Do skunks live in groups or alone?

A skunk lives alone looking for food in a solitary manner. It will be wandering alone usually, and if the skunks are in a group, it means that it is a mother that moves together with its babies. The mother cares for the babies for over a year, and if they are in a group, it is not easy to remove them on your own; you should call a control company to help you in removing them together. A mother can attack when she thinks that her babies are in danger. A mother will hiss, stomp and raise the tail before it releases the scented spray. If the mother dies before the babies turn one year old, they can die. In some cases, the homeowners may decide to take care of the baby skunks. When the skunks are being kept, they can learn how to use litter boxes and they can live up to 7 years if they are in captivity. The scent glands can be removed surgically.

The skunks can be scared or chased away by the use of a flashlight, leaf blower or water hose. Harassment can also be effective when it comes to removing the skunks. Soak a cloth in household cleaners or gas and put it in the openings the skunks use to enter into the crawlspaces and sheds. You have to ensure that the mother did not leave small babies inside. When the baby is trapped, it will die and will produce a terrible odor and it can last some weeks. As an alternative to the cloth, you should use soil or leaves in the holes or gaps. When there is a consistent plugging of gaps or holes, the mother will have a hard time and it may decide to go away with its baby. If you are sure that the skunks have left, it is time to seal all the entry points, and you will be happy to know that there is no skunk left in the place.

Animal specialists will wear thick leather gloves if they want to remove wild animals such as skunks since they can scratch or bite.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Skunks page or email us if you have any other questions about Do skunks live in groups or alone?