How to Get Rid Of Skunks

Having a skunk living around your home or property can be a frustrating, unpleasant experience. But because they are creatures of predictable habits, there are ways to make their stay in your area less desirable. Here are some tips on how to get rid of skunks.

Eliminate All Food Sources

Skunks are basically walking garbage cans that will eat anything ranging from insects to human garbage. As long as they have dependable sources of food, they are content to live almost anywhere including around humans. They best way to encourage skunks to leave is to remove possible food sources. Be sure that all pet foods, bird seed, feces, insect and rodent infestations and other food sources are eliminated or made inaccessible to any wild animal. This is especially true for human garbage. Keep it contained within heavy trash bags and cans that have tight-fitting, locking lids.

Eliminate All Living Spaces

Skunks like to live in dark, enclosed areas. They can fit through openings as small as 4 inches in diameter and are good diggers, so it is important to remove or erect barriers to any enclosed space they can use for hiding and living. This includes piles of brush, wood or other debris as well as openings around the base of buildings. Use wire mesh to seal any openings a skunk could access in crawl spaces, basements, vents or other building areas.

This mesh should be buried at least 12 inches deep so that skunks cannot dig beneath it.

Use Repellents

There are a variety of commercial liquid and granular repellents available that are specifically formulated to deter skunks and other wild animals. Skunks do not like the taste, touch or smell of these products because they usually contain pepper spray and ammonia, or a combination of both. Applying these repellents around your house or at the entrance of any suspected living spaces on a regular basis will usually cause them to seek more desirable places to live.

Use Humane Traps

Skunks are normally easy to trap, but this method should only be used as a last resort because they are known carriers of rabies. If you must use a trap, be sure it is completely enclosed and small enough that the skunk cannot raise its tail. The best bait to use is a combination of peanut butter with either partially cooked bacon or sardines.

Keep garbage contained with heavy trash bags and cans with locking lids