Skunks are mammals that belong to the Mephitidae family. They are widely known for their ability to spray a strong-smelling liquid from their anal glands. Skunks usually spray when they feel threatened, as it is their main defense mechanism against predators.
While skunks are cute, their spray smells extremely strong. Because of this, you never want them frequenting your yard. Their spray can continue emitting a foul odor for hours and can stay on clothes and skin for a long time.
If you are dealing with a skunk infestation, you might be wondering how to get them off of your property. While you might be tempted to let your dog out to scare them off, they could end up getting skunk spray all over them. Instead, you should remove food sources, secure trash cans, install motion-activated lights, clean up debris, or contact a wildlife removal professional.
How to Get Skunks off Your Property
Skunks are nocturnal, so you might not notice them or their tracks until you wake up in the morning to a foul smell in your backyard. If you allow your dogs free access to the backyard overnight, they might come into your bed smelling like skunk spray. This can cause a lot of stress and annoyance, as it is difficult to get the smell out of dog and cat fur.
If you are dealing with a skunk problem, consider the following tips:
Remove Food Sources
If you leave a bowl of pet food outside, you are likely to attract a skunk. They will eat just about anything from dog and cat kibble to bird food left inside bird feeders. If you are looking to get rid of skunks, you’ll want to make sure you do not leave these snacks outside overnight.
Secure Trash Cans
Skunks will also rifle through your trash looking for something to eat. If your trash cans are not secured, you might wake up to trash strewn all over your yard. Instead, consider buying locking trash cans or bringing them inside your garage overnight.
Install Motion-Activated Lights and Sprinklers
If you continue to have a skunk problem, it might be time to go on the offense. However, you do not want to harm skunks, as they are important to our environment. Thankfully, there is a non-harmful way to scare skunks away from your property.
You can install motion-activated lights and sprinklers to keep skunks off of your property. When they approach the sprinklers or lights, they will be startled enough to run away. They might even remember that your yard has something scary lurking in it, preventing them from returning in the future.
Remove Debris
Skunks might come to your property looking for shelter. If you have piles of debris in your yard, they might start building their home inside of the debris. Wood piles, stacks of bricks, and even yard waste might look like a good place for a skunk to hide.
By cleaning up your debris, you can remove skunks from your property without ever having to come into contact with them.
Build a Fence
If you do not have a fence that keeps animals away from your backyard, it might be time to consider installing one. Skunks are less likely to go through the effort of finding a way into your yard if there is a large fence in their way. Having a fence can also protect you from other animals trying to infest your property.
Contact a Wildlife Removal Expert
If you try all of the previously mentioned tips and are still dealing with skunks living on your property or in your crawl space, it might be time to call a professional. Wildlife removal companies can trap and relocate skunks without harming them in the process.
At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we use baited traps to catch skunks. There will be a piece of food inside of the trap that lures the skunk inside of it. Once it’s inside, the door will close.
After we trap the skunk, we will release them somewhere in the wild far away from human property. If they are sick or injured, we will bring them to a rescue or sanctuary where they can be rehabilitated.
Get Connected to a Skunk Removal Company
If you are dealing with a skunk problem, Nuisance Wildlife Rangers are here to help. We offer a humane approach to wildlife removal, ensuring you, your family, and the skunks will be taken care of.
Nuisance Wildlife Rangers is a full-time wildlife and animal removal company that extends its services to both commercial and residential clients. We have a great team of animal trappers who will work tirelessly to ensure that your home is free of any nuisance critters. We do not use any harmful products and we will focus on humane methods to exterminate the animals. Our trappers are experienced and will explain every stage of the wildlife removal process. We are committed to ensuring that your home is safe and fully protected from the invasion of animals.
Contact us today for more information on how we can help you solve your skunk problem.
