Skunks may not be aggressive creatures, but that doesn’t mean you want to have them living on your property. These animals look cute and cuddly, but they are capable of spraying a noxious odour on predators when they feel threatened. Skunks see humans as a potential threat, so if you have a skunk living in your yard, you and your pets are always at risk of being sprayed. Because the creatures are nocturnal, you probably will notice signs of a skunk residency rather than the actual animal. If you need to know how to keep skunks off your property, the best answer is to make your yard an unsuitable environment for the creatures.

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Removal has a team of expert wildlife technicians who can help with skunk removal in Whitby. We can also provide you with tips you need to deter the animals from taking up residence in your yard. Here are three things you can do to make your property less appealing to skunks.

Watch What You Compost

Many people compost food scraps to enrich the soil in their yard. Composting is great for the environment, but it’s also a good way to attract skunks. The creatures primarily eat insects, but fruit and other food scraps are an irresistible treat. If you want to keep your property free of skunks, it’s best to avoid using scraps from your kitchen table as compost for your garden. If you need to compost for any reason, try erecting a fence around the pile to deter skunks. The animals can easily dig under fences, but they may not extend the effort if food is too difficult to access.

Install Lights

Because skunks are nocturnal, they do not like bright lights. You rarely see them during the daytime hours because the creatures prefer to move around under the cover of darkness. Installing motion-activated lights in your yard is often enough to deter skunks, but this is a temporary solution to your pest problem. If skunks have an easy and convenient source of food, they may be willing to brave the lights once they realize the brightness isn’t a threat. However, installing exterior lights is still a good tactic for deterring skunks.

Remove Grubs

One of the most common signs of skunks living on your property is the presence of torn-up grass on your lawn. The animals eat many insects, particularly grubs that can be found just below grass in the first layer of dirt on the ground. Skunks tear up patches of grass to get to the grubs underneath it. If grubs are plentiful, numerous skunks are more likely to take up residence because of the abundant food supply.

It may sound difficult to minimize the number of grubs on your property, but you can easily purchase nematodes, commonly known as roundworms, from your local garden supply store. Set the worms free on your lawn and let them hunt grubs to cut down on the favourite food source for the skunks living in your yard.

Hire an Expert To Show You How To Get Rid of Skunks

If you think you have skunks living on your property, you need to call a professional immediately to make a plan for humane removal. The skunks may not be bothering you yet, but you live with the constant risk of being sprayed if you accidentally interact with the creatures. 

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control has a team of experts who can help you identify signs of a skunk’s presence in your yard. We provide a humane removal option and can give you further tips on how to deter skunks in the future, so contact us today to schedule an appointment for removal in Whitby.