Skunks are nocturnal mammals that mainly keep to themselves. They’re most active during the night when they come out to hunt, drink water, mate, and feed. Male skunks usually live a solitary life, while female skunks will live with their kittens for up to a year of age. One of the things skunks are most (in)famous for is their spraying ability. Those who encounter skunks mainly fear getting sprayed with a strong, sulfur excretion which can smell for up to three or four days. To get rid of skunks effectively, you need to understand what lies behind a skunk’s spray and their usual behaviour.  Read on to learn more facts about skunks glands and the reasons why they spray when confronted.

What’s Behind the Skunk’s Spraying Mechanism

Usually timid and withdrawn skunks can put up a good fight when endangered. They’re known to be able to bite and scratch in self-defense. More importantly, they’re equipped with a gland underneath their tales that sprays a substance of strong odor. Skunks are capable of affecting their attackers with the odor from far away, which allows them to escape to safety. If a human was sprayed by skunks, the smell would be difficult to get rid of for days to come.

Biologically, a skunk’s strongest defense mechanism consists of glands placed beneath their tales. The excretion of the gland is oily and sulfur-smelling. A skunk can spray up to six times in a row from an approximate distance of six meters. A skunk will spray if it feels threatened or if a mother is protecting her babies. If you notice a skunk near you, the best thing to do is to move away from it. If you don’t scare the skunk, it’s not very likely to spray. Some of the signs that the skunk is upset include raising their tail and stamping front feet, as well as hissing and running towards the front. The only way to avoid a skunk attack in this situation is to draw away slowly and without making sudden movements.

Skedaddle exclusively uses specially designed, heated boxes to reunite mom and babies.

Dealing with a Skunk on your Property? Call the Experts at Skedaddle

There are numerous signs that there is a skunk present around your home. Damage across the exterior of your property, feces, small holes in your yard and skunks leaving their hiding spots during the night are only some of them. Given the skunks’ unpredictable nature, you shouldn’t confront them or try to remove them on your own under any circumstance. If you come across a skunk, you should call a pest removal company to address the problem in a way that’s safe both for the animal and the environment. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control works with technicians who’ll inspect the terrain and trap the skunk in a way that won’t harm either the skunk or any babies that might be present. If you need assistance with a skunk intruder under your deck, a technician will inspect it and identify the spots the skunk used to get in and out, suggesting the right actions and repairs to keep the wild animal from coming back.