Tag Archives: skunk spray

Mild Winter and Nuisance Animals

Skunk (2)            I recently had an enlightening conversation with the pest control technician who was sent out to my home to help me battle the explosion of insects that are attacking my neighborhood this summer.  He said their company is extremely busy this season, due to the fact that Utah experienced a relatively mild winter during the 2013 to 2014 season.  While skiers and snowboarders lamented, and all of us worried about future water levels, we admittedly enjoyed the fact that we experienced fairly beautiful weather.  But, that has meant an increase in critters like Miller moths, earwigs, carpenter ants, slugs, snails, crickets and grasshoppers.  Frustrated homeowners are keeping these pest control companies busy this year!

A relatively mild winter gave rise to an increase in the insect population.  And, now we are seeing an increase in the bird population.  Utah just approved its first crow hunt because the crow population has tripled over the last twelve years.  New rules now allow Utah homeowners to kill nuisance birds if other efforts of getting rid of them are unsuccessful.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports an 8% increase in the duck population in 2014.   My neighbors have remarked how surprised they are to see more robins and pigeons than we’ve ever seen in this area before.

So, let’s follow the logic.  More prey means more predators.  With a growing bird population, we’re likely to see a growing population of raccoons, snakes, skunks and other animals that feast on both insects and birds.  A growing population of nuisance animals means they will expand their territories.  With such a feast of prey, nuisance animals may not need to root around in garbage cans or steal food from domestic animals, but we are likely to see an increase in animal dens under homes, raccoons nesting in attics or chimneys, and skunk dens under porches or stairs.

The damage these animals can do to property ranges from offensive smells to house fires and everything in between.  Raccoons easily tear through roofing or siding materials.  The smell of skunk spray is notoriously hard to get rid of, and can cost homeowners thousands of dollars to replace items that have been sprayed.  Animals in and around your home, such as raccoons and skunks, are a noise nuisance, cause offensive odors, threaten domestic animals, cause costly property damage, and can harm you and yours.

Let’s follow the logic just a little bit further.  Mild winter equals bigger insect population, which feeds a larger nuisance animal (predator) population.  And, those nuisance animals are in turn preyed upon by a larger tick and mite population.  When raccoons nest in your home or skunks move onto your property, they bring with them the insects and diseases hiding in their fur, on their skin and in their feces, which in turn infest your home or property.

I know, this all seems a little doom and gloom.  It’s just nature.  But, there is help.  Allstate Animal Control is a national network of nuisance animal control technicians.  These people know what they’re doing, they know these animals and the particular places they like to hide.  They are experienced at humanely removing nuisance animals out of your home or other buildings, off your property, and can clean the area and repair the damages the animals caused.

Get proactive and protect your home and property against these nuisance animals before they cause property damage and health issues.

Skunk Smell

skunk

 

It happened suddenly, before I even realized a skunk had sprayed my daughter.  One moment I was helping my son with his bike, and the next my little girl is gagging and coughing and trying to scream.

The day had not started out well.  Both children had missed the bus, apparently because I failed to yell “Hurry Up” enough times.  It never fails to surprise me how slowly my children can do normal, every-day things, like put a shirt on or eat cereal or brush their teeth.  So, the bus came and went, and my children were not on it.  That meant that I had to search for my purse and keys while tugging on a bra and tennis shoes at the same time so I could drive them.  Driving them was the only way to get them to school safely and on time, although I would have loved to have just made them stay home, do homework and stay in bed all day long after the morning they gave me.

Nevertheless, I got them to the proper place at the proper time so they do the requisite learning activities and I could have the next several hours to prepare for my afternoon meeting.  That meetig did not go well, unfortunately, and I didn’t get the bid, despite all the hours of work I’d put into my presentation.

I barely got home in time for the kids to get off the bus, and we headed straight into whining homework time.  I powered through, helping them with their homework, cleaning the kitchen, folding laundry and getting dinner ready all at the same time.

I realized it was too quiet at the dinner table.  I’d spent all the time I had with my children that day yelling at them to hurry up or do something or focus on their work, and they were just as tired as I was.  It was time to do something fun.

We pulled out the bikes and rode around the neighborhood.  It was a lovely, early spring day, one of those rare warm ones, and the evening was turning out to be beautiful.  We laughed and raced and spent some wonderful quality time.

Then my son’s bike broke.  Then, my daughter chased down a skunk and the skunk sprayed her.  I had no idea what to do.  I wanted to grab her and hold her and console her, but we couldn’t stop coughing and gagging on that nasty skunk smell.  I somehow managed to calm her down, get us and the bikes back home, stripped her down in the garage and threw away the clothes, and got her in the tub while I searched for how to remove skunk smell.  After many hours, lot of my daughter’s tears and some tears on my part, we managed to get rid of the skunk smell, mostly.  Compared to today, tomorrow can only be better.

Skunk Control

The last thing I wanted to do when we got home late from our camping trip was worry about skunk control.  We had a great and well-deserved trip, and we were exhausted by the time we finally pulled up to our home.  We had already decided we’d leave all the stuff in the truck and unpack in the morning, since it was late, we were tired, and we didn’t want to wake up neighbors by making noise as we unloaded.  So, we pulled in the driveway, grabbed the food bag that would go directly into the fridge, and unlocked the front door.

I’ll admit, we were so tired we didn’t realize the house smelled funny until after we’d put the food in the fridge, fed the cat, checked our messages and headed upstairs.  Halfway up the stairs, my husband stopped and sniffed.  “Do you smell that?” he asked me.  I sniffed and smelled a faint musky odor.  It was definitely animal in origin, and at first I assumed it was the cat.  “Maybe Snuffles got mad at us and used a closet for her toilet?” I suggested.  “No, it’s not the cat, I don’t think,” said my husband.  “It smells like, I don’t know, some wild animal or something.”

Skunks
A mother and her baby skunks living underneath a house.
(Artwork by Sharon Davis. Contact us for her contact info.)

The thought of wild animal smell in our house was too much to let slide until we were more coherent in the morning, after a night’s rest.  So, we spent the next forty minutes wandering around the house, inside and out, sniffing and looking and hoping we wouldn’t come face to face with an animal.  Camping is fine.  We expect to see wild animals, although we do everything we can to keep them away from the tent, of course, and at a distance.  When we’re at home, we expect wild animals to remain outside.  Far outside.  I was making another round around the house with my flashlight in the dark, and rounded the south side just in time to hear a rustling in the bushes next to our foundation, and see a little black and white striped animal hustle back underneath the undergrowth.  This was no animal we could just scare away.  We would need skunk control.

I made it back inside the house where my husband was looking through the basement, and explained what I saw.  He agreed we would need to get a professional to do the skunk control for us.  We just weren’t equipped to handle it ourselves.  More than likely, the skunk was attracted to our house because of the cat food bowl we’d filled outside.  We didn’t want the cat to go hungry during our four-day camping trip, so we’d filled her bowl to overflowing.  Cats are so easy.  They’ll just eat their fill and come back for more when they’re hungry again.  Of course, we didn’t think about how the cat food would attract other animals, especially skunks.  So, the skunk probably smelled the food, helped itself, and dug a little burrow or den or whatever they sleep in right under  the foundation of our home, over by the bushes that had halfway hidden the skunk earlier.

We got the number for Allstate Animal Control from the web, and vowed to call them first thing in the morning, even before unpacking the truck.  Skunk control is just the last thing you want to attempt when you’re already tired, it’s late, and all you want is a long, hot shower and a soft bed.

 

 

Skunk Problems

Skunk
Skunk getting ready to spray.
(Artwork by Sharon Davis. Contact us for her contact info.)

She backed into the far corner, shuddering and quivering with fear, eyes wide but never blinking, she and her fellow hens terrified by this problem skunk.  The black and white furry creature started digging around her hen house several nights ago.  When the digging had stopped last night, she thought the nightmare was over.  She knew it was still in the area.  It was impossible to think otherwise after the spraying incident.  The dog had gotten too protective of his territory, barking and going crazy, and she guessed he’d gotten too close.  The smell had been overpowering, and the dog had whimpered all the rest of the night.  But, she and the other hens had kept quiet through it all.  They were just happy the digging had stopped for a while.

During the day, they had inspected the ground around their roost and knew the skunk was getting closer and closer to finding a way inside.  The claw marks were obvious, and its scat lay all around the yard.  They avoided approaching the house, because they knew the space under the wooden steps was a perfect place for a skunk den.  Each day, there was more garbage strewn around, and the man who took care of them seemed distressed over his vegetable garden.  At first, some of the hens had pecked around in the garden, feasting on the grubs and worms that were now closer to the surface, but they were soon chased off and now gathered closer to the hen house, eating the seed that was scattered for them.

And then tonight, the scratching and scraping had started up again, and she had correctly feared tonight would be the night the farmer’s skunk problemwould become their skunk problem.  Their protector, the dog, was locked up inside the house.  It seemed the farmer worried that he would be sprayed again, or worse, bitten.  The farmer didn’t want a chance of rabies or anything else infecting his dog.  So, the hens were locked up tight and then left to fend for themselves.

Sure enough, a loose plank was made looser until a black snout poked through.  The snout retreated and a paw came in, patting about and clawing further.  The hens were shrieking and clucking, but many wouldn’t leave their nests.  She huddled into the far corner with the others, hoping for a miracle, but expecting the worst.  Soon, the skunk worked its whole body into the hen house, and surveyed the space.  She hoped they had just made enough noise to wake the farmer in time.

The skunk walked over to the nests, and several of the more protective hens shrieked and flew off their nests in a flurry of feathers.  It snuffled and chuffed and then, just as it started toward an egg, the door burst open.  Hens, grateful for this unexpected exit, pushed and clucked their way out while the startled skunk ran back and forth, unsure which direction would carry it to safety.  Feeling trapped, it turned and lifted its tail.  All the chickens had fled and the farmer slammed the door shut just in time to barely contain the spray.  It was going to be a long night, but at least the hens were safe.  All she knew was the skunk as alone now in the henhouse, alone with all the eggs.

How To Get Rid of Skunks

skunks
A skunk and her babies playing outside their hole into a home.
(Artwork by Sharon Davis. Contact us for her contact info.)

A couple in Maryland want to know how to get rid of skunk smell.  They had planned a weekend getaway in their log cabin.  The cabin was a few hours away from their home, but up in the mountains where they could relax and enjoy some peace and quiet, and get back to nature.  Unfortunately, nature got there first.

After several hours of packing, and then a long drive to the cabin, they finally arrived, only to be chased back outside by a horrible smell.  It was unmistakable.  Skunk.  At the time, they didn’t know if the skunk was still in the property or if it had just gotten in there temporarily to root around for food.  Obviously, though, something had disturbed it and it had let off its noxious spray into the enclosed space.

They weren’t sure how to get rid of a skunk or its odor, so they called wildlife control specialists to come out and take a look the next day.  They spent the night in the car and waited for the professionals to come out to inspect the property before they went inside again.  Skunks can be a carrier of rabies, they can bite or scratch if provoked, and they can certainly spray again.  They did not want to risk any of that.  Let the professionals handle it!

It was eventually determined that the skunk had left, but they still had to deal with the damage and odor.  A search around the outside of the log cabin revealed the skunk had entered through a hole in the foundation.  It was unclear whether it had burrowed through the foundation itself, or if it had merely taken advantage of a hole made by a raccoon or other creature.  It had nested inside the cabin for a while, made free with the couple’s food stores in the kitchen, and had been disturbed enough at some point to spray its noxious odor.

The smell was horrific, even though it wasn’t fresh.  They searched through the cabin and found that most of their belongings stored within had to be thrown away.  The smell had ruined mattresses, clothes, rugs, towels.  They had to get a special cleaning company to come out to clean the cabin and get rid of the smell.  They started tallying up the damage to the structure itself, including the hole through the foundation.  The cost started stacking up.

Unfortunately, their insurance company denied the claim and refused to pay for the damages.  It was hard not to think of the “what if’s.”  What if they had learned how to keep skunks out?  What if they had checked in on the cabin more regularly?  Or, what if they had been home, ignorant to the hole in their foundation, when the skunk had come in?  Things might have been even worse.

Get Rid of Skunks

get rid of skunks
            Thinking of ways of how to get rid of a skunk is just not something you want to do while running at five-thirty in the morning.  But, in my neighborhood, you’d better give it a little bit of thought, for your own safety.

            Around the end of April, my scale and an upcoming trip to the beach reminded me of my New Years Resolution to get fit and trim down.  I spent a lot of time calculating how many calories I needed to burn each day to make my beach trip something more than a Mumu-fest.  I invested in a great pair of running shoes, planned out a route, got a lot of great tips online, and decided which the day I would begin my valiant efforts to get fit.  I figured the best time to get running into my schedule was to go early in the morning before the kids woke up.  So, I also bought a small light to wear on my hip, to alert the few possible drivers of my presence.  A crash diet was possibly in order, but having a car crash into me wasn’t.

          I went to sleep early and excited about my new routine, and woke up angry at the vicious alarm clock and moaning about the indecency of running while it was still dark outside.

            But, I did it.  I started my routine, and after about a week and a half, it got a lot easier.  I didn’t moan as loudly when I woke up, and I finally stopped swearing at the alarm clock.  My breathing was getting easier and I was almost able to run a full mile without stopping.  And, if I was truly honest with myself, I enjoyed running while it was still dark outside.  I felt so virtuous, thinking of myself as a “hard core” runner, alone and free out there in the dim pre-dawn.  It was the only quiet time I had each day, and I was beginning to actually enjoy it. 

            I heard a sound, and then the light on my hip caught a flash of something moving just ahead of me.  I couldn’t make out quite what it was, but it was large enough to make me stop.  Adrenaline pumping, I tried to calm my breathing and squinted, grabbing at the small light.  It moved again.  A cat?  Noooo, what is . . .?  Then my mind finally put it together.  Skunk!!!  Rooting around in someone’s garbage.  Long nose, bushy tail, and of course the white stripes on black fur.  If I hadn’t stopped, I would have run right next to it, probably startling it enough to spray me.

            I backed up slowly and eased over to the other side of the road, warily watching the black shape moving around.  As long as it didn’t turn its tail towards me, I was okay, right?  Unless it was rabid?  No, probably not rabid or it would have charged me by now.  Right?  Maybe?  How many days had I run right by it?  Where was it living?  How do I get rid of a skunk in my neighborhood?  My stomach churned, thinking of how I might have been sprayed before I even knew there was a skunk in the road.

Skunk Removal

skunk removal
I love my husband, I do, but he knows nothing about skunk removal.  He’s strong, he’s good to me, he’s good to the kids, he works hard, he takes care of the house, he makes sure the yard looks good.  He’s an all-around good-guy.  So, please don’t take this the wrong way when I say, sometimes, only sometimes, he’s a stupid man.  If only he’d just listen to what I say. 

            It was pretty clear we had a problem on the property when the dog came in whining and reeking of skunk.  The poor dog just looked sheepish as we contemplated calling in a Hazmat team to clean him up.  We finally sucked it up and did the awful clean-up ourselves, but I swore I’d never do it again.  He’s still afraid to go outside! 

            My darling hubby went out that night and bought us a skunk trap.  That was smart, I thought.  He set it up in the backyard, close to the house.  We had it out there for two days before we caught anything.  It was a long two days, because I didn’t want the kids playing outside until we were done with the skunk removal.  Awful enough to clean up a dog, I couldn’t imagine how bad it would be with a child!! 

            This was an event, for our family, catching the skunk.  I “suggested” ever so gently that my husband bring out an old towel or two to throw over the cage, place it and the skunk in the truck, and drive off with it somewhere to leave in the great wide wilderness.  He insisted he didn’t need to go to those lengths.  I just grunted, and muttered something about how this was his responsibility so I’ll just keep out of it.  Then I grabbed the video camera.

            It must’ve taken my husband a good fifteen minutes to creep across the yard towards the cage, the skunk eyeing him the whole time.  He was completely unarmed – just wearing his jeans, t-shirt and a ball cap.  I guess he figured stealth and the LA Dodgers logo were his best defense. 

            Finally, he arrived at the cage.  Another three minutes to slowly lift his arm and reach out to the trap’s door.  I think I finally realized what his great plan was – he was just going to open the trap and let the animal go.  Was that wise?  I started to question him, but he just shushed me and moved the other hand up to steady the cage.

            I kept the video camera going as I watched the man who is usually my hero, kneel directly in front of the cage and open the door, to let the skunk out.  I think the skunk was just as surprised at this course of action.  It crept up to the front of the cage, and quickly ran out, stopped for a moment to look at this strong man, and ran off out of sight.  My husband is a truly lucky man, not getting sprayed, but I just had to ask him, “What was the point of setting a skunk removal trap when you’re just going to let the skunk back out into our own back yard?”

            We have agreed to not talk about this ever again with each other.