It is hard to deny that skunks are cute. For many adults, seeing the animals harkens to Saturday morning cartoons and Pepé Le Pew. Despite the sentimentality, you must get rid of skunks that make a home or feeding ground of your property. The animals can pose a significant risk to family and pet safety. Also, they can cause extensive property damage if left unmitigated. One of the most common and frustrating signs of skunks on your property is skunk holes. While frustrating, the activity is essential to the animal’s survival.
Understanding Behaviour and Learning How To Get Rid of Skunks
Like any wild animal, skunks are not intentionally causing damage to your property. The animal is only seeking shelter and food. Still, it is challenging for some homeowners to understand animal behaviour. Learn why skunks dig and safe forms of removal and deterrence.
What Causes Skunks To Dig Up Lawns?
Skunks dig up lawns primarily for food. They eat grubs, insects, worms, flower bulbs, fruits, and vegetables. Skunks have poor vision but an excellent sense of smell, so their noses lead the food search; because of this, the holes you find in your yard are small and cone-shaped, about the size of the animal’s nose.
Other than food, skunks also burrow into yards to create dens. Burrows are larger and deeper than feed holes, and the spots typically appear in well-hidden areas like under decks, sheds, trees, and bushes.
How Do You Identify Skunk-Related Damage to Your Lawn?
Skunk holes are typically 3 to 4 inches, round, and cone-shaped. Sometimes, the holes are a one-time thing. If a skunk doesn’t find enough food on your property, it will not typically return. However, if the animal finds plenty of food, it will probably return again and again.
When skunks keep returning to a yard, homeowners consider DIY removal methods, which lead to internet searches like “How to scare skunks away without getting sprayed.” From four months old, skunks can spray. Also, while the animal’s eyesight is not the best, its hearing and sense of smell are excellent, so it is near impossible to sneak up on it. Leave skunk removal to the professionals.
How Do You Prevent Skunks From Digging?
Sometimes, homeowners can get rid of skunks by treating and eliminating the animals’ motivation. Because skunks love to eat grubs and other insects, homeowners can treat their lawns to eliminate the issues. It is best to hire a lawn care professional since some insecticides and pesticides are harmful to your lawn, pets, and family.
How Do You Discourage Skunks From Returning to Your Yard?
You can discourage skunks from returning to your yard in several ways. First, eliminate their food source by eliminating grubs, protecting gardens, and storing garbage in tightly sealed bins. Second, install property lighting in your yard. Finally, install a tall fence to discourage using your yard as a wildlife highway. However, inspect the area for burrows or nests before installing a fence.
If you want to know how to get rid of skunks permanently, there is only one effective method: hire wildlife control professionals. Professionals have the tools and skills to remove animals safely and humanely.
Hiring Professional Services To Get Rid of Skunks
If a skunk keeps returning to your property, it has likely found shelter and an adequate food and water source. Sometimes, the animal finds all necessities on your property, but not always. You can tell that a skunk has found a food source in your yard when you see several shallow holes with loose soil around the edges. Many of the holes appear overnight because skunks are nocturnal feeders. If you want to get rid of skunks in your yard, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control and schedule a property assessment. The service will send a team to inspect your property and offer wildlife solutions.
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