Skunks are cute, medium-sized insectivores that are indigenous to the Americas. Their bushy tails and little faces make them look harmless, but skunks have a powerful spray that is strong enough to scare away bears. If you’ve smelt the spray before, you might not want to have skunks anywhere near your property. A single spray will smell up the yard for several days. Call us if you are concerned about the skunks in your area and a technician will perform an inspection. We provide effective skunk removal services in the Toronto area and beyond.
Skunks live under sheds, porches, crawlspaces, and any other outdoor structure they can dig to. They like to use objects they find safe and protective. In the wild, skunks burrow under things like fallen trees and large rocks. Skunks have short, powerful legs and sharp claws that let them dig into the soil, as far as 2 feet deep. The entrances to these burrows are about 8×3 inches wide and have dirt in front of them as a result of the skunk’s digging. Some burrow holes have bits of skunk fur on their edges. Skunks like keep to themselves, so there might not be any smell at all.
How to Evict a Skunk Humanely
Skunks den for two reasons. In the spring, they den to raise their kits. In the fall, they do it to sleep somewhere warm for the winter. If a skunk den has appeared on your property, consider the time of year and how you want to approach the problem. Skunks that den in the springtime will usually leave on their own, sometime near the end of summer. Try giving the problem a few weeks to see if the skunk will leave on its own. If not, you can call a wildlife removal company, like Skunk Control, or harass the skunks out of their dens using humane methods.
One way you can encourage a skunk to leave its den is to leave a radio on all day. Place the radio next to the hole in the ground or on the surface of the structure, inside the shed or on top of the deck. You can also leave a flashlight on and point it toward the entrance of the den. Skunks are nocturnal. Doing these things during the day will make it difficult for the animal to sleep. Another humane solution is to surround the den with the smell of apple cider vinegar because it smells like predator urine.
Skunks are common in suburban neighbourhoods where there are lots of sheds and decks available. If you suspect that a skunk may have made itself at home on your property and you’re not sure what to do, give us a call. Our technicians are trained and experienced in identifying skunks and their dens. They can evict the animal effectively with the use of a one-way door, then keep the animal out by excluding every other structure on your property. Call us today for an inspection and humane skunk removal plan.