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Do skunks warn before spraying? ?



Skunks came to be well known because of their smelling spray. They are normally small and furry animals that are the size of a cat, and they belong to the weasel and ferret family. The skunks are able to adapt to any living condition, so they may choose to eat grass or from a garbage can. The skunk always gives a warning before it sprays. It raises the tail and will shake to give a warning. He stamps his feet and turns his head while the rear end is towards you making a U shape. If it was not taken by a surprise, it will give all these warnings and it will have to wait until the last possible second before using the nuclear option, which is spraying. The skunk would like to exit this scene without involving the spraying. If you are living in a place with a number of the skunks, you should let the skunk know that you are entering into the yard since they normally do not have good eyesight. They are not that fast and they usually will not climb. When you give the sign, they will leave the area for you since they do not like to interact with people.

You can flip on the porch light, make noise as you open your door, whistle, or clap the hands. Even if you may feel that you are being silly, such a little warning can alert the skunk that you are coming in the area and give them enough time to go away from the yard. You should use the same signs if you have a dog that you want to release in the yard. The domestic dog does not know how they can read the warning signs given by the skunk, and they will rush to the skunk even if the tail has already risen. This is the reason why dogs get sprayed often since they do not give any other options to the skunk. If it is during the night, ensure that you have offered the right alert and that you have given the skunk enough warning. You should let some minutes pass so that they may vacate the area.

It is not true that the skunk will spray each time they meet people. They will give many warnings and they only spray if they think that they are in a dangerous situation. Some skunks live their entire life without any need to spray. When the skunk decides to spray, it will aim at your face and it may cause much irritation and also temporary blindness when it sprays into the eyes. When the skunk sprays you, they cannot transmit rabies to you through the spray.

Go back to the How to get rid of skunks page or email us if you have any other questions about Do skunks warn before spraying?