SKUNK (Mephitis mephitis)

I believe everyone could readily recognize the skunk. A member of weasel family, it is all black with a single/double white stripe running from the crown of its head to the tip of its tail. They can be as large as 28 inches(tail included) and weigh up to 13 pounds.

Skunks mate after coming out of their winter dens from February to March. Approximately two months later, the young are born and remain with the female until late summer/early fall. This skunk is also not a true hibernator.

Skunks are nocturnal, however, it is not uncommon to see them at both dawn and dusk. Thy eat large numbers of insects and grubs, which brings them into conflict with humans. Like the raccoon, they can turn a lawn into a “pock-marked” mess in short order. Unlike raccoons, the holes skunks leave are cone-shaped and go down about 2-3 inches into the ground.

Other than lawn damage, most people know skunks are around by the smell they leave as they come into contact with theirs or the neighbors dog-the dog coming out the loser as it gets a healthy dose of “ode-du-skunk”. By the way, there is no truth to the myth, that if you grab a skunk by the tail, it won’t spray.

Skunks love to den under sheds where they have their young or lone male decides to set up home. If left, unmolested, they are quite passive animals. As a matter of fact, once the musk glands of a skunk are removed/drained, they make very good pets(unlike raccoons, which become very aggressive, as they reach sexual maturity).

At Advanced Wildlife Control, I have specialized box traps for handling skunks, which help reduce the chance or spraying. Call me at 497-2582 to help you with your specific skunk problem.

According to Department of Natural Resources record keeping, Advanced Wildlife Control does more Skunk removals than any other company in N.S. - a testament to our professionalism and reasonable prices.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the company you hire has the necessary permit(s). Most, if not all pest control/exterminator companies do not have permits. Check first and save yourself possible headaches in the future.