During the fall and winter, when food is scarce, skunks will scavenge for fruit, nuts, bird seed, and pet food.
Are skunks attracted to peanuts?
Although skunks are known to eat opportunistically, they are most attracted to oily, meat-based baits like fish and chicken. They have a strong sense of smell, so anything particularly smelly works best – even peanut butter has been proven to lure in skunks.
What kind of nuts do skunks eat?
In winter, skunks will eat fruits like chokeberry, elderberry, mountain ash, wild grape, and cranberry. Nuts and seeds include walnuts, pecans, and hickory nuts, as well as sunflower seeds or even birdseed. They will also feast on carrion if they can find any near their den.
What foods are poisonous to skunks?
Toxic foods are poisonous to skunks and should be completely avoided.
- Onions.
- Chocolate.
- Asparagus.
- Cat food.
- Avocado skin and seeds.
- Grapes.
What food attracts skunks?
Good bait for a skunk includes any of the following: honey, molasses, peanut butter on bread, and fish eggs. Old, slightly spoiled meat also makes a good bait.
How do you scare a skunk away without it spraying?
A bright light or a motion sensor flood light will scare skunks away. Most animals, including skunks, dislike the smell of citrus fruits. Place orange or lemon peels around the yard as a natural skunk repellent. Predator urine (dogs, coyotes) can be used to repel a skunk.
How do you get rid of a skunk without it spraying?
Hold a large towel or sheet in front of you, down to your toes, as you walk towards the trap. Approach a trapped skunk calmly, humming softly as you near the trap in order to avoid startling the animal. Drop the towel or sheet over the cage once you reach it. Skunks don’t like to spray if they can’t see their target.
What do skunks hate?
It may seem ironic, but skunks hate certain odors (as if they have room to judge). Citrus, ammonia, mothballs and predator urine (dog, coyote, etc) are three smells that can scare off skunks. If you use mothballs or ammonia-soaked cotton balls, be sure to keep them far away from children.
Will skunks eat nuts?
During the fall and winter, when food is scarce, skunks will scavenge for fruit, nuts, bird seed, and pet food. As a last resort, skunks will eat small mammals, including mice, rats, rabbits, and chicken eggs.
Do skunks eat bananas?
Other fruits such as bananas, cherries, pears, mulberries and cranberries can also be added to your pet skunk’s diet.
Do skunks like coffee grounds?
Skunks have a very good sense of smell and hearing to make up for their poor eyesight. You can take advantage of this sense by using smells that they dislike- specifically coffee grounds. Dumping spent coffee grounds near your garden or yard signals to skunks that humans are nearby and keeps them away.
How do you get a skunk to leave?
Mild repellents, such as used kitty litter, can be placed near or inside the den to one side so the skunk has to pass them to get out; commercial or homemade capsaicin or castor oil repellents may also be tried.
Where do skunks sleep?
dens
Skunks are nocturnal, usually active from early evening through the night. They typically spend their days sleeping in dens, although they may bed in vegetation during the warm months. Dens are usually below ground but may be found in streams or pond banks, lumber piles, or beneath porches or crawl spaces.
How deep is a skunk den?
The natural build of the skunk composed of short legs ensures that they are strong enough to dig as far as 2 feet deep to access living space. They will use their stubby legs to dig through the foundation and access crawl spaces underground.
Why do I have so many skunks in my yard?
Skunks can be attracted to a yard or a house by certain items that might be in the yard or near the house. As stated before, bird seed and sunflower seeds are two main attractors of skunks. Pet food, garbage, grills and lumber can also attract skunks, as can openings under houses, decks or sheds.
Are skunks good for anything?
Although skunks are sometimes seen as a nuisance, they are actually beneficial to farmers, gardeners, and landowners because they feed on a large number of agricultural and garden pests. Skunks have been historically trapped for their pelts and this practice continues today.
Does Irish Spring soap keep skunks away?
Did you know Irish Spring Soap can repel skunks? While there is no scientific evidence to back up the claim, the smell of Irish Spring Soap is believed to signal to skunks that the object they are smelling is unedible, and thus, they steer clear.
Why do skunks spray every night?
Skunks That Spray in the Night
It isn’t uncommon for these shy and generally docile animals to use their primary form of defence at night. A skunk sprays when it feels threatened or is startled. Females also use their stench to tell a potential suitor that his attentions are not welcome.
Will a skunk spray if you shoot it?
Since skunks often release their odor when shot, avoid shooting them in areas where their odor may be a problem.
What animal kills skunks?
Coyotes, foxes, dogs, bobcats, mountain lions, badgers and big owls can all eat skunks but rarely do. Gehrt’s research shows that less than 5 percent of skunk mortality is caused by predators.
What home remedy will get rid of skunks?
Boil a chopped onion, a chopped jalapeno, and 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper in 2 quarts of water for about 20 minutes. Strain the liquid into a spray bottle and squirt plants to make skunks steer clear. Each dose should last up to five days. Skunks are nocturnal, foraging at night, and are scared of bright lights.