can help you have it removed , call them as sone as you can and keep all pets and people/kids away skunks are the number 2 carryer of rabies and they can spray up to 10 ft

 

[Dismom55]

How awful for you, I agree about calling local animal control. We had a skunk come by our camping spot two nights in a row, the girls thought it was a cat, we made a noice and it scared it off. Good luck with getting it removed. I know I have always been told that tomato juice is the only thing that kills the odor, but have never had to put it to the test and do not know anyone who has.

 

[skiingfast]

Do you have a dog? In the future if you can get some shed and put it in the skunks access hole, it may deter the skunk from returning. Skunk may not like the dog's smell.


You could try to bait it out, but really it's nocturnal and will probably leave on it's own.

 

[seashoreCM]

Make a funnel out of stiff window screen (or wire mesh with 1/4" or so holes), shaped so the skunk can come out but not go back in easily. Fasten this to the hole. May require some trial and error as to size of the opening.

Or put a Havahart or similar trap in front of the hole, bait it with pieces of tuna fish, cut up earthworm or grub, or something similar.

Home handyman hints: http://www.cockam.com/home.htm

 

[MissChris]

I would say don't try to trap it yourself. What if you caught it? Then what would you do?

We stay at my MIL's a lot and there are often skunks around her place, we just try to avoid them. Like someone said, they're nocturnal so unless you go poking around under there it will probably leave you alone. The exception would be if you have a pet. My MIL has a dog (actually our dog who lives with her, long story), but when she has to go out at night (the dog, not my MIL) we have to go with her to make sure she doesn't encounter the skunk. She's been sprayed before and it was NO FUN! BTW, tomato juice doesn't work, you just smell like tomatoes and skunk.

So you can leave it there and just keep your eyes open if you're out at night, or you should call animal control who will know how to handle it safely.

 

[DiSnEyFrEaK22]

My parents dog just got sprayed last week. If you don't have any pets I would pour some ammonia around your backyard. I agree with MissChris- tomato juice does not work!! Good luck!

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Put some mothballs out. Thats what worked for us! Apparently they don't like the *smell* of them. lol!

 

[wezee]

We live in the country in Ohio and I have de-shunked my dogs many times. I so feel for you, since when ever I see a skunk or smell the aroma in the air...I panic.

If we called animal control about a skunk, I think they would laugh at us, but you could try.
I also agree..tomato sauce does nothing. And believe me I have tried everything. One night my 110 lb. lab wanted out at about 1:00am. He must have seen something moving and apparently ran right up to the skunks behind, nose first. When he came in the back door, DH was in bed at he other end of the house, and I first heard #%$^&%*^%H$#@ (you can guess) then the bedroom door slam. I spent the next 2 hours washing the dog.

FYI.....the only solution I have ever found that works: Mix hydrogen peroxide with dawn dish soap and baking soda to form a paste...wet the dog and smear it all over...rubbing it in good...wait 15-20 min. and rinse, repeat if necessary.

By the way, since my dog stuck his nose up the skunks behind, he had the smell in his mouth and nose. My dog received a steady dose of TicTacs for the next week or two.

Good luck....knock on wood we have had no skunk incidents this summer.

 

[ZoZo]

We live in the country in Ohio and I have de-shunked my dogs many times. I so feel for you, since when ever I see a skunk or smell the aroma in the air...I panic.

If we called animal control about a skunk, I think they would laugh at us, but you could try.
I also agree..tomato sauce does nothing. And believe me I have tried everything. One night my 110 lb. lab wanted out at about 1:00am. He must have seen something moving and apparently ran right up to the skunks behind, nose first. When he came in the back door, DH was in bed at he other end of the house, and I first heard #%$^&%*^%H$#@ (you can guess) then the bedroom door slam. I spent the next 2 hours washing the dog.

FYI.....the only solution I have ever found that works: Mix hydrogen peroxide with dawn dish soap and baking soda to form a paste...wet the dog and smear it all over...rubbing it in good...wait 15-20 min. and rinse, repeat if necessary.

By the way, since my dog stuck his nose up the skunks behind, he had the smell in his mouth and nose. My dog received a steady dose of TicTacs for the next week or two.

Good luck....knock on wood we have had no skunk incidents this summer.

Ohmigosh, this is hilarious! Poor, poor dog.

My vet had the same recommendation: a mix of hydrogen peroxide, Dawn dish soap, and baking soda. My dad's dog got into something really, really smelly (not a skunk, but something awful) and that's what our vet recommended. It helped a lot.

And, as others have said, be careful and don't get too near the skunk. They can carry rabies. If your local animal control folks won't help, there are private companies that do "critter control" for wild animals.

 

[noahdove]

Vinegar bath helps the sprayed animal..if the skunk is out in the day time, it is probably sick....

 

[WildGrits]

Second vote for moth balls here also. But if you have kids they must learn not to touch them as they are posionous.