Skunk Came Over Just to Hang Out

[Kern Dog]

I wouldn't be afraid of a skunk if I could be sure that it kept it's *** corked and if it was friendly. (Not sure how that could be known for sure though)
Skunks usually only discharge when they are in fear for their lives. It also takes awhile for them to regenerate their "charge" so they often save it for times that they really need it. We have dealt with skunked dogs here numerous times. Always at night and often in the rain. I suspect that they are looking for dry shelter and a house with lights on usually has it. Our dogs are naturally curious and like to chase squirrels and cats that get into the yard so a skunk draws them in as well. A mix of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and Dawn detergent is an effective cleaner for pets. If they do get in the house after getting skunked, there will be a lingering stench. I've countered that by putting a gallon of tomato juice, 2 cans of tomato paste and 16 ounces of lemon juice in a huge soup pan and just let it all boil for a few hours. It also smells a bit but beats the stench of skunk.
I like animals though. Petting zoos, county fairs, you name it.
One time I had something I had just painted out back sitting on a table letting it dry in the sunlight and a lizard got stuck in it. I spent 15 minutes carefully prying it's feet from the surface to get it free. The ungrateful bastard took off and didn't even thank me.
I like mice and domesticated rats too. Not a fan of the ones in the wild though...they are too dirty and destructive.
By the way.....I thought that Skunks were rodents!

 

[SteveSS]

When I was a young cowboy we had a family of skunks that took residence under one of our cattle feeding troughs. My cousin who was a strong teen at the time and my dad hatched a plan. My cousin snuck up on the trough and flipped it over while my dad was ready with the 12 gauge. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. It was all over in seconds.

Working a ranch, you have a different approach to death in animals. If we could have killed all the coyotes in our area we would have. So many new calves had bob-tails and chewed-off ears from the coyotes.

 

[mpgmike]

This is very true. We have families of them out here and like all the other species, they're quite used to us after
all these years - but upon occasion, you do get a rabid skunk or raccoon that will come right at you.
They don't freak out, they just waltz right up like they know you...
That's when to get real nervous (actually, you shoulda been gone by that time).

Any wild critter that isn't acting like they normally do, be very cautious!

I got attacked by a rabid raccoon. I shot it and it ended up in the County (whatever agency that deals with that sort of stuff) where it was verified to be rabid. Conversely, I befriended a juvenile raccoon, was hand feeding it and petting it -- this very one, in fact.

 

[kiwigtx]

I've countered that by putting a gallon of tomato juice, 2 cans of tomato paste and 16 ounces of lemon juice in a huge soup pan and just let it all boil for a few hours.

And I bet you make one hellava Margarita too.

I wonder if Davey Crocket ever tried making himself a Skunk hat.

 

[Richard Cranium]

 

[Richard Cranium]

I wonder if Davey Crocket ever tried making himself a Skunk hat.

Don't know, but Curly did.

 

[moparedtn]

By the way.....Skunks are rodents!

Nope, they are not - but they will eat a rodent in a pinch, being omnivores (like humans are!).
Are Skunks Rodents?.

 

[moparedtn]

I got attacked by a rabid raccoon. I shot it and it ended up in the County (whatever agency that deals with that sort of stuff) where it was verified to be rabid. Conversely, I befriended a juvenile raccoon, was hand feeding it and petting it -- this very one, in fact.

View attachment 1322225

Yeah, that's the thing about raccoons - sometimes when they act friendly, they actually are (and not rabid).
Tough to tell sometimes...
I know one thing though, you don't want to corner a wild one. Those rascals go instant claws + teeth!

 

[Cranky]

Nope, they are not - but they will eat a rodent in a pinch, being omnivores (like humans are!).
Are Skunks Rodents?.

Yeah Kerns comment didn't sound right to me so I looked it up. The page I got say they are mammals.

 

[AR67GTX]

We have a lot of raccoons. Sometimes they start to be real pests and I live trap them and give them a free ride out to the countryside and a peanut butter and cracker treat. They do have different personalities - some will fight the cage the entire time and growl menacingly at you. Others just eat their treat and curl up and go to sleep until I open the trap door and boot them out. I used to worry that one would come out of the cage and turn on me but they always just scurry off.

I used to work on the Air Force Base here as a civilian and our buildings occasionally had skunk visitors. One early morning I arrived at my office building and saw a trap by our front entrance and noticed a skunk in it. Of course this generated a great amount of interest as the other employees arrived. Finally we noticed a young airman pulled up and got out and walked towards the trap and sort of stood there awhile studying it. We were all gathered at the windows watching as we figured this was going to be interesting. He was probably 18 years old and probably drew the short straw to go police the traps. Finally he went back to his truck and took out what looked like a big towel or small blanket, held it in front of him and slowly approached the trap and laid it over the top of it. Then he gently picked it up and hauled it off without incident. We were all disappointed.

 

[Big bill]

Well at least he didn’t drink all your beer and eat the last sandwich or did he ?

 

[Richard Cranium]

 

[Budnicks]

we have a ton of them around here
they 'are spray happy', lots of dogs & cats around too
maybe why so spray happy

they are/can be rabies carriers too

I smell one at a min. 2-3 times a month
especially at night

when the coyotes are really active, sometimes nightly
in winter, seems a bit odd

they really stink after they are shot
or ran over, I see & smell that often too,
down on the Pheonix Lake rd.
lots of road kill

I've known a few people that had them as pets too, depued
like Pepe Lepue'

 

[Rick@Laysons]

Good thing it didn't stink your garage up!

Neighbors would've probably thought you got ahold of some killer "skunk weed"...



...and HEYA Budnicks.....if you're only smellin it at night, sounds like your neighbors are hittin the weed too!

 

[ESOXER]

Sister-in-law has a small zoo.
@ 55-60 horses
@ 25 dogs
@ 15 Higlanders
Some peacocks in the barn and other birds in her built in Avery in the house, and as of a few weeks ago...
A damn skunk. Her name is Cruella and rides on a horse with her already on trails and to the bars, it didn't surprise me much, her last fox died last year and her tortis got way too big and off to a real zoo.

 

[Fran Blacker]

In swampy areas we have skunk cabbage.

 

[Budnicks]

Good thing it didn't stink your garage up!

Neighbors would've probably thought you got ahold of some killer "skunk weed"...



...and HEYA Budnicks.....if you're only smellin it at night, sounds like your neighbors are hittin the weed too!

mostly all LEOs
& families with younger kids
or old farts/retired

not that they (or some) don't do Ganga/killer green weed "buds"

don't think it's skunk buds/stinky weed/sensamia

I do know the difference too I am from 'the class of 77'

 

[Budnicks]

or Skunk Ape

 

[matthon]

Well at least he didn’t drink all your beer and eat the last sandwich or did he ?

I'd offer him a beer, although he kinda barged in unannounced, he seemed respectful while he was here.

I've read you can befriend a crow, to the point they recognize you, come back each season, and bring you gifts.

They're also incredibly intelligent, problem solvers, and use tools.

 

[mpgmike]

As a senior in high school, my Sunday School teacher had a de-bagged pet skunk. Many years later, my brother got a de-bagged pet skunk. Both concur that skunks don't make good pets -- even when harmless. However, in the wild, they can be positively interactive. You just have to overcome fears.