Tips For Preventing Skunk Problems

Skunks sometimes set up residence on your property without your knowledge, that is until you get the tell-tale whiff of their odor. It's even worse if your pet finds them first, since a curious dog can get sprayed full in the face by a defensive skunk. The best way to avoid this is to make your yard unattractive to skunks. The following tips can help.

Tip #1: Clean up your yard

Tall grass, piles of brush, and other debris all provide cover for skunks. Mowing regularly, raking up leaves and dead grass, and hauling off trash and brush is the best deterrent. A clean yard provides a skunk with very little cover and few places to den. It also makes it easier to scan your yard to make sure there aren't any skunks passing through before you let your dog out.

Tip #2: Cover any holes

If you have a deck or a crawlspace, you may have a built-in den for a skunk. If there is any access points in the space, a skunk can move in. The same is true of barely used out buildings, such as storage sheds. Check the doors and foundations around all of these structures and make sure there are no holes. If you find some, seal them up. Chicken wire nailed around the bottom of a deck, for example, will keep out skunks.

Tip #3: Light up your yard

Skunks are nocturnal. This means a well-lit yard isn't very attractive to them. You can either leave a light on outside all night long, or you can install a sensitive motion light that will turn on if an animal enters the yard. Just make sure you can also control the light from a switch inside so you can flip it on for a few minutes before you open the door to let out the dog or go outside yourself. This gives the skunk time to move on.

Tip #4: Put away food

Dog food dishes outside are a sure way to attract skunks, along with other pests. If you must feed your dog outside, at least bring in the bowl in the evening. It's also a good idea to keep trash cans covered with secure lids, since garbage can also attract a skunk. Pick up fallen fruits from trees so they don't attract the pests, either. The fewer food sources, the less attractive your yard is to the pests.

If you already have a skunk problem, contact a pest removal company in your area. To find out more, speak with someone like Animal Control Specialists Inc.