Skunks         

Skunks are a very common nuisance pest here in the Northeast. They do not hibernate and can be active in any month of the year but we generally receive calls between February (their mating season) and the end of November.

They are most active at night and will eat a wide variety of plants, insects and animals depending upon what is readily available by season.

They are a compact, stocky relative to the weasel that is built more for powerful digging than speed. They do not see well but can hear very well.

Their powerful odor is the primary reason people call to have them removed. They generally spray for one of two reasons: 1 They feel threatened, 2 They are mating. In mid February (around Valentines Day coincidentally) they will spray each other as part of their mating ritual. This can be very unfortunate for a homeowner with a den of skunks living beneath part of their home or even a nearby shed.

Another reason people call later in the season is that skunks will do extensive damage to lawns, turf and other plantings as they forage with their powerful claws for grubs and worms.

On the whole it is wise to have skunks removed simply to avoid having to worry about them. They do not see well and spraying is their only defense. Populations can build over time, particularly in maternal dens where they will have four to six offspring (a dozen skunks have been removed from single dens). Pets frequently confront them (and lose). And they are known carriers of rabies with documented cases of rabid skunks becoming very aggressive toward other animals.

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1-800-222-2908