What is a skunk’s natural diet, and how does it get its food?

There are a number of skunk species out there and they relatively differ in regard to where they live, what they eat, and how they behave. However, most of the habits remain pretty much the same. The more than nine species of skunks do have a natural diet based on where they live. For instance, those that live in deserts will eat something different than those that have made urban areas their home. In other words, their eating habits are strongly connected to their habitats.

These mammals are omnivorous by nature (i.e., they eat both animal and plant materials) and do change their diets based on changes in climatic conditions. Their common delicacies include earthworms, eggs, and birds as well as frogs and snakes. Skunks also have a rare taste for wild nuts, berries, fungi, and grasses. Salamander is actually one of their favorites. The garbage left by humans becomes a favorite feeding ground for skunks that are found in urban areas. If you see a skunk dig holes in lawns, probably they are trying to find grubs for their meal. Nevertheless, they sometimes behave like scavengers and might be found eating carcasses of some animals.

The fact that skunks have large feet with well-developed claws means they will dig for their food with ease. In fact, this is the primary way that they try to obtain food. It is not strange to see these animals eat caterpillars and grasshoppers at any given time. Firstly, they will roll the caterpillar to make sure that the hair is removed before devouring. They like honey bees and eat them without any worry because their big fur protects them from stings. In case they want to eat beetles that emit a foul smell, they will first roll it until the foul smell has been depleted.

The skunks are quite unique animals with an adult skunk averaging 8-9” in size and weighing about 14 pounds. They are also known to run about 10miles/hour, can survive a snake bite, and of course boast of having an excellent sense of hearing and smell. However, they have pretty poor eyesight and are easy targets for owls and bobcats. The pregnancy of skunks can last anywhere between 7-10 weeks and the duration depends on the prevailing factors. These factors, just like the diet, depend on the species of skunk and their habitat.

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