How to keep skunks away from your property

If you think that there are skunks living within your yard or frequently visiting, you need to take the necessary measures to make sure that they don’t continue making a mess within your home. There are some ways that you can tell that there is indeed a skunk within your property, and one is the smell that they leave. The smell is very intense and it may be unlike anything that you know of. You may see their droppings, which can be around four inches in length and around half an inch in width. Skunks love to dig in search of larvae and you may notice tracks in the areas that have been dug. It is important to know the best ways to keep them away and prevent them from digging and making a home in the yard.

Food sources

You should eliminate all the food sources that may be attracting the skunk into your compound. For the garbage cans, make sure that you use lids and make sure the lids don’t come off easily. Check to see that the entire can has been covered. Never leave any of your pet’s food outdoors as the animals will most certainly be attracted by it. Leaving food items out in the open can attract a wide range of animals, including stray dogs and cats from the neighborhood.

You also need to make sure that you check your sheds, patios and porches from time to time to see if there are any openings that need to be sealed as the animals may come into your home in search of food. Check the yard for fallen berries, fruits and nuts in case you have these kinds of items in your yard. Remove all those that have fallen and eliminate the water sources that can be used by skunks.

Light

Skunks are nocturnal and so they love to forage at night. Light frightens the animals and they may move to another place in search of food. When you use a bright light in the night, the skunks may actually keep off the yard. This could work for a little while, but it isn’t a long term solution. The electricity bill can be too high. As an alternative, you could use motion detector lights.

Hot pepper

You can make a repellent using hot pepper and not waste too much money on repellents that may not work. You should use yellow onion, jalapenos and cayenne pepper mixed with water to make a repellent that you can spray.

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