Skunks are typically docile creatures that do not intend any harm. Nevertheless, having them on your property can be dangerous for you and your family, which is why you should call for professional skunk removal in Waukesha if you see any evidence of their presence. Here are some reasons that skunks may be present on your property and the risks they pose.
Why Are Skunks on Your Property in the First Place?
Like most wild animals, skunks spend a lot of their time looking for shelter, water, and food. Skunks may wander on your property in search of these things, and if they find one or all of them, they are likely to stick around.
Skunks mate in the late winter and give birth about two months later. In the spring, female skunks look for places to dig a den in which to have their babies and keep them safe through the summer. They like to dig dens under sturdy objects that provide protection from weather and predators. If they come into your yard, they may dig a burrow under a porch, deck, or shed.
What do skunks eat in the summer? They are omnivores and can eat both animal flesh and plant matter. They may eat out of pet bowls, vegetable gardens, or garbage cans. If you have fruit or nut trees, skunks may forage windfalls for food, though most species cannot climb trees. Skunks may drink water out of ponds, fountains, or swimming pools, as well as from a pet water dish or a leaky outdoor spigot.
How Can It Be Dangerous To Have Skunks on Your Property?
In the summer, insects come out of their winter dormancy and start reproducing. Skunks love to eat insect larvae when this entrée becomes available to them again. The grubs are often present under your lawn, and skunks may dig little holes to find them and get them out. Skunks pulling chunks of grass can ruin your landscaping and potentially cause a tripping hazard. You can prevent this by treating your lawn to remove the grubs.
Skunks may leave droppings on your property. Their excrement may contain disease-causing micro-organisms that could infect you or any member of your household that comes into contact with it. Bacteria from wild animal feces can also leach into the soil and contaminate the groundwater.
If you or a member of your household, including children or pets, gets too close to a skunk, whether accidentally or on purpose, the skunk may feel threatened. A threatened skunk usually uses its foul-smelling spray as a defense mechanism to slow down a potential predator and look for an escape route. Skunk spray is highly irritating, and while it usually doesn’t cause long-term injury, children and pets may be particularly sensitive to it. In any event, the strong smell can be difficult to remove from skin and hair and may be impossible to remove from some fabrics.
A skunk that is cornered or unable to use its spray effectively may bite or scratch in self-defense. This is more dangerous than even its formidable spray because skunks are among the wild animals most likely to carry rabies. For these reasons, you should always keep a safe distance from any skunks you see. You should also avoid getting too close to suspected den sites. The occupants are probably a female skunk and her kits, and mother skunks are fiercely protective of their babies.
Call Skedaddle for Help With Getting Rid of Skunks
Skunk removal by Skedaddle is humane for the skunks and safe and convenient for you. Not only do we remove them without harming them, but we clean up their feces and decontaminate the skunk smell so you do not need to take the risk of exposure. Learn more about our wildlife removal services in Waukesha.
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