How to Scare a Skunk Away: Complete Skunk Control & Prevention Guide

2022-09-19

When skunks appear on your territory, you need to take measures to get rid of them. In this guide, I will tell you how to scare a skunk away and which methods you can use to get rid of them before they start harming your property. Here I provide the actionable tips proven in practice. This information might interest those people who want to clarify “What are skunks afraid of?” and how to expel these pests humanely.

How to Scare off Skunks?

1. Install lights to deter predators.
2. Use mothballs.
3. Spray other predators’ urine.
4. Apply citrus scent.
5. Set atomizer responsive to motion.
6. Use ammonia as it repels skunks.
7. Set traps that will let you lead the skunk away.

Guide on How to Scare a Skunk Away

There are many ways to scare a skunk away without harming it and avoid being sprayed by the pest. Skunks are not dangerous unless forced. You will learn many ways for expelling them from your territory if you suddenly see their den or notice any skunk activity near your house. These methods will force these animals to leave the place where they have settled in the shortest time and help you prevent them from coming back.

Method 1: Close the passages through which skunks can get in

Skunks are often looking for housing that is easy to get into, with a convenient entrance. If you see their burrow, the first thing to do is to close their access to their hiding place so that they can’t go back there. It’s easy to find this place because of the strong smell. You can even hear them scratching there.

You can use a wired mesh fence or a wooden partition, or you can fill the hole through which they have entered your territory with mud and leaves. Next time, the skunks will have to look for another place to settle. Also, you can fence off your territory so that they can’t get to you looking for shelter or food. For living, skunks choose spots where food is available, such as gardens, trash, or even pet food. Therefore, always close your trash cans and do not leave pet food in the open air.

Method 2: Set a scare light

Skunks are nocturnal animals and don’t like bright lights, so you need to have good lighting in your yard. Although they can move not for long during the day, they will try to hide and wait in their burrows till night comes. Installing motion-sensing spotlights will scare a skunk away without it spraying you, and you won’t have to think about fighting the pest. Also, you can install nighttime solar lights: They work just as well. If a skunk heads into your yard, it will see that this place is not suitable for living. The light will drive it away from your house, shed, or porch.

Method 3: Use a skunk repellent

Repellents such as citrus fruits, ammonia, mothballs, or predator urine can prevent a skunk from coming into your household. Skunks do not like strong smells, so if they smell one of them, they will leave this place as quickly as possible. You can scatter citrus peels both in their habitat and throughout the territory. It is extremely unpleasant for them.

If you use ammonia, dampen a rag or a cotton swab and place it near the entrance where you suspect skunks have appeared. When the pests try to get in, the smell will repel them and prevent them from entering the hole. If the odor is too strong for you, you can put the rag in a plastic bag.

Other liquids with a strong smell such as vinegar keep skunks away. You can sprinkle a little of this solution on the places where you think skunks live. You can apply it all over your garden, but be ready that the scent will linger for a couple of weeks. Be careful so as to keep vinegar away from children and pets.

Method 4: Install motion-responsive nozzles

This sprinkler is designed in such a way that it works and sprays the liquid when the system identifies moving within its radius of action. When the skunk gets close enough, the sprinkler will scare it, so the pest will be unlikely to come back again. Install the system in the place where a skunk often appears or where you think it wants to pass. The device is battery-operated, and its benefit is that it won’t harm you or your pets.

Method 5: Catch the skunk and release it somewhere else

You can move the skunk using the trap cage. If you already know where it lives, you can set a trap in that place. If a skunk enters there, a single door will close, which will give you the opportunity to carry the pest away. You can lure a skunk in there with bait like sardines or dog food.

You must check the trap every day. When you see a skunk inside, you have to take it out of the house. Ensure to take the pest away with the baby skunks, as there is a risk that you will separate the skunk from its offspring. The cage should not harm the skunk, so make sure that there are no nicks inside. I can recommend the raccoon trap as a great option.

When Is the Right Time to Call a Professional?

If all of the above doesn’t work for you or you’re afraid to approach a skunk because you don’t want to be bitten and sprayed by it, call a wildlife specialist. They know exactly how to handle these pests and do it quickly. Besides, if the skunk has offspring, they will take all pests to where they will be best without separating them.

FAQ About How to Scare a Skunk Away

In this section, I will answer the questions that most often arise on the topic of how to make a skunk leave. Read on to find out the details that interest you the most.

What time do skunks come out at night?

Skunks are nocturnal inhabitants, so the cases when they come out of their den during the day are rare. When the weather is warm, they can even spend the night outside and leave their lair only in the early evening.

What are skunks attracted to?

They are attracted to food that is easy to get such as fruit in your garden, trash, or pet food. They search for convenient places that can become a home for them such as holes in concrete slabs and porches.

What months are skunks most active?

Experts believe that skunks are most active from February to early March. However, even on warm days, they can be actively searching for a partner.

Forget About the Skunks in Your Area

In this post, I have described some useful ways to get rid of skunks without harming them. The most effective method is to force these pests to leave when they are just trying to settle. I hope these tips will be useful for you, and you will successfully use the information provided here and get rid of skunks in your territory.

Also read:

Share which of the methods worked best for you. Which part of this guide was the most helpful for you? Which methods would you like to recommend to get skunks to leave?

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