Skunks under house

[trc123]

We have at least one skunk who has taken up residence under a portion of the new addition. The last three nights a couple hours after dark (they are nocturnal) the dogs go crazy in a certain area of the floor and then the skunk sprays under there and it starts to seep up. During the day they are of course sleeping and all is good.

I took three skunks out of here a few years back with a Have a Heart trap, but they were not living under the house and we didn't have the dogs wandering around. The area they are coming in an out of is facing the street so the trap isn't a good idea. I'd like to put something under there that tells them, get lost you are not welcome. If I were in the country, I'd stake them out and shoot them....but alas I'm in a suburb.

The Internet is replete with 1,000 suggestions (fox scent/urine, coyote scent/urine, moth balls, sonic repellents).

Do any of you have a tried and true way you've done this (given the constraints I've described)? And if there is a repellent you've successfully used, where did you buy it?

I'm taking a portion of today off to address these little suckers......

Thank you for the advice!

[Seth Doty]

Trapping them is the only reliable method of which I am aware. Find where they are getting in and set a few traps.

[elijahruth]

This is going to sound crazy, but my oldest son picked a skunk up by the tail and tossed it in a field and it ran away. If you corner it and grab it's tail really quick it cannot spray. The muscles on its backside cannot flex to allow it to spray. He met me at the driveway one night holding a live skunk by the tail as proof. We have chickens and it was trying to get to them. If the skunk is cornered it does not turn around. We sicked our dogs on one, one time and all we did was wind up with a stinky dog for several weeks. Tomato juice only works so well.

Good Luck!!

[holster]

Wish I could help... I'd recommend calling animal control in your area and talking to them. They may have ideas that work well.....

Gen 34:30 And JacOB said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

[777]

Why don't you ask some of your neighbors? They've prOBably already had to deal with this rather odd prOBlem of yours.

This is going to sound crazy, but my oldest son picked a skunk up by the tail and tossed it in a field and it ran away. If you corner it and grab it's tail really quick it cannot spray. The muscles on its backside cannot flex to allow it to spray. He met me at the driveway one night holding a live skunk by the tail as proof. We have chickens and it was trying to get to them. If the skunk is cornered it does not turn around. We sicked our dogs on one, one time and all we did was wind up with a stinky dog for several weeks. Tomato juice only works so well.

Good Luck!!

Wow, you learn something new every day.

[trc123]

In the past I was able to put the trap in the full enclosed back yard and then take the thing out with the pellet gun from the house the next morning. This little critter is going in and out from the front of the house, only 20 feet from the main road in the hood. Not a cool thing to be using the pellet gun in that direction........

I did find "Critter Ridder" which has Oil of Black Pepper in it and Fox Urine at the local Agway. I'm getting ready for dark now and will soon be in to Operation Skunk in the Trunk in a matter of minutes...............

Thank you all for the advice.

[Seth Doty]

If you corner it and grab it's tail really quick it cannot spray. The muscles on its backside cannot flex to allow it to spray.

That is actually a myth. A skunk can spray just fine no matter if your holding it up by its tail or not. Trapping is a hOBby of mine and I know more than one person who made that unfortunate discovery for themselves. Now skunks don't always spray if you grab the tail, but that has more to do with their general reluctance to unload their "guns". Given that they are one of the most common carriers of rabies it prOBably wouldn't be the best idea to grab them by the tail even if they couldn't spray. Since he used a havahart trap before there is no reason not to use one again, if he called wildlife control that is all they would do more than likely. Just keep the trap covered with an old towel or blanket to keep the skunk/skunks calm and their shouldn't be any prOBlems till it can be "disposed" of.

[trc123]

That is actually a myth. A skunk can spray just fine no matter if your holding it up by its tail or not. Trapping is a hOBby of mine and I know more than one person who made that unfortunate discovery for themselves. Now skunks don't always spray if you grab the tail, but that has more to do with their general reluctance to unload their "guns". Given that they are one of the most common carriers of rabies it prOBably wouldn't be the best idea to grab them by the tail even if they couldn't spray. Since he used a havahart trap before there is no reason not to use one again, if he called wildlife control that is all they would do more than likely. Just keep the trap covered with an old towel or blanket to keep the skunk/skunks calm and their shouldn't be any prOBlems till it can be "disposed" of.

Yes, I will "sedate" the skunk prior to picking up that trap and putting it in my truck. It will be very "sedate" and will pose no spray hazard at the time of transport.................trust me.

[holster]

Yes, I will "sedate" the skunk prior to picking up that trap and putting it in my truck. It will be very "sedate" and will pose no spray hazard at the time of transport.................trust me.

hey.. almost wish I were there to help you "sedate" it!

[JerryNumbers]

Throw a bunch of moth balls up under your house, the skunks will leave after a while, and if you will throw some more fresh ones under there once in a while other will not set up home under your house.

They work great for keeping wasp and such out of your attic too.

Skunks are know for carrying rabies, so do not try to pick them up by their tails, they might bite or claw you, them get away, and you will have to take shots. That is a very bad idea, so please don't try it.