Skunks are a common occurrence among both rural and urban properties in Strathcona County.

Behaviour

Skunks are omnivoires who will eat almost anything, however, they often feed heavily on insects and rodents including mice. Skunks are not aggressive but can spray if provoked. It's often the lingering scent of this spray around buildings that causes the most conflict with skunks. In reality, skunks are very reclusive and mostly active during dusk and dawn. Skunks are excellent diggers and can dig in flowerbeds and gardens, eat garbage and root through compost heaps.

Breeding season is February through mid-March, with a gestation period of nine weeks. The average litter size is four to seven kits. Juveniles disperse in late summer and can travel from five to 20 km.

Skunks have few natural predators. They are not true hibernators, as they will over-winter in dens, leaving the den on warm winter nights to feed or check out their territory.

Spraying facts

• Skunks spray, not because they like to, but to defend themselves, as a last resort.
• Skunks themselves do not smell. The strong odour they spray is offensive to people and animals, including skunks themselves.
• Skunks have two scent glands, located at the base of the tail and they can spray up to four metres accurately. A skunk will usually stamp its feet, make short charges or arch its tail over the back before spraying.

Coexistence strategies

Two things attract skunks: food and shelter.

• Do not leave pet food or water out overnight.
• If feeding cats in a barn setting raise the food on a platform, skunks will not be able to climb. 
• Keep garbage cans tightly closed.
• Cover compost heaps with a lid.
• Clean and tidy yards to discourage skunks from moving in.
• Trash, brush, car bodies and loosely stacked lumber piled on the ground are some of the settings skunks look for to set up a home. They will also burrow under porches and sheds, or enter a garage through an open door.
• If you are going to store articles in the yard, keep them off the ground, and mow grass and weeds.
• Raise garden sheds on to support beams so the sun can shine underneath.
• Fully seal off all openings around and under buildings and mobile homes with sheet metal or plywood, buried to a minimum depth of one foot.
• Nail chicken wire 30 to 60 cm wide to the base of wood decks.
• Lay chicken wire on the ground like an apron to prevent skunks from burrowing. If you peg the wire corners into the ground, the grass will grow through the mesh for easy mowing.
• Floodlights or strings of lights may cause a skunk to leave from under steps or a building.
• Mothballs can be put into the burrow, but they should be crushed to release more odour. Skunks may remove whole mothballs from the burrow.

General odour removal

• Skunk musk is strong, even in small amounts, and may be noticeable for up to one year.
• Washing with soap helps. Diluted vinegar also helps to eliminate the smell.
• Some of the new commercial odour removers work well and can be found at your local home improvement centres.

Rabies

Skunk rabies has not been detected in this area at the present time, but it has been found in southern Alberta along the Montana border.

If you notice strange behaviour in a skunk such as: a skunk is out during daylight hours and, acting unusual or is not afraid of people, do not approach the skunk. Call us at 780-464-8080. 

Trapping

While trapping is an option, it will not solve the concerns long term, especially if there are available dens or food sources on your property. Properly addressing the available shelter and food will provide you with long term relief of conflicts with skunks that are living on your property.

If required, skunk traps are available from the County for a fee of $75.00 + GST for a two-week period. Please call 780-464-8080 to book a trap (office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

Download our  brochure (1.8 MB) for detailed information about trapping skunks.

 

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