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Forget Best Skunk Repellent : 3 Replacements You Need To Jump On

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Forget Best Skunk Repellent : 3 Replacements You Need To Jump On

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How Do You Get a Skunk to Leave? Get Rid of Skunks in Easy Steps

Skunks are mammals and for most homeowners are pests. Many people fear the animal as well for good reason. Skunks spray when they feel threatened or scared. This smell is almost impossible to get rid of. Skunks are known for their black and white color that warns other predators off. What people do not realize is that skunks are sometimes brown or even a ginger color. How to keep skunks away? There are many ways to deter skunks from coming to your property but, there is only one way to get rid of them for sure. To get rid of skunks once and for all, you will need to trap the skunk and release it far away from your home. Most of the techniques we will discuss here work sometimes.

How do you get rid of a Skunk from your property?

The best way to get rid of a skunk that is a nuisance to live trap it. Depending on your state it might be illegal to kill the skunk, and personally, we don't encourage killing an animal that can easily be relocated.

We recommend you buy Havahart Live Animal Cage Trap, It features a timer that makes releasing the skunk super easy.

Skunks like to hide under decks, porches, and even in the bushes. If you have areas that are accessible like under a deck or porch make sure to block that off with fencing or mesh wiring. This will keep skunks out of your deck and make sure that they do not reproduce, causing the mother to become aggressive. If you have bushes that skunks seem to hang around, make sure to trim them back to make the bush less appealing. Lastly, make sure that if you have log piles or any pile of building materials that you move them indoors. Places like this make for a good hiding spot for skunks.

To remove a skunk humanely if you have tried all these tips to rid yourself of skunks and still experience the presence, use a live trap. These traps are going to catch the skunk alive. You may be worried about them spraying but when they see you and are in the cage they are not likely to spray. If you are worried about being sprayed there are special traps that are made especially for skunks to trap them and make them unable to spray you while keeping them alive to release.

The Funk On Skunks

Skunks are known for their distinctive odor, but smelling them on your property is only one way to detect them. If you find cone-shaped holes in your lawn or claw tracks (skunks have five toes on each foot), you may have a skunk in your yard.

Why And How Do Skunks Spray?

Skunks are notorious for their skunk spray, which can be smelled from over a mile away. A skunk can also "shoot" you from a distance of 10 to 12 feet, sideways, up, or down, with little effort. Most gardeners are more worried about a skunk spraying in the garden, on the gardener, or on a pet than a skunk eating any vegetables. Two pouches under a skunk's tail are fitted with a pair of ducts that remain concealed in peacetime but easily show themselves when danger threatens. The sulfide mercaptan is the active ingredient in their foul ammunition, which is a golden-yellow liquid. Each of the two pouches contains six rounds of ammunition. It takes a week to replenish the supply once it has been depleted. Skunks are hated by virtually all species, including most humans, because of their spray. The fighting of a skunk is completely defensive. Skunks will try to get away from a threatening man or a barking dog by ambling away. This means that if you come across a skunk, just turn around and you'll be fine. Skunks will transform, face their attacker, and stomp their forefeet if pursued. This is the first of their alerts. You should really be running at this stage! The second alarm is when all but the tips of their tails are hoisted. When the ultimatum fails to bring peace, the white tip rises and stretches out, and the skunk snaps into a U-position with its snout and back toward the target, spraying the target. It's literally too late at this point, and your dog probably stinks. People are usually sprayed when walking around their yards in the dark (you can't run away if you can't see a skunk) or when they annoy a skunk when it is feeding. Those are good reasons to keep skunks out of your yard in the first place, and to bring a flashlight at all times!

How To Identify Skunks In Your Garden

Skunks are often known by their odor, which is unfortunate. Hopefully, you won't have to deal with skunk spray in your backyard, but if they decide to spray, you'll know for sure that you have a skunk. Typical striped skunks have conspicuous white stripes down their backs and black fur on the rest of their bodies. It is the most common skunk species in the United States and is the size of a house cat. Spotted skunks are smaller, with white spots and broken white strikes scattered across their black fur. Skunks have short legs and large feet with well-developed claws, making them suitable for digging. Skunk tracks can assist in skunk identification. Skunks and raccoons all have five toes, so they're always confused. In skunk tracks, the fifth toe can be difficult to find. Their claw marks are typically visible, and their heels are usually not part of the tracks. Skunk droppings sometimes contain insect parts that have not been digested. These striped skunk tracks can assist you in identifying the skunk in your garden. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources provided this picture.

Signs Of Skunk Damage

You can have a skunk problem if your lawn or flower bed is riddled with holes. Skunks dig up the grass in search of grubs. They drive about at night and dig distinct 3- to 4-inch deep holes in grassy areas. How to stop skunks from digging up lawn? The best way to stop skunks from digging up lawn is to get rid of skunks and keep them away from your garden.

how to stop skunks from digging up lawn

Skunk behavior spikes in the spring and then gradually declines, so any issues can fade away on their own. Skunks can eat corn sometimes, but only the lower ears that they can reach. A raccoon is more likely to be the source of a toppled corn stalk. Planting taller corn varieties may help to mitigate the problem. Skunk spray is, of course, a common sign of injury. If your dog smells like a skunk, it's most definitely a skunk!

How To Keep Skunks Away

Spray a solution of castor oil and diluted dishwashing detergent. The odor is repulsive to skunks. When the skunk is out foraging at night, spray the field. A light is probably the best skunk repellent. Skunks are nocturnal and have highly sensitive eyes. Skunks can be frightened away by a bright light or a motion sensor flood light. Citrus fruits are hated by most species, including skunks. As a natural skunk repellent, spread orange or lemon peels in the yard. The urine of predators (dogs, coyotes) may be used to stop a skunk. These are available for purchase in garden centers. (Note: Use a legitimate predator urine source to ensure that the animals are handled humanely and that the brand adheres to state and federal regulations.) Many readers have recorded success with ammonia-soaked rags spread around the yard, but these must be replaced regularly. Put bars of strong-smelling soap or a room deodorizer near your garden if the skunks are in a smaller garden area. Skunks, on the other hand, dislike heavy scents.

How To Prevent Skunks

Skunks love to find a lot of grubs in your backyard, so treating your lawn to get rid of their favorite treats is one of the easiest ways to keep them safe. Apply milky spore disease or beneficial nematodes to your grass. This will also assist in the containment of Japanese beetle larvae, making it a win-win situation! For more details, contact your nearest Cooperative Extension Service. Fencing may also be useful for small areas, such as a garden plot. Seal these areas with chicken wire if you don't want skunks to live under your deck or shed. To prevent skunks from digging under the structure to gain entry, leave at least one foot of additional wire on the ground extending from the structure.

how to keep skunks away

What To Do If You Get Sprayed By A Skunk

No way! We can all smell a skunk from a long distance, but having the smell on you is absolutely terrible. Try a combination of 1 quart 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, 14 cup baking soda, and 1 to 2 teaspoons liquid dish soap if you or your pet is sprayed by a skunk. Just shampoo the skunk's sprayed field. Wet the region and use your hands to work the solution through the skin or hair (avoid the eyes). Rinse thoroughly. (This remedy can cause skin to become dry.) If so, once the skunk scent has disappeared, use a good-quality crème rinse to replenish moisture.) Do you have some special skunk spray treatments that you use? Let us know in the comments section below!

Don'T Feed The Skunk

Skunks are quiet, skittish animals, so if one wanders into your yard, it probably has a compelling reason to be there: food. Is your trash can properly secured? Is a skunk drawn to an open compost pile, pet food, or a bird feeder? Fruits and vegetables in your garden will attract skunks, so consider erecting a low fence around them. Skunks won't be able to crawl over the fence, but a determined critter might dig under it, so consider burying several inches of fence or sprinkling cayenne or chili powder around the perimeter as a deterrent.

What's That Smell?

Skunks dislike such odors, which might seem humorous (as if they have room to judge). Citrus, ammonia, mothballs, and predator urine (dog, coyote, etc.) are only a couple of the smells that skunks hate. If you use mothballs or cotton balls soaked in ammonia, keep them out of reach of children.

How do you Get Rid of Skunks in Your Backyard?

Skunks like the dark, they are most active during the night hours which makes them nocturnal. If you have a problem with skunks in your backyard you may want to install motion sensor lights. This will scare off the skunk. If you do not want to install motion sensor lights you may install solar lights or any light that stays on all night. Skunks prefer dark locations so if your yard is well lit, a skunk is likely to stay away from that lit area.

How to get a skunk out of your garage? Like said above the most appealing thing to a skunk is a hiding place or nesting place. Make sure to seal off all entrances that a skunk may find easy to hide in. Seal decks, porches, and any holes that lead into a garage or house. At night make sure dog and/ or cat doors that go into a garage or house is locked. If skunks smell food they will enter these doors and get into the house or garage and may become trapped.

how to get a skunk out of your garage

Make sure you do not have anything that may attract a skunk. Garbage bins that are unsealed are a huge attraction. Make sure to seal off garbage cans as well as compost bins. It is important that your garden has a fence that will help block a skunk as well as making sure to pick ripe produce as soon as possible.

Skunks do not like sprinklers so the best bet would be to install motion-activated sprinklers. These will scare the skunk away once it enters your yard. If you do not want to install sprinklers you may use a repellent that will irritate the skunk's senses if it touches or smells the substance causing them to stay away.

Chocolate is poisonous to skunks. It will kill them if they eat enough of it if, much like dogs it will make them sick for a period of time depending on how much they eat. If you set out a chocolate bar or pieces of chocolate around your yard, house, garage, or anywhere skunks seem to be, it might make them sick once they eat it.

skunk poison chocolate

How to get rid of skunks with chocolate? Chocolate contains theobromine that will kill a skunk if they get enough of it. Funny enough, we humans can also die from eating theobromine but we would need to eat a lot of chocolate to get to that point. The reason that chocolate is poisonous to animals is that they cannot digest the chemicals in the chocolate.

Not every chocolate bar is made the same. White chocolate contains the least amount of theobromine. Dark chocolate contains more theobromine while bakers chocolate contains the most.

If you know where the skunk is hiding try breaking pieces of bakers chocolate around the area. Once the skunk eats it, it most likely will get sick and vomit. We don't think this is a really effective way of getting rid of skunks as you have to make sure the skunk eats enough chocolate to either die or get sick enough to leave.

A better alternative to is to catch the skunk with a skunk trap, this is the best way to get rid of a skunk without killing or harming it. We prefer you not harm a skunk and in most area's it's illegal to kill a skunk. Check with your state rules. We recommend Havahart Live Animal Cage Trap.

Can you get rid of Skunks with a Mothball?

For those who do not know what a mothball is, it is an ammonia-soaked cotton ball. This is a very effective method that can repel skunks. Skunks hate certain odors and are sensitive to them. If you soak a cotton ball in ammonia, put it in a mason jar that is open, then set it where there is high traffic of skunks, it will repel them. The skunk will most likely not return if you do this for several weeks. If you do this method, make sure your children stay far away from this. It is very toxic to humans, so make sure that your children know that it is poisonous and dangerous.

How do you Keep Skunks Away?

There are many ways to keep a skunk away. If you have troubles with skunks make sure to follow these steps of precaution to ensure your yard is skunk free from now on. What you should do first of all is eliminate anything that may attract skunks. This includes your garbage, your garden, or natural growing berries or nuts. If you have skunks make sure your garbage bins are secured tightly or taken in the garage at night. When you have naturally growing berries or nuts in your yard this is a hot spot for food so make sure that if possible rid your yard of these opportunities for food. If you want to keep these berries or nuts, fence them or enclose them so that a skunk has no access to this food source. thing that goes for a garden, fence it in, enclose it. If you are still experiencing skunk traffic with a garden, another tip would be to make sure that you are picking the vegetables and fruits as soon as they are ripe. This takes away another food source making the skunk have to search somewhere else for food.

The next step is to make sure that all hiding places are eliminated. If you have a deck ensure that there are no entry points to get under it. Skunks like to hide under decks and porches. If there is an entry point make sure it is blocked with fencing or wire mesh. It is important that you block off areas that may be hiding areas or nesting areas.

Lastly, you may want to use repellents that would irritate a skunk's senses. There are many different repellents that you can use to keep skunks away. There are many different repellents that can be purchased as well as made.

How do you get rid of Skunks Naturally?

When you have a skunk problem many people do not realize that there are natural ways that will eliminate skunks from your yard forever with just simple household items. One way to eliminate a den of skunks would be to sprinkle urine near the den. Using dog or coyote urine near the den will make a skunk think a predator is near. This will make them feel unsafe and leave. The only downside to using urine is that it needs to be reapplied to the affected area every 24 hours. Urine can be washed away easily when it rains so this method is not fully effective used alone. Also, if you use dog urine and your city has a lot of stray dogs, it may attract a dog if he/she is not fixed.

best skunk repellent

Another option if you do not want to use urine or to use with urine is cayenne pepper. If sprinkled near a den it will make a skunk feel unsafe. You will have to reapply after it rains. The cayenne pepper will irritate the senses and make them feel like they need to find a better place to make a .

If your household has citrus peels like an orange or lemon this is quite effective. If you sprinkle pieces of the peels around the den or high traffic skunk areas, they will start to avoid these places. The upside of using this method is that it lasts longer than anything else because it lasts until it decomposes.

how to get rid of skunks with chocolate

Another use of cayenne pepper is to make a repellent spray. To make this pepper spray you will need one yellow onion and jalapeño peppers. If you mix these ingredients with one tablespoon of cayenne pepper and boil in two quarts of water for 20 minutes, you will have a homemade natural skunk repellent. You will want to strain the mix with a cheesecloth and then put it in a spray bottle. A skunk will avoid anything that was sprayed with this liquid. This repellent has to be reapplied every three to five days but is very effective. You will also need to reapply after it rains.

How do you Get Rid of Skunk Smell in the House?

Many people think that using tomato juice will rid anything of that skunk smell, however, this is a myth. This method of getting rid of that nasty skunk smell does not work. However, there are some things that do work in getting rid of the smell that easy to make. This home concoction was made in 1993 and has been a useful skunk odor eliminator. All you need is hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid laundry detergent. To make this you will need a large open container. you will want to make sure your peroxide is 3%. You will want to mix 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide with ¼ cup baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent. Once mixed you will want to use immediately and if you have leftover mix dilute heavily with water and pour down the drain. This mixture cannot be stored because in a closed container it is likely to explode. Do you wanna know what is the best skunk trap ?

If you experience a person or pet coming into the house smelling like skunk you may notice that the smell of skunk lingers in the air. To eliminate this lingering odor, you will want to boil vinegar in a pan. The smell of vinegar will be lingering for a few days but after the vinegar odor is gone, your home will be skunk odor free.

There are many different ways to also prevent the smell from coming into your home. You will need to make sure that you eliminate the odor as soon as you notice it because the longer that the smell is on something/someone the harder it is to get off. Another tip to help keep the house smelling clean and not like is to work outside if possible to keep the skunk oil off , furniture, and other household items. The next tip is to shower in hot water after using de-skunking solutions. Lastly, if clothing or other items have been heavily sprayed, just throw them away if possible. This is because fabric can hold the stench of a skunk for a long period of time.

Skunks are known for their smell and nuisance. If you follow these simple steps you will have no worries with skunks any longer. No skunks no issue with smells in the house from people or pets. Just remember if you do get sprayed and use de-skunking solutions it may not work completely the first time. You may need to use it several times to eliminate the odor. These solutions do work just make sure you are patient and use them as needed. With these you should be skunk free in no time.

Skunks are mammals and for most homeowners are pests. Many people fear the animal as well for good reason. Skunks spray when they feel threatened or scared. This smell is almost impossible to get rid of. Skunks are known for their black and white color that warns other predators off. What people do not realize is that skunks are sometimes brown or even a ginger color. There are many ways to deter skunks from coming to your property but, there is only one way to get rid of them for sure.To get rid of skunks once and for all, you will need to trap the skunk and release it far away from your home. Most of the techniques we will discuss here work sometimes.

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Get Rid Of Skunks And Keep Them Away | Dear Adam Smith

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How do you get a skunk to leave? Get Rid of Skunks in Easy Steps Skunks are mammals and for most homeowners are pests. Many people fear the animal as well for good reason. Skunks spray when they feel threatened or scared.