Skunks at times have a bad reputation as most people are not big fans of them. They are generally characterized as smelly, sneaky pests that need to be removed. But it is time to change our attitude towards these much-maligned animals and see them as useful neighbors and part of a healthy ecosystem.

Skunks are generally quite easy going animals and they are not normally aggressive towards people and pets. Contrary to popular opinion, skunks do not go around spraying everything in sight. They use their spray selectively as a defense mechanism that skunks only resort to after they have attempted to eliminate a potential threat by stomping, hissing or lifting their tails. Before they spray, skunks make it obvious that they are feeling threatened and at that point you really should leave them alone. Skunks have a limited amount of spray that they can produce at one time, and it can take up to 10 days before they can spray again, so they tend to only spray when absolutely necessary.

Skunks can be good neighbors

Having skunks living near your property can have several advantages. They eat a lot of pest animals like mice, moles, grubs, snakes and various insects. Unfortunately, like most wild animals, skunks often annoy people by doing things that they are not supposed to, like living under houses and eating trash. But there are ways to live harmoniously with skunks. The best way to deal with skunks on your Oshawa property is to call in wildlife control experts to help you devise a skunk prevention plan.

Keep skunks at bay

Skunks are opportunists and prefer to make their dens in existing shelters rather than building something from scratch. They move into shelters that have been left abandoned by other animals or will find existing holes and burrows to call home. So, you need to be on the lookout for spaces on your property that could be appealing to skunks, like deep holes and old dens, and block up the entrances.

Ensure that they can’t get under your deck or shed. An effective way to prevent skunks from burrowing under your home or garden shed is to dig a trench around the perimeter and bury heavy wire mesh in the ground. That should deter them from making themselves comfortable under your property. Skunks are attracted to food so don’t leave your garbage bins or pet food out overnight, keep your garden clean and pick up any ripe fruit that falls on the ground.

It is important to focus on wildlife control rather than pest control

Wildlife is an important part of a healthy ecosystem and needs to be preserved. That is why if you do develop a skunk problem, it is important to call in a wildlife expert to safely and humanely remove the skunks from your property. Do not try to DIY as you will most likely be sprayed by the terrified and traumatized animal. A wildlife control expert will ensure that they remove and relocate all the skunks from your property. This is very important because if the skunk has babies, you do not want these to be left behind.

Merely removing the skunks is not enough, you need to make sure they don’t come back. A wildlife control expert will identify and seal up potential skunk entry points, deodorize the surrounding area to deter other skunks from moving into the newly vacated den and put skunk prevention measures in place around your Oshawa home.

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control can help you solve all your skunk problems.