Living With Skunk Neighbors
If you find a sick, injured or orphaned skunk, learn what to do here!
Don’t worry about the smell! Just give your skunk neighbors some space, and they will happily go about cleaning up pests from your yard. Striped Skunks are a common backyard creature, and if you’re lucky, your yard might even be home to a whole family!
Skunks are a Rabies Vector Species (RVS). Any mammal (including humans) can get rabies, but cases are most commonly reported in an RVS like foxes, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs and bats, or even in stray cats and dogs. You should avoid handling RVS, but if necessary, always handle it with caution by wearing thick gloves. An RVS cannot be relocated in PA. If trapping for any of these species, they must be killed or released on the property where it was trapped.
Does a Skunk Have Rabies if It’s Out During the Day?
There is no one symptom used to determine if a wild animal has rabies. Mammals acting abnormally friendly or aggressive is a red flag. The animal may also have difficulty walking and swallowing (foaming at the mouth) due to paralysis. Skunks, while primarily nocturnal, will occasionally forage during the day. Young skunks will especially be seen during the day foraging or playing. Contact a wildlife rehabilitator for more advice as there are several types of disease that may cause similar symptoms. Never approach a potentially rabid animal!
How Do I Avoid Getting Sprayed by a Skunk?
Skunk spraying is a defensive mechanism, and skunks will only spray when they feel threatened. The easiest way to avoid getting sprayed is to give skunks space. If you need to approach the skunk, move slowly and make small noises so that the skunk is always aware of your location. If a skunk starts stomping its feet or flashing its tail, stop and wait for the skunk to calm down before moving again.
How Do I Save a Skunk Trapped in My Window Well or Pool?
Skunks have poor eyesight and can often fall into window wells and pools. In both cases, you will need to rescue the skunk since they are also poor climbers.
If trapped in a window well, the skunk will need to be lured (with an aromatic food source like tuna or cheese) into a box or crate. The box or crate can be lowered slowly (while watching for defensive actions in the skunk) into the window well, then raised slowly out once the skunk is inside. Release the skunk in your yard and cover the window well with mesh to prevent it from happening again. You may also attempt to create a low-angled ramp out of the well to avoid direct interaction with the skunk.
If trapped in a pool, the skunk will need to be scooped out by a skimmer or other sturdy net. Allow the skunk to recover undisturbed, since it's likely exhausted from having to swim. If the skunk doesn’t leave on its own within two hours, reach out to our hotline!
Do you still have questions after reading the information above? Contact us or a local wildlife rehabilitator!
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Resources
Answering the Call of the Wild by Erin Luther. Toronto Wildlife Centre
Human Wildlife Conflict Resolution Guide. The Humane Society of the United States