| Skunk Information Sheet Florida Skunk Removal and Control Services |
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| ANIMAL RANGERS Animal Control & Nuisance Wildlife Management Services Pest Control and Bee Removal Specialists |
| ANIMAL RANGERS Animal Control & Nuisance Wildlife Management Services Pest Control and Bee Removal Specialists |
| Skunks not only can emit a severe, pungent odor from their anal glands, but they are also one of the highest carriers of rabies in wild mammals in the US. Skunk control and Skunk removal should be left to the experts. How to spot a skunk? Skunks are the size of a household cat. They vary from 15 to 37 inches in length, and weigh about 1-5 lbs. The most common fur color is black and white. Some are a greyish brown or beige colored however. One of the telltale colorings of a skunk is the stipe on their bodies from tip to tail. They may either have a single wide stripe across their body and tail, or two smaller, skinnier stripes. Where do skunks live? Skunks are for the most part nocturnal. Skunks eat both animal and vegetable foods. Skunks are known to scavenge and dig into human garbage and garbage cans to forage for food. They are very versatile in the types of food they can eat. Skunks like to take over abandoned hovels left by other animals. However, they are fully capable of burrowing and creating their own dwellings wherever there is an available food source. Female skunks give birth in the spring – usually to a litter of 4-7 skunks. The newborns stay with their mothers for the first few months until they can see and be independent. Mothers can be defensive around their young, and the most infamous method of defense a skunk has is to shoot a stream of foul odor from their anal glands. They can successfully hit targets up to 15 feet away. Contrary to old wives tales, there is no surefire method to remove a skunk odor. However, trained skunk removal and skunk control specialists do have special chemicals that can speed up the breakdown of the odor’s molecules and generally be more effective at getting rid of the smell. Diseases carried by skunks. Aside from the obvious danger of the skunk’s odor-spraying defensive mechanism, skunks can also be carriers of dangerous diseases, most of note being rabies. The Center for Disease Control recorded 1,494 cases of rabies in skunks in 2006. This puts them just behind raccoons as the #1 carrier of rabies by mammals in the US. Another disease, though rare, carried by skunks is called Leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a highly infectious bacterial disease which can affect cats, dogs, and humans. Symptoms can include headaches, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, stomach pains, stiffness, sore throats, and rash. Leptospirosis can be spread by bites or urine. Avoid stagnant water in tropical or warm areas. Aside from these diseases, skunks can carry disease that is harmful to household pets, specifically dogs. Skunks can carry Canine hepatitis, which is highly infectious to dogs. This disease attacks the dog’s internal organs such as kidney, spleen, and liver. Common symptoms of Canine hepatitis are vomiting, stomach swelling, discharge from the eyes, and dehydration. Skunks can be disarmingly cute animals, but they can just as well be dangerous to humans and household pets. If a skunk is seen showing no fear towards humans or predators, or wandering during day time, this could be an indicator that a skunk has rabies. Contact with these creatures should be avoided, and a professional skunk removal and skunk control specialist should be called immediately. |
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