Best Ways To Remove Skunks From Under Your Shed or Porch

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Although they are largely easy-going and unlikely to attack humans or pets, skunks possess the very undesirable combination of being smelly and being a primary carrier of the rabies virus. They also often make a mess with garbage and in yards/farms, digging cone-shaped holes as they search for grub to eat.



Skunk infestations are accompanied by a myriad of other problems and the need to get them out from under your outhouses is very real. Fortunately, the prominent white and black coloration of the skunk’s coat makes it easily recognizable so that potential victims can escape its pungent and obnoxious secretion that it sprays as a defensive mechanism.

Trapping
One way to get skunks out from under your shed or porch is by setting a trap to remove them, but this must be done in a deliberate and precise manner. The trap must be set in a way that the skunk will have no alternative than to walk into it. Set the trap outside and close to the porch or shed, so that when the skunk comes out to forage at night, it would enter into the trap. The trap should be baited and set overnight as skunks are basically nocturnal.

Once trapped, you must transport the animal several miles away from your property, preferably in a woody area. Get informed and take all necessary precautions before releasing the now agitated skunk at this location. You must also avail yourself of the local wildlife regulations in your area before you attempt to trap and relocate a skunk.

Bright Lights
Because skunks are nocturnal animals, they do not like bright, shiny light; and this can be used to scare them away. Get a very bright light and place it inside the porch or shed. You may do this at night after the skunk has gone to forage.

Repellents
You may try any of the popular repellents on the market, but really, don’t set too much hope on them. It is common to see predator urine-based chemical solutions in stores. Most of these are based on fox and dog urine as they are major predators of the skunk. These products come in liquid or granule form and may require mixing with other ingredients.

Other repellents include ammonia, moth balls, cayenne pepper, but they hardly have a good track record for scaring skunks away from your porch or shed. because the skunks will soon get used to the repellents and be mostly unaffected.

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How to Know if There is A Skunk Under Your Shed Or Porch


The skunk measures an average 40 – 70cm in height and weighs pretty much the same as a household cat. Skunks are thankfully, easy to spot with their contrasting black and white coloration, although there are some variants, but they all have stripes. Also prominent is a bushy tail that is marked with black and white rings



They are shy animals that prefer to hide away from sight and would normally avoid confrontations with humans. Thus, skunks love to den in cool, confined spaces that spell safety from people and other intrusions – like under a shed or porch.

Here are some signs that would tell you if indeed, you have a skunk under your shed or porch:

  • The skunk is most popularly known for the defensive reaction of releasing a foul, strong smelling secretion from its rear end when threatened. The offensive smell of this secretion is effective in discouraging would-be attackers as it persists for days if sprayed on anything within a 10-foot distance. Do you have a really foul odour coming out of your shed or porch? Then you may be hosting a skunk. Another indication is a smelly pet due to skunk spraying
  • They love to dig small holes in the yard, shed or the garden whenever they forage at night. These small, cone-shaped holes are characteristic of skunks and can serve as an indicator to the existence of a skunk on your property.
  • If any of your pets starts to suffer from temporary blindness and fright, a skunk may be responsible. They are known to spray into the eyes of predators or threats and the sulphuric liquid causes inflammation in the eyes of the victim.
  • Skunks would destroy the electrical and plumbing works inside a shed or porch as they chew continuously.
  • They feed on your garden vegetables and fruits, berries, grasses, and roots. They would dig small holes in the soil looking for insect larvae. They also uproot vegetables and garden flowers while digging for food.
  • They often leave messes behind when they forage in the garbage can, upturning garbage bags and leaving remnants strewn around. Though all these are good signs that can indicate the presence of skunk in your shed or porch, you should be mindful of the fact that there are other animals, such as opossums or groundhogs, that can also do similar things.


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