Nuisance Skunk Facts
There are four different kinds of skunks found in the United States. The spotted and striped skunks are the most widely distributed and therefore more likely to come into contact with people. The hooded and hog-nosed skunks are rarer and found mostly in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The spotted skunk prefers the country and spends most of its life near farms. The striped skunk is more adaptable and lives in a variety of habitats. Skunks are placid, retiring and non-aggressive. They try very hard not to get in harm’s way. They have a home range of a few hundred acres at most. They are primarily nocturnal and usually solitary – except when mothers are raising their babies.
Skunks eat mostly insects, many of which are pests to humans. They are therefore very beneficial to have around. They also eat some plant material, including wild fruits, apples and corn. In winter and spring they may eat mice and the eggs of ground-nesting birds.
Breeding usually occurs in late winter or early spring and gestation averages about 60-75 days, so babies are usually born in May or June. Second litters and late births do occur. After mating, a female can store the male’s sperm and delay initiating pregnancy for some weeks. Litters range from 3 to as many as 10 young who remain in the nest for about two months, after which they begin to follow their mom as she forages. All skunks seem able to dig their own burrows but will also use abandoned dens of other animals, hollow logs, wood or rock piles, under buildings, stone walls, hay or brush piles and trees or stumps. The skunk’s main defense is a complex chemical substance that includes sulfuric acid that can be fired from either one of two independently targetable anal glands. Because of this ability, skunks will stand and face a threat rather than run away. This works well with people and animals but is useless against cars. As a result, many skunks die on roadways - to the point of being wiped out entirely from areas with a lot of traffic.
Skunks can carry rabies, but it is important to remember that not every skunk is rabid. Only if an adult skunk seen in the daytime is showing abnormal behaviors such as but not limited to paralysis, unprovoked aggression, moving in circles, and self-mutilation.
Removal Procedures
We charge $289 to come out and inspect the property. We will determine the problem critter and set traps. The $289 includes the LAST visit to pick up the traps. EVERY visit in between if necessary will be an additional $89. Wildlife is unpredictable, we cannot guarantee the capture of any animal, but we have years of successful experience in nuisance wildlife. We have a perfect rating with the BBB and a 5 star rating with servicemagic.com. Now again its $289 to come out and start trapping, which the last visit is included, if we come back and leave a trap it will be $89 service call fee every time we return until the last time.
Do we have set pricing?
The simple answer here is no. Every situation is unique in the matter of exclusion and repairs. Please find our base prices for certain situations above.
Please feel free to contact us for any questions or concerns you may have.
