Do skunks burrow underground?

Skunks are known to be adaptable and they thrive in many habitats wherever they can find shelter and food. Since skunks will not travel over two miles from where they have their dens to look for food, they will live within two miles of a water source. The skunks will make their dens in a tree hollow, brush piles, hollowed out logs and abandoned animal burrows. They can live under different structures or under porches. Skunks may dig burrows underground if there are no other options of den available.

Striped skunks have some flexibility when it comes to getting the place where they want to live regardless if they are in urban or rural areas. The skunk will adapt to different habitats like open prairies, brush, grasslands, woods or developed places. Skunks may use their long claws in order to dig a den or they may live in an abandoned den where woodchucks or a fox lived. There are other above ground places where the skunk may live like bushes, woodpiles and hollow logs. It is possible for the skunks to dig their homes under a building, garage, houses or porches. The skunk uses leaves and grass or hay to line the home where it has made a den. The den of the skunk will have three rooms or chambers, and they can have up to five entrances and each one will be over eight inches in diameter.

Skunks are normally nocturnal, so they will be active during the night. Even if they will not hibernate, they will be inactive in the coldest months of winter and they will stay in the communal dens to get warmth. However, in other periods, the skunk is solitary and it will forage and live alone. The skunk will socialize if it is during the mating period, and the skunk may have 1-7 young in April or in June. The skunks will dig using their forefeet and long nails. They are known to be the best diggers. They will dig holes in gardens, lawns or golf courses looking for earthworms or grubs. Their digging ability is also used to make burrows under buildings if they want a safer place.

When there are skunks in your area, you may see holes in the lawn that look small and cone shaped and are 3-4 inches. When you have corn, they will damage the lower ears of the corn. The skunk tracks have five toes on each foot and have visible claws.

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