Skunks

Infamous for their unique defense mechanism, skunks are one smelly creature. This unique critter releases a scent to ward off predators and stay safe, and it not only smells offensive but can blind predators (or you, if you startle it) from up to 10 feet away. It's important not to approach skunks if you see them tearing up your garden and surrounding landscape because they can scratch or spray you. Call Wildlife X Team® Fort Worth at 817.857.4803 today to get your skunk problem under control.

Common Skunk Problems

Skunks may be cute and seem a little dopey, but they can still pose a threat to homeowners.

Scavenging for food in city and country areas
Secreting their stench
Ripping up landscapes to find food, which damages flower bulbs and other plants

Is Skunk Removal Really Necessary?

Skunk spray can blind whoever it hits, especially at a short distance, so it is very important to deal with skunks as soon as the problem arises. Skunks can damage landscapes and cause costly damage, so call Wildlife X Team® Fort Worth at 817.857.4803 today for help with the skunk removal process!

Damages Skunks Can Do to Your Home and Property

Destroying Your Garden

Skunks are notorious for destroying people’s gardens. In fact, a ruined garden can be one of the first signs of a skunk infestation. But how much damage can a few skunks really do to your garden? It turns out that the answer is a lot. Your crops are the first things to be ruined. The skunks will chew through your plants like they’re nothing. Before you know it, the garden you spent so much time on is ruined. That’s because skunks are omnivores, and fruits and vegetables make up a significant part of their diet. As a result, they have a hard time resisting the buffet of fresh food you’ve left out for them.

Digging Around Your Home

The sudden appearance of holes is another sign of a skunk infestation. It may not seem that bad at first. After all, they’re just minding their own business. Yet the more you wait, the worse things become. First, your garden will be turned into Swiss cheese. You’ll see holes popping up everywhere. Your beautiful garden will slowly resemble a minefield. Finally, they’ll dig under your home. Without any dirt to support the house, it will lose its structural integrity. Before you know it, everything will come crashing down. While that may be a slight exaggeration, it’s still pretty close to the truth. Skunks are known to dig through 700 pounds of dirt for a single den, but you’ll often find a handful of these burrows near your home. Without all that dirt, you will see things start to sink, and your home will lose a lot of its support.

Gnawing Important Items

While digging causes most of the damage, there are a few things skunks do to make your life just a little bit harder. For example, they can destroy underground wires. These animals will have access to all the underground electric cables leading to your home. When they chew and scratch here and there, they will mess with your electricity and could even result in a blackout. The skunk’s chewing could also help ruin your home’s structural integrity. By digging tunnels, they gain access to your foundation and can cause thousands of dollar worth of damage.

Skunk Behavior

Skunks are nocturnal, and while fruits and vegetables make up a large part of their diet, they also eat insects, small rodents, eggs, and larvae. Skunks do not hibernate, and continue their nightly foraging behavior year-round, sealing themselves inside their dens during the coldest days. The most destructive behavior that skunks may exhibit around your property is their tendency to make these dens in whatever place they deem most suitable. These dens are usually permanent or one of several used concurrently, and are used for raising young after the skunk gives birth in late spring. Unfortunately, the areas beneath your porch, home, or outbuilding make attractive nesting sites.

Keeping Skunks Out

With their strong forelimbs and claws, skunks can prove difficult to exclude from their preferred nesting sites around your home. To ensure skunks aren't being encouraged to stay near your property, avoid feeding them. Keep pet food bowls inside overnight. After that point, here are some other steps you can take to keep skunks away from your home and garden:

Identify potential entry points. Look for narrow gaps beneath porches, decks, and holes in exterior walls or the foundation. Seal these possible entrances with wire, sturdy mesh, concrete, or install a one way door if you suspect a skunk has already taken up residence in one of these areas. A one way door will allow skunks to exit but not enter their den.
To keep skunks out your garden, ensure that your fence is at least three feet high and buried at least twelve inches deep. This should prevent the animal from burrowing under your fence, and installing a purpose-built L-shaped footer that protrudes outward around the enclosed area. This will deter other burrowing animals as well as skunks.
Sensory deterrents may also be effective. Motion activated lights can scare would-be garden thieves away, and ultrasonic or scent based repellents will make the area less attractive for the skunk to spend time in.
Professional services are often the best solution if your initial DIY efforts are unsuccessful. Wildlife X Team® Fort Worth is proficient in skunk removal and exclusion, and our experts may see easily-missed weaknesses contributing to your skunk problem.

Call Wildlife X Team® Fort Worth at 817.857.4803

If you aren’t looking forward to the damage that skunks will cause, make sure to give us a call. We’ll clear out these pests and will do all the necessary repairs so that your life can go back to normal in no time!