THE SKUNK CONTROL MANUAL

HOW TO KEEP SKUNKS AWAY AND COMPLETELY ELIMINATE ODOR INSTANTLY WITH ALL NATURAL CLEANING SUPPLIES

STEPHEN TVEDTEN

Copyright © 2013 by Stephen Tvedten

Published by TCK Publishing

Learn more about non—toxic, all natural pest control at:

www.StephenTvedten.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

Why You Should Read This Book

Everything You Need To Know About Skunk Biology

Getting Rid of Skunks

Getting Rid of Skunk Odor

More About Safe Solutions

About The Author

Other Books By Stephen Tvedten

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WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK

You might have laughed at and even loved the sight of Pepe LePew when he was on the screen in the Warner Brothers cartoons, but you never will love or laugh at a real skunk's defensive spray. Strong enough to make a grown man cry, the horrible smell a skunk can unleash is no laughing matter.

When skunks feel threatened or become alarmed, they will spray you, your pets and even your cars. The end result is a terrible stench that lingers long after the skunk has left your immediate area. A skunk sprays a yellow-colored oily liquid called "musk" and the little monster is packed with enough rotten musk to make anyone or anything quickly move away and leave the skunk alone. The two sacks responsible for housing the musk only contain about a single teaspoon of musk in each sack - but even so, a skunk can spray you and yours multiple times! When a skunk starts spraying, the terrible stench is not the only thing for you to be concerned about. The musk of a skunk can temporarily blind and stun you when contact is made with your face. Other symptoms include watery eyes, nasal irritation, and nausea. If you have asthma, skunk odor can also cause you life-threatening breathing difficulties.

Other than their terrible stench - having a skunk "neighbor" is not necessarily a bad thing, skunks are normally placid, retiring and non-aggressive. Skunks try very hard not to get in trouble. They eat mostly insects, many of which are pests, so skunks are actually beneficial to have around for eliminating common pests. In winter and spring they may even eat mice. As long as they do not spray or get rabies, the Author normally leaves them alone.

If you have skunks around, you can help prevent their taking up residence in your yard or garden by securely covering your garbage cans, removing all fruit and pet food left out at night, and by eliminating all convenient denning sites such as wood and rock piles, elevated sheds, openings under concrete slabs and porches and access to crawl spaces under your home.

At least 93% of the public say they hate skunks! You call the lowest-living, most miserable people you can think of "skunks." He was as "drunk as a skunk". He was a "dirty, double dealing, no good, low down skunk"! Obviously skunks are not too highly thought of to begin with, and people's opinions usually go downhill from there. That said, very few animals command the instant respect that a little skunk gets when anyone first sees him/her - because only the very stupid, naive, foolish, brave or ignorant will dare to even bother a skunk!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SKUNK BIOLOGY

Skunks

CLASS - Mammalia

ORDER - Carnivora

FAMILY - Now Mephitidae (means “foul-odored ones” in Latin).

Formerly skunks were originally considered to be in the subfamily Mustelidae. Skunks belong to the weasel family (Mustelidae) and are well-known furbearers (with scent glands) skunks are about the size of a large house cat. They are not normally disturbed by human sounds, odors and/or activities, so they often decide to take up residence under “our” buildings, porches, and decks! Even though they are solitary creatures, there may be 5 - 15 skunks living in one square mile!

Skunks are normally nocturnal, but they can occasionally be seen in broad daylight, especially during the mating season. They are omnivores, normally found outside early in the evening hunting for grubs, aphids, beetles, yellow jackets, moles, grasshoppers, insects, crickets, frogs, snakes, mice, rats, pet food, garbage, table scraps, etc.

SKUNK DESCRIPTIONS AND BIOLOGY

The scientific name of the family and of the most common genus (Mephitidae, Mephitis) means "stench", while Spilogale putorius means "stinking spotted weasel". There are 11 skunk species in the USA divided into 4 genera: Mephitis, Spilogate, Mydaus and Conepatus. The common or striped skunk is about the size of an adult house cat, about 30” long including its tail, and its fur is mostly black with white on extends posteriorly, usually separating into two white stripes. All-black or all white (albino) individuals are sometimes seen. They have litters of 4 - 10 kittens, born in late spring or early summer. They can squirt 9’ - 10’ into the wind. Rags soaked in ammonia may repel them.

Spotted skunks, as their name implies, are black with white spots or short streaks of white. They are much smaller than the striped skunk and only about half the size of a house cat. They are also more active and nervous then striped skunks. They are found in a variety of areas, including brushy or soil bank type areas, stream beds, rocky outcrops, road culverts, industrial yards and around buildings, homes and other suburban areas which are within about ½ mile of their natural habitat. Spotted skunks are much better climbers than striped skunks and may occasionally nest in tree holes. Because of their climbing ability, they are capable of entering open unscreened windows of your attic, cabin or home or other suitable openings above ground level. They have litters of 2 - 6 kittens, born in early summer. Skunk dens are usually enlargements of the burrows of other evicted animals. Rock piles or outcroppings also are used in some areas, as are hollow logs. They may establish their dens beneath your home, school, shed or other building if they can gain access. More than one skunk family may occupy the communal den. Occupied dens will often show signs of fresh digging, at least in the spring. Droppings will be evident and, like bats, usually contain numerous insect fragments. Loose hair and rub marks also can be found. Skunks are nocturnal in behavior, so their occasional presence may go unnoticed around your yard or buildings for awhile - until you note a strange but familiar smell as they take up occupancy beneath your building or have a confrontation with you, your pet or some other animal, leaving the tattletale clue of their presence to linger in your ambient air! A faint lingering skunk odor occasionally is detected where skunks have fed or traveled, even though the animals have not actually sprayed the area.

Since skunks are fur bearers, they are professionally trapped and harvested seasonally in some states. Hence, before beginning any skunk control, be sure to check with officials of the local fish and game conservation agency. Legal provisions normally allow you to remove skunks to prevent (further) damage. As with all the other vertebrate pests, the best solution to skunk problems beneath your buildings is to prevent them from entering in the first place, so carefully screen, block or build them out, NOT IN! After they leave or before they enter - use sturdy wire mesh (1/4-inch hardware cloth or similar materials) to screen vents near ground level in houses and other structures. Tightly seal or fill in holes in foundations, attics, under porches and other outbuildings to prevent their access. All spaces beneath porches, stairs, and mobile homes should be closed off to keep skunks out. Install strobe lights, motion detector lights and freshly ground hot pepper. Deny them access to live with you in the first place!

Skunks breed in February and their 4 to 10 kittens are born in April, May or June. The kittens usually remain in the den for about 6 weeks. Five species of skunks are found in this country, but only three are of any economic or public health importance: the common or Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis nigra) the scientific name “mephitis mephitis” comes from the Roman goddess of poisonous vapors and literally means “bad odor - bad odor,” and the Western (Spilogale gracilis) and Eastern (Spilogale putorius) spotted skunks. In addition, the Hooded (Mephitis macroura) and Hog-nosed (Conepatus mesoleucus) skunks may also be found in localized areas. Skunks do not truly hibernate, but become inactive during the winter for various periods of time. Sometimes they are called “pole cats”.

Skunks are omnivorous mammals, and they will eat both plant and animal material and will often change their diet as the seasons change. They will eat insects and larvae, earthworms, mice, poultry, lizards, rats, salamanders, frogs, snakes, birds, moles, eggs, berries, roots, leaves, garden vegetables, fruit, grasses, mushrooms and nuts. In settled areas, skunks also eat all forms of human garbage and waste. Less often, skunks may be found acting as scavengers, eating dead birds and animals. Pet owners, particularly those of cats, may experience a skunk finding its way into wherever their pet food is kept. Skunks commonly dig holes in your lawn in search of grubs and worms. Skunks are one of the primary predators of the honeybee, relying on their thick fur to protect them from stings. The skunk scratches at the front of the beehive and eats the guard bees as they come out to investigate. Mother skunks are known to teach this technique to their young.

BEHAVIOR

Skunks are crepuscular (active in the twilight) and solitary animals when not breeding, though in the colder parts of their range, they may gather in communal dens for warmth. During the day, they shelter in burrows which they can dig with their powerful front claws. Males and females occupy overlapping home ranges through the greater part of the year, typically 0.77 to 1.5 sq mi for females and up to 7.7 sq mi for males.

Skunks are not true hibernators in the winter, but do den up for extended periods of time. However, they remain generally inactive and seldom feed, going through a dormant stage. Over winter, multiple females (as many as 12) huddle together; males often den alone. Often, the same winter den is repeatedly used. Although they have excellent senses of smell and hearing, they have poor vision, being unable to see objects more than about 10 feet away, making them highly vulnerable to death by road traffic.. Skunks are short-lived; their lifespan in the wild is no more than three years, with most living only up to a year. In captivity, they may live for up to 15 years.

REPRODUCTION

Skunks mate in early spring and are polygynous, meaning that successful males mate with more than one female. Before giving birth (usually in May), the female excavates a den to house her litter of kits. They are placental, with a gestation period of about 66 days.

When born, skunk kits are blind, deaf, and covered in a soft layer of fur. About three weeks after birth, the kits eyes open. The kits are weaned about two months after birth, but generally stay with their mother until they are ready to mate, at about one year of age. The mother is protective of her kits, spraying anything that she considers to be dangerous. The male plays no part in raising the young.

Skunk species vary in size from about 15.6 to 37 inches in length and in weight from about 1.1 lb (spotted skunks) to 18 lb (hog-nosed skunks). They have moderately elongated bodies with relatively short, well-muscled legs, and long front claws for digging. Although the most common fur color is black and white, some skunks are brown or grey, and a few are cream-colored. All skunks are striped, even from birth. They may have a single thick stripe across back and tail, two thinner stripes, or a series of white spots and broken stripes (in the case of the spotted skunk). Some also have stripes on their legs. The main problem with skunks is their musk spray. But skunks really become “pests” when they decide to live under our homes, porches, decks, wood piles, sheds, cabins, or storage buildings or even in our attics and when they change their dietary selections from rodents, insects, and wild fruit, to our garden crops, garbage, and lawn insects! Another major problem with skunks in some areas of the country is rabies.

RABIES

It is extremely rare for a healthy skunk to bite a human. While a domesticated skunk with its scent glands removed may defend itself by biting a person, there are few recorded incidents of this happening with healthy skunks in the wild. The most prevalent cause of skunks biting humans is the rabies virus. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recorded 1,494 cases of rabies in skunks in the United States for the year 2006 — about 21.5% of reported cases in all species. Skunks trail raccoons as vectors of rabies, although this varies regionally (raccoons dominate along the Atlantic coast and eastern Gulf of Mexico, skunks throughout the Midwest and down to the western Gulf coast of the United States, and in California). Despite this prevalence, the CDC attributes all recorded cases of human rabies from 1990–2002 to dogs or bats.

Transfer of rabies virus from skunks to humans is however a well-recognized health threat in some urban areas. Striped skunks are often attracted to housing areas, due to the presence of pet food, water, garbage, and high populations of invertebrates in our urban landscaping, and consequently are more likely in these areas to encounter humans and their pets. Presently, there are at least three recognized skunk strains of the rabies virus in the United States. The northern skunk strain found in the north central Midwestern plains and eastern states is similar to the fox and dog strains of Texas and Arizona. The southern skunk strain occurs in the south central states. This strain is more similar to the raccoon strain found on the East Coast. A third strain occurs in California and is similar to the gray fox strain in Texas (Krebs et al. 1995). Recently, new strains of skunk rabies also have been found in Mexico (Loza-Rubio et al., 1999; de Mattos et al., 1999).

Rabies Caution: The ancient Greeks called rabies “lyssa” or “frenzy”. Skunks that appear tame or listless or have no fear of humans or are aggressive or are seen during the day should be avoided at all costs because these are often signs of rabies. Rabies can be contagious before any visual signs or symptoms appear - even healthy looking animals can and do carry rabies and can infect you and yours. Skunks can only catch rabies if they are bitten by or eat the carrion of a rabid animal. Epizootics of rabies can sometimes break out if your local population of skunks is too high. Skunks are very susceptible to rabies, second only to raccoons. If bitten you will have to catch the animal and call your local health authority, doctor and/or veterinarian for information and/or help on how to proceed and/or how to submit the animal for rabies testing. Skunks are normally afraid of dogs and people so, if a skunk keeps coming at your or your pet, it may very well be rabid. Call animal control and ask for instruction. Advise them that the skunk is aggressive to you and/or your pets. A skunk that is staggering, stumbling, wobbly or appears to be drunk may have rabies. Of course, it may be injured. But I would not suggest doing a physical examination to find out! Rabid animals are aggressive to anything they encounter. They may appear to be confused or they may drool excessively or even foam at the mouth. Some rabid animals experience hind-quarter paralysis. Though not all experience this. These are just some of the classic symptoms of a skunk carrying rabies. Classic symptoms are exhibited anywhere from 1-14 days before the skunk dies. Not all rabid skunks will show signs as soon as they are carriers. Use caution and good judgment at all times. It is best to avoid contact at all times, regardless of whether the skunk appears to be rabid or not.

The Salem (Mass.) Evening News reported on an incident in which Carmen LaBrecque, 51, had to outrun a rabid skunk, which was literally snapping at her heels, for 15 minutes before an animal control officer arrived to shoot it. Unable to slow down enough even to open her front door and get inside, LaBrecque circled her yard 12 times, a foot or two in front of the skunk. On one pass by her front door LaBrecque’s elderly mother handed her a cell phone, which LaBrecque used to call 911 as she ran!

Skunks are attractive nuisances to dogs and can be infected with rabies, histeriosis, mastitus, distemper, Q fever, microfilaria and histoplasmosis. Skunks are a main sources of rabies, so all bites and scratches should be cared for by a physician and the health department should be notified immediately! Rabies is an infectious disease caused by a virus found in the saliva of infected mammals about the time they become ill. Rabies is transmitted by bites and/or eating a rabid animal and is usually fatal (if not attended to by a physician) to all mammals, including man but excluding bats. If you have to pick any skunks up, use “cat grabbers”. www.ketch-all.com/index.php?p=show&id=8

What is important to remember about skunks and rabies is that not all skunks have rabies. A skunk that is aggressive and "attacks" someone should be tested (not just for rabies but for other diseases such as distemper as well). A skunk that is digging for grubs in the back yard and runs away when approached is acting like a normal skunk. We (as a society) are learning more and more about rabies. It is a disease that should be respected but not feared. There is a preventative remedy that is virtually 100% effective if applied prior to the onset of rabies symptoms. Most people know when they have encountered a skunk, so death from skunk rabies is very preventable in humans - but pets are different story - because they can not tell you when they have been bitten - therefore all your pets should be current on their rabies vaccines when they live in known skunk/rabies areas.

SKUNKS AS PETS

As a young man the Author kept a descented skunk for a pet and learned a lot about skunks playing with his little friend "Stinky" - A skunk will eat virtually anything! A skunk will eat candy and cat food. But feeding a skunk this kind of crap will shorten their normal 10-12 year life span to only about 3-4 years. Cat food is very high in taurine (an amino acid) and protein and fat content and over time cat food will destroy a skunk's liver because they can't properly metabolize cat food. Skunks like fruits and vegetables, yogurt, tuna, chicken, cottage cheese and anything sweet. Skunks are omnivorous, eating small mammals, birds, eggs, insects, honey and bees. Skunks love to play with toys - they are curious, stubborn, intelligent and hard-headed enough to demand their own way. A tame skunk will bite you (with very sharp little teeth) if they have been sufficiently aggravated and their canine teeth can make a rather nasty puncture wound. If you start to bathe your pet skunk early - your skunk will learn to love taking a bath and you will learn that skunks can swim with ease. If you are interested in having a skunk for a pet, Mary Kaye Ashley has written a book entitled: A Comprehensive Guide to Raising a Pet Skunk. DO NOT KEEP ANY SKUNK FOR A PET UNTIL THE SKUNK HAS BEEN DESCENTED BY A VETERINARIAN! Check to see if it is legal in your State to keep a skunk as a pet - if your pet bites a stranger - it will usually be promptly killed and its brain checked for rabies.

What do skunks like? Skunks live to eat....

Food Attracts Skunks - Skunks need a real good reason to move anywhere even close to people, more often than not, the main reason they have come to your property is because you are providing them with an ongoing and easy food source. So, make sure that all food scraps and garbage are quickly picked up and properly disposed of. Is your trash container/bin securely covered? It helps to spray the outside of your trash bins with ammonia to cover the attractive food odors that are emanating from your trash containers. Do you have open compost piles, outside dishes of pet food/water or a bird feeder attracting the skunks? Fruits and vegetables and the various pests that feed on the plants in your garden will also attract skunks. If you do not want skunks to visit your garden, install a chicken wire fence, a border of marigolds, and a few well-placed cucumber plants to hopefully end their nocturnal excursions. If you still have a few skunks - try sprinkling ghost or cayenne or chili powder around the fence perimeter to act as an even more effective deterrent.

Skunks also feed on white grubs so if all else fails, control the grubs with a labeled use of milky spore disease, Bacillus popillae or Bacillus thuringiensis “Buibui” and/or neem or simply spray/soak the yard with diluted Safe Solutions Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint or apply Herbruck’s organic (composted chicken manure) fertilizer

Exclusion - Skunks are horrible climbers and they can't jump very high. But, Skunks can fit through openings as small as 4" and they're good diggers.

Locate the skunk’s burrow and fill it with dirt at night while it’s out foraging and the skunk will quickly move on. Be very careful - if you use this method in the spring, as you need to make sure there aren’t any baby skunks living inside. Make sure all of the skunks have left before you close off their entrance. This sometimes can be accomplished by sprinkling a smooth layer of flour, about 1/8-inch thick, on the ground at the suspected entrance to form a tracking patch and then examining the area for skunk tracks soon after dark. When tracks lead only out of the entrance, the opening usually can be safely closed off. Try repelling them with talcum powder, which also leaves a tracking patch. Setting up a bright light near the entrance will eventually discourage a skunk from returning to a den. Some people have also recommended noise such as a radio (talk shows especially...”human sounds” or loud music with lots of thumping bass). When you are sure that all skunks have left: Stuff a crumpled newspaper in the entrance hole to make sure and then you can:

Secure the hole to prevent re-entry. Make sure that all boards or wire screening extend at least 8" - 12" underground because skunks are excellent excavators.

Backfill the area with dirt.

Repair siding and holes in buildings.

Place wood or wire screening around the base of porches and buildings, ensuring that you cover these areas to at least 8" - 12" below the ground.

Eliminate piles of rock or debris and stack woodpiles neatly to eliminate holes.

If you are unsure of the number of skunks present, the tracking patch can be supplemented by hanging a section of ½-inch hardware cloth over the opening, hinged at the top and left loose on the other three sides. It must be larger than the opening, so it cannot swing inward. The skunks will push it open in order to leave, but cannot pull it open to re-enter. When you are sure all of the skunks are gone, the entrance should be permanently sealed. Extend the hardware cloth or other materials used to block the entrance several inches below the ground to prevent the skunks from digging under the barrier; or better still, add a wire skirt at the bottom of the barrier or at ground level extending at least 12 inches in an “L” horizontally outward from the entrance. When skunks have become trapped by falling into a window well, newly poured foundation, well pit, cellar or hole in the ground, a rough board or a cleated board carefully lowered into the hole will allow the skunks to climb out and escape. Keep all people and pets away until the skunk leaves on its own, you may have to wait until after dark for the skunk to finally leave. The presence of skunks near homes, gardens and farmyards can be discouraged by removing both their food and shelter e.g., brush piles, rocks, stacked lumber, wood piles and similar sources of shelter.

WHAT DO SKUNKS HATE?

Excluding skunks from beehives: Skunks will eat bees and honey and damage hives; they are not bothered by bee stings or yellow jacket stings because skunks will also eat those “nests” too. Sprinkle freshly ground - very hot ghost pepper or string electrical fence around the hive about 3” above the ground or take a scrap piece of wood about 1 foot wide and as long as necessary, and drive nails through it placed 1” apart (2” long nails of any type will do). The result is a pin cushion arrangement which can be placed on the ground beneath the entrance to the hive to discourage skunks, but you must also protect children, pets, etc. who may venture by these nails too! Skunks hate sharp objects, shocks and hot pepper in their nose!

GETTING RID OF SKUNKS

If you have a skunk on your property and want them gone, here are the best steps to take right away:

ELIMINATE FOOD SOURCES

First of all eliminate all sources of food. If they can't find anything to eat in your yard/garden, they won't have any reason to stick around. Skunks hate to be hungry! For skunks, your garden is an all-you-can-eat buffet of grubs and grasshoppers, mice, moles, rats, and even rabbits Then remove all possible shelters so they have nowhere to hide. Skunks hate lights - so light up your yard. Skunks hate being sprayed with water - you can use a hose, a sprinkler, a super soaker water pistol or spray bottle to spray some water behind a skunk to make it move and the best part is that water sprays usually won't trigger them to spray. It may seem real funny, but skunks hate certain odors e.g., citrus, ammonia, mothballs and predator urine (fox, dog, coyote, human, etc) all of these odors are repugnant to skunks. Skunks HATE the smell of their own skunk musk. They try their best not to get their own stink on themselves. Skunks hate chicken wire fences - especially those that are partially buried in the ground. Skunks hate pinwheels so install several pinwheels to scare them away. Skunks hate getting their coats oily so spray the area with vegetable oil. Skunks hate household ammonia. Soak some rags with ammonia use a long pole and stuff the rags in the entrance hole and watch the skunks leave. Skunks really hate the smell of predator urine so spread some around the entire pee-rimeter of your property.

Skunks are nighttime marauders and can claim up to 10 acres in their territory! Plant anything with prickly foliage to deter them such as squash plants, oriental poppies, globe thistle, pumpkins, Kentucky Wonder pole beans etc. To keep them from corn plants: put 2-3 drops of Tabasco sauce near the tip of the ear at least one week before picking. Surround the area with a horizontal border that skunks do not want to walk over e.g., crumpled up black plastic, newspaper, or aluminum foil. Hold these in place with some rocks, landscape pins, or soil. You can also use mesh fencing or chicken wire as a horizontal barrier. Raise these slightly above the ground with some bricks to make it even more of a hassle for the skunk to cross. Use any kind of old netting: fish netting, tennis net, whatever as a barrier. Stake loosely to hold in place. Spread rose bush trimmings as a barrier, or anything with stickers. Plant cucumbers with your corn. Both raccoons and skunks hate cucumbers for some reason. Sprinkle a barrier of lime or freshly ground hot pepper around the perimeter of the area to be protected.

TRAPPING SKUNKS

Lethal traps - Conibear and leghold traps - Since a skunk infestation beneath or around buildings normally involves only a few skunks, trapping is often the control method of choice. Skunks are relatively easy to trap if you place a 160-size Conibear trap over the den opening, these traps have a square frame with two rotating jaws. Larger versions typically have two springs. These traps are designed to strike small to medium- sized animals (including pets) in the neck or body and kill them quickly. If these cruel traps were judged by the agony they inflict - their use would never be justified. Leghold traps and/or shooting are not recommended methods to dispose of skunks, as they often result in the release of a terrible odor.

Live traps -Havahart®, www.havahart.com/nuisance/cagetrap_quickguide.asp and Tomahawk® www.tomahawklivetrap.com/products/31.html are appropriate means of capturing and removing living skunks. These live raps should be baited with foods, e.g., fish(canned, smoked or fresh), honey, mayonnaise, eggs, fish-flavored cat food, chicken entrails or parts, greasy chicken bones, bacon, or peanut butter on bread. Bait the covered live trap and set the trap in the trail immediately in front of the burrow’s main entrance. Logs, twigs, brush or stones can be placed on either side of a path between the burrow opening and the trap will aid in funneling the skunk toward the trap. All traps should be visually checked in the morning and early evening every day. You may not be able to legally release trapped skunks in your area, so check with your local officials first. When setting live traps for skunks, be certain the trapped animal will not be disturbed by dogs after being caught. This will keep them from spraying their musk.

When approaching a live trap, move slowly and talk calmly so as not to startle the skunk. Slowly cover the trap with dark sack, cloth or place it in a black plastic sheet or bag. When getting close to some skunks, you may notice an odor because their musk lingers for some time after each discharge. This does not mean the skunk has just released or is about to release its ill-smelling stench. Check to see if it is legal before releasing them. (Would you REALLY want skunks released in your yard?)

Before setting the live trap, carefully cover sides and bottom of the trap with wood or burlap so the skunk will not spray and will not be able to dig the trap full of dirt. If you use boards rather than burlap, cut two small holes in the side boards so you can look in. Carefully place the trap so the “blind side” is the way you must go to get the trap. The caught skunk will leave the trap on its own if you place it near low shrubbery and open the door. You can also shake him out (be sure you hold on to the bar that locks the door) over a bridge or small embankment so that when he gets up you are out of range or not in view. You can spray behind them with a water squirt gun to move them along.

LIVE TRAP

Helper. Secure a strong, new rubber band to each side of a Havahart trap close to the trigger pan. Then pull the free ends of the rubber bands up through the semi-circular holes on each side of the trap lid. Push the rubber band through the hole and then run a nail through the loop. When you set the trap, the rubber bands will put extra tension on the doors, decreasing the “lock time” of the lid falling under gravity pressure alone. .

To transport a live-trapped skunk without causing it to spray, slowly approach the trapped skunk and cover the trap with an old blanket or piece of thick burlap. Or, wrap the trap in heavy cloth or burlap at the time it is set (this also helps encourage the skunk to enter). When kept in the darkened trap, the skunk will be less fearful and less likely to release its scent. Carefully pick up the covered trap and place it gently in the back of a pickup truck for transporting it elsewhere. Avoid all sudden stops, jarring movements or loud noises which may frighten the skunk. It is more difficult to handle spotted skunks successfully in this manner, but striped skunks seldom release their spray when these precautions are taken. Be careful! Move very slowly at all times!

Trapped skunks should be humanely destroyed where rabies is endemic in the population. Skunks can be destroyed via drowning by submerging the covered trap in water for 5 minutes or longer. Chloroform, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide can also be used to kill a skunk in the trap. Because of the potential spreading of rabies, releasing trapped skunks elsewhere is not advised.

Do you really want a trapped skunk released in your own backyard? In addition, it may be illegal in your area to release trapped skunks and most skunks do not survive relocation.).

FUMIGATION

There are no toxicants (poisons) currently registered for use in controlling skunks, but they will die in their tunnels if enough dry ice (CO2) or burning charcoal briquettes are placed inside their tunnels. Be careful not to start a fire. As a last resort you can try fumigating the tunnels with several pounds of dry ice or a 20# cylinder of CO2. Be sure to quickly cover all holes where you see gas escaping. Do this in early spring when you can locate the dens more easily and the young are not yet born. An alternative (if it is legal) would be to drop lots of lit charcoal briquettes down all tunnel openings - leave the tunnels open so carbon monoxide forms and fills all of the tunnels.

LIGHTS

Skunks HATE LIGHTED AREAS - so light up the area you want the skunk(s) to vacate. A motion-activated flood lamp will often startle skunks and make them vacate the area. Insert a strong emergency light deep into their den using a long pole. You must keep the light on 24 hours a day for about a week for it to work. Caution: if you are going to try this light solution, don't use a halogen light or one that might overheat. If your porch catches on fire your skunk problem will be the least of your worries. The Author has written about how to use strobe lights for over twenty years - "Place a bright strobe light in dark areas where you have bats, birds, rats, squirrels, feral cats, raccoons, skunks, etc. in attics, storage buildings, barns, crawl spaces, etc., and watch them all leave in a few hours or days. The pupils of their eyes can not tolerate that much exercise. The strobe light is also highly annoying to people and pets, so make sure you can turn it off before you re-enter these areas. Caution: Strobe lights can trigger seizures in people with photo sensitive epilepsy.

SHOOTING

If legal and safe, they can be spot lighted at night and shot - but, be prepared to quickly bury the skunk and control the odor! This is the way many golf courses handle skunk invasions.

NATURAL PREDATORS

Skunks are prey mainly to Great Horned Owls, but can also be eaten by foxes, dogs, coyotes, hawks, badgers, bobcats and eagles on very rare occasions.

REPELLENTS

The best repellants are predator urines e.g., fox or coyote urine or even human urine. Skunks hate foxes (and their urine); foxes love skunks (to eat).

Rather than using several pounds of volatile, toxic mothballs in order to force a skunk to move (used as a repellent). Carefully mix 1 oz. oil of mustard and 2 oz. detergent in one gallon water and then spray this mix into the “den”. Ordinary household ammonia has been effective for the same purpose if placed in shallow open-top watertight containers or soaked rags to permit the vapors to penetrate the space beneath the building. Sprinkle freshly ground hot pepper around the area and/or in their dens. Avoid breathing the peppers yourself. The placement of several floodlights or strobe lights under the floor of the opposite side of the building from their normal entrance or directly over their entrance also has been useful in driving skunks out from beneath a building or from the interior of an outbuilding; two weeks later you can carefully install motion detector lights to save energy. Mix 8 oz. lemon scented dish washing liquid with 8 oz. castor oil into 1 gal. water. Spray this mixture on your entire yard. (If a skunk is living in the yard, spray the yard at night, after the skunk has probably left in search of food.) Sprinkling freshly cut human hair all around the yard is also suggested. Notice! Moth balls and moth flakes have been recommended at times to drive away skunks... these MAY work but these materials are not EPA registered and are dangerous to you and yours.

INTELLIGENT PEST MANAGEMENT® PREVENTATIVE MEASURES.

If skunks around a house or farm are a problem, some simple preventative measures can be taken to discourage them. These involve removing sources of food and shelter from the area which can attract skunks.To start, clear the area of open trash containers and plants that grow berries. Keep your garage doors closed. Install motion detector lights. Remove brush piles, stacked lumber, wood piles and similar sources of shelter which skunks can find inviting. Dog or cat food left outside for family pets can be very attractive to skunks, as can corn and sunflower seeds for feeding birds/ducks/squirrels. Discontinue the practice of feeding birds - if skunks are a problem. Block off or securely screen all openings which lead under structures such as under houses, farms and porches to prevent skunks from making homes there. You can use a sturdy wire mesh (¼” hardware cloth or similar material) to screen such openings. Trim or cut off any branches that touch or overhang the building - the Author has trapped skunks living in the attic! Bury the screen covering several inches below ground to prevent skunks from digging underneath. Be careful not to lock skunks or other animals inside!

A fence can be made to exclude skunks from landscaped areas, school yards, etc. Use 1” poultry netting in a 3’ width is recommended. The bottom 12” should be buried below ground extending at least 6” down and at least 6” outward in an “L” shape to discourage skunks from digging under it. Skunks are usually attracted to lawns and gardens after a rainfall when crickets, worms, grubs and larvae are near the surface. They will also eat mice, shrews and moles. They dig small round holes, and in some cases actually roll up large chunks of sod.

PREVENTION METHODS INCLUDE:

Treating the lawn with diluted Safe Solutions Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint to get rid of the grubs and larvae;

Sprinkling pure soap flakes on the lawn and watering thoroughly.

Spraying garlic on the lawn or sprinkling talcum powder to repel them.

GARBAGE

Garbage cans can provide a real feast for skunks, and once your free buffet is found they will return again and again. Since skunks are such poor climbers, closing down your wildlife cafe can be accomplished by:

Storing garbage in boxes or bins or above ground on platforms;

Storing garbage inside the garage or basement until the morning of pick up;

Placing oil of mustard or freshly ground pepper or ammonia around and in the bottom of the garbage can;

Fitting garbage cans with tight lids and securing them upright. If the lid does not fit tight, weigh it down with a rock or cement block. A bungee cord tied over the lid from side handle to side handle is also effective.

GARDENS

They will consume ripening foods in gardens and/or compost bins. So properly fence them in and/or install lights and other repellants.

BIRD FEEDERS

Bird feeders are popular snack bars for skunks, raccoons and squirrels who especially love sunflower seeds, so give your bird feeder a spring cleaning and leave it empty until winter.

Note: Make sure there are no local ordinances that prohibit the killing or trapping of wild animals before using any of the above mentioned methods.

GETTING RID OF SKUNK ODOR

Skunks are disliked primarily because of their ability to spray people, pets and building with a very obnoxious odor when provoked. Two internal glands located at the base of their tails produce a thick, volatile, oily liquid that contains odorous sulfur compounds e.g.,butyl mercaptan. The spray is released primarily in self-defense. Skunks usually stamp their front feet rapidly and loudly, growl, hiss, or walk a short distance on their front feet with their tail erect as a warning prior to spraying you. When the tail is raised, a skunk can discharge either one or both glands to form a stream of noxious liquid that disperses into a fine spray. This fluid can be directed accurately for up to 10 feet, and somewhat less accurately for up to 20 feet. Skunks can discharge their scent glands several times within a short period. The stinking, acrid secretion is extremely painful if it gets in a person’s or pet’s eyes and may cause nausea and temporary blindness for 15 minutes or more and can cause internal bleeding or asthma if inhaled directly.

Skunk musk has a substance called mercaptan which is a very strong base. If you or your pet were unfortunate enough to be “hit”, or you can simply use Safe Solutions Pet Wash or their Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint as a shampoo and/or body wash. Safe Solutions Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint is also wonderful and quite effective for scrubbing floors, walls, garages, basements, outdoor furniture and the like, using 2 to 4 oz. to each gallon of water. It can also be sprayed directly on contaminated soil or buildings at that same dilution. One home remedy to remove skunk odor inside is to mix 1 pack allspice with 1 bottle vinegar. Simmer the mix on stove until the odor is neutralized. When you need it (do not premix), mix 1 qt. 3% hydrogen peroxide, ¼ c. baking soda and 1 tsp. soap to completely destroy skunk odor by chemical oxidation. Keep this mix out of the eyes and thoroughly rinse.

Substitutes for the above are chlorine laundry bleach or household vinegar, diluted 1 to 10 parts of water, with a little household detergent added to assist in wetting and saturating the area. Tomato juice is messy and won’t work. Its supposed effectiveness is based on the fact that it contains a small quantity of the organic acid, aspartic acid. In large quantities this could be effective, but not so for tomato juice. It is better to take a warm bath using ½ c. dishwashing soap and ½ c. baking soda mixed into a paste and then you rub the mixture wherever it smells; Then use a vinegar rinse and then shower with soap and water. Better yet, try using Safe Solutions Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint or their Pet Wash. One of the best controls is simply wood smoke; it is a perfect natural antidote.

The most notorious feature of skunks is their anal scent glands, which they can use as a defensive weapon. They are similar to, though much more developed than, the glands found in species of the Mustelidae family. Skunks have two glands, one on each side of the anus. These glands produce a mixture of sulfur-containing chemicals such as thiols, traditionally called mercaptans, which have a highly offensive smell that can be described as a combination of the odors of rotten eggs, garlic, and burnt rubber. The odor of the fluid is strong enough to ward off bears and other potential attackers, and can be difficult to remove from clothing. Muscles located next to the scent glands allow them to spray with a high degree of accuracy, as far as 10 ft. The smell aside, the spray can cause irritation and even temporary blindness, and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by a human nose up to a mile down wind. Their chemical defense is effective, as illustrated by this extract from Charles Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle:

"We saw also a couple of Zorrillos, or skunks—odious animals, which are far from uncommon. In general appearance, the Zorrillo resembles a polecat, but it is rather larger and much thicker in proportion. Conscious of its power, it roams by day about the open plain, and fears neither dog nor man. If a dog is urged to the attack, its courage is instantly checked by a few drops of the fetid oil, which brings on violent sickness and running at the nose. Whatever is once polluted by it, is for ever useless. Azara says the smell can be perceived at a league distant; more than once, when entering the harbour of Monte Video, the wind being off shore, we have perceived the odour on board the Beagle. Certain it is, that every animal most willingly makes room for the Zorrillo." (Western spotted skunk, also called a zorrillo, which means "little fox" in Spanish.)

Skunks are reluctant to use their defensive weapon, as they carry just enough of the musk for five or six uses – and require some ten days to produce a replacement supply. Their bold black and white coloration provides a clear, visual warning - to possible predators without expending valuable scent, If the coloration does not work - threatened skunks will go through an elaborate routine of hisses, foot-stamping, and tail-high deimatic behavior or threat postures before finally resorting to spraying. Skunks usually do not spray other skunks, except among males in the mating season. If they fight over den space in autumn, they do so with teeth and claws. Most predators of the Americas, such as wolves, foxes and badgers, seldom attack skunks, presumably out of fear of being sprayed. The exceptions are dogs, reckless predators whose attacks fail once they are sprayed, and the great horned owl, the animal's only serious predator, which has a poor-to-nonexistent sense of smell.

Skunk musk is composed primarily of seven ingredients six of which are sulfur-containing thiols that give the skunk musk its awful smell. Humans can smell skunk musk in concentrations as low as 1 part per billion. Skunk odor may reactivate during periods of high humidity. Some of the terrible-smelling chemicals contained in skunk musk can be easily neutralized:

1.) Never overlook the simple act of taking a shower and washing your clothes to help remove skunk musk. Time, air, soap and water, and ammonia in water are recommended to remove odor from fabrics. Other treatments.include washing items with a strong soap, a heavy-duty laundry detergent, or borax. You can also s

oak offensive garments in a bucket of undiluted vinegar overnight.

2.) Paul Krebam discovered a solution that chemically neutralizes skunk odor on you or your pet .The formula is: 1 quart 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (fresh bottle), 1/4 cup baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), 1-2 teaspoons liquid dish soap Ingredients must be mixed in an open container and use immediately. Never mix the ingredients in advance because oxygen released from hydrogen peroxide may cause a closed container to explode. The solution can be used on people or pets; avoid splashing the the product in the eyes eyes or mouth. Allow the solution to remain on hair for five minutes before rinsing with water. Repeat as needed. Do not use this solution on clothing...it will discolor the fabric.

3.) For clothing that can not be washed or dry-cleaned such as shoes, suspend them outdoors, simply hang outside on a clothesline and allow the fresh air to carry away the volatile thioils. The odor will decease over time provided the material is not re-exposed to skunk musk. Any cleaning fluid can be used to remove skunk odor from fabrics.

4.) Ozone generators do not effectively remove skunk musk.

5.) Tomato juice also does not effectively neutralize skunk odor. Users ass/u/me that tomato juice works because the odor of tomatoes has replaced the odor of the skink.What actually occurs, however, is that your nose blocks out the skunk odor,

6.) Chlorine Bleach: You can use chlorine bleach to oxidize and neutralize the odor but bleach can create additional problems.

7.) Dawn Dish Soap and Distilled Vinegar:

use distilled vinegar to neutralize the smell and Dawn dish detergent to combat the oily composition of skunk spray. .

8.)

Change Your Air Filters - :If skunk odor has infiltrated the inside of your home, change the air filters to the furnace and air conditioner(s), as excess odor can become trapped within.

9.) But the very best way to safely and effectively remove all skunk odors is to avoid being sprayed!

10.) The next best way to remove skunk musk is by using Safe Solutions Pet Wash or their Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with peppermint - straight out of the bottle as a shampoo or diluted 1 ounce per quart as a spray or general purpose cleaner for clothes, pets, people, furniture, carpets, drapes, decks, siding, etc. This cleaner will not discolor fabric. www.safesolutionsinc.com/Enzyme_Cleaner_Pest_Control.htm

11.) Sometimes the skunk odor is so dispersed that fogging diluted Safe Solutions Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with peppermint is necessary to remove the odor from a large area. Atomizers, by converting the deodorant solution into fine mists, provide two key advantages for odor control overhand-pump sprayers. First, the small droplets produce stay airborne longer, thereby circulating throughout the treatment area. The tiny nooks and crannies present in basement and crawl spaces can be completely treated by exploiting natural air movements and the smaller droplets allow less product to be used and still eliminate odors.

Check out this nuisance animal control web site - www.entm.purdue.edu/wildlife/ID.htm

Legal Control Caution: Before you begin any control activity - You must learn all applicable federal and state and local regulations and/or laws. There are regulations regarding hunting, trapping, control devices, euthanasia and/or release. There are moral and ethical issues that must be taken into consideration. In some states or areas it may be illegal to use any control mentioned in this book, e.g., drowning a skunk. Some states may not allow you to kill anything; others, e.g., New York and New Jersey, may demand you do so by drowning or by carbon monoxide. In Pennsylvania you may only kill via lethal injection. Your local veterinarian, the American Humane Society and/or PETA may be able to help you. You may then need a permit to transport “bio-hazardous waste” to a landfill. The animals may need to be bagged and a dumping permit issued, etc. Always check with all of the proper officials before beginning any control. Move slowly - You are dealing with a scared animal that perceives you as a giant predator. Any sudden movement or scream can make it attack you. Move slowly and quietly. Once an animal is in a live tap, cover the entire trap with a blanket. When releasing the animal, stand behind the trap - usually the very frightened skunk will run straight out and away from you. Raccoons and striped skunks make up about 75% of reported rabid animals. The simplest control is to make your entire area inaccessible or uninviting.

MORE ABOUT SAFE SOLUTIONS

Contact Safe Solutions, Inc on their website at www.safesolutionsinc.com to get more information on their Pet Wash or their Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint. Safe Solutions, Inc. has other environmentally friendly products for nontoxic pest control, sustainable organic gardening, natural detoxification, and holistic health care. They are located at 2530 Hayes Street, Marne, MI 49435 - 1-616-677-2850.

Good Hunting!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

STEPHEN L. TVEDTEN was President of Stroz Services, Inc. (an alternative pest control company) for 25 years and is currently President of Get Set, Inc., an integrated pest management company and is also currently President of PEST (Prevent Environmental Suicide Today) an environmental group, and Steve is the founder of the Institute of Pest Management, Inc., Prescriptive Nutrients, Inc. and TIPM and the Natural Pest Control Association.

Steve is the consultant and advisor for Safe Solutions, Inc. Steve is Head of the Advisory Board for the Natural Pest Control Council of America. Steve was licensed as a Michigan Residential Builder and Maintenance Alteration Contractor and holds or has held Michigan pest control certifications in the following categories: Forest Pest Management, Wood Preservation, Turf, Ornamentals, Seed Treatment, Aquatic, Swimming Pools, Cooling Towers, Right—of—way, Structural Pest Management, Wood Destroying Organisms, Vertebrate, Interiorscape, Mosquito and Public Health. Steve also holds or has held Texas pest control certifications in General, Pest Control and Termite control, New York certifications in termite, structural, pest and rodent control. Ohio pest control certification in the following categories: seed treatment, general aquatic, swimming pool, general forest pest, timber stand improvement, wood preservation, industrial vegetation control, ornamental plant and shade tree, interior plantscape, vertebrate animal control, turf pest control, domestic, institutional, structural and health related pest control, general pest, termite, mosquito, house fly and vector control and Wisconsin certifications in forest, ornamental and turf, seed treatment, aquatic, right—of—way, general industrial, institutional, structural and health related, termite and wood preservation; State of Illinois certifications in seed treatment, right—of—way, ornamental and turf, forest, aquatic and mosquito pest control; State of Indiana certifications for seed treatment, wood preservative non—pressured, forest, ornamental, aquatic, right—of—way, residential, institutional and non—food industry pest control.

Learn more at www.stephentvedten.com

OTHER BOOKS BY STEPHEN TVEDTEN

Natural Roach Pest Control: How To Get Rid Of Roaches Without Toxic Chemicals or Insecticides

How To Get Rid Of Lice and Nits Without Combing or Toxic Chemicals

Natural Bed Bug Treatment: How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs Without Toxic Chemicals or Insecticides

Organic Spider Killer: How To Get Rid of Spiders Fast Without Any Pesticides, Chemicals or Toxic Poisons

How To Get Rid of Fleas: Kill Fleas Fast Without Any Pesticides, Chemicals or Poisons

Organic Ant Killer: How To Get Rid of Ants Without Pesticides, Toxic Chemicals or Insecticides

Natural Mosquito Control: How To Get Rid Of Mosquitos Fast Without Toxic Chemicals or Insecticides

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Why You Should Read This Book

Everything You Need To Know About Skunk Biology

Getting Rid of Skunks

Getting Rid of Skunk Odor

More About Safe Solutions

About The Author

Other Books By Stephen Tvedten

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