Skunks usually come into your yard to eat. Since skunks are virtually omnivores, they may look for food in your garden, eat leftovers from the garbage can, and so on. Looking for insects can ruin your lawn or flowers. Usually, the recent arrival of a skunk on your property gives off a pungent smell. But other signs give a skunk away. What sounds does a skunk make? In this article, I’ll tell you the distinctive noises that will help you find out that no one else is trampling in your yard at night but this striped animal.
Skunks can make different sounds to communicate with other skunks and to protect themselves. For example, a skunk can chirp during the breeding season and scream or click when in danger. The characteristic clawing can let you know that it is the skunk that came to your yard looking for food.
What Sound Does a Skunk Make?
Skunks tend to be fairly quiet. Although the skunk is not the most communicative animal, it makes characteristic sounds to signal to other skunks. The skunk usually creates a lot of noise during the mating season and the birth of their offspring. The animals become more aggressive, and you can hear a skunk sound like a hiss or a squeal. Outside the mating season, skunks are quieter, but if a skunk appears nearby, they exchange a few words with sounds similar to snapping or chirping.
What noise does a skunk make when scared?
When a skunk is frightened, it can squeal, hiss, and click to scare away the enemy. In addition, when frightened, it can spray a liquid that smells unpleasant and can scare anyone away. If a skunk is trapped or cornered by someone, it may thrash scared and stomp hard on the ground. The loud stomping is also a sign for the enemy to leave the skunk alone.
What sound do skunks make at night?
If the skunk feels safe, it may run quietly around your yard looking for food. Because it often digs on the ground, it has rather massive claws. The scraping of nails on hard surfaces can give a skunk away.
These animals also like to set up their dwellings under the porch, in the basement, and in other secluded places. One night you may hear rustling somewhere under the house. If the animal also makes hissing noises, it may have brought its young and is protecting them by making different sounds.
Why Would a Skunk Scream?
Skunks scream when they are aggressive. Males are most aggressive during the mating season, so they may make screeching sounds when fighting for a female. The female skunk is most aggressive while carrying cubs or has already brought her offspring. Her main goal is to protect herself and her cubs, so she will scream at anyone who gets too close. Skunk cubs are born very tiny and defenseless, like blind kittens. At about 3 weeks of age, their eyes begin to open, and by the first month of life, skunk cubs can already secrete an unpleasant-smelling fluid. During this period, skunks make noises that resemble a cry.
What Sounds Deter Skunks?
In addition to the sounds that skunks make, it is helpful to learn about the sounds that scare skunks. You can let the dog outside when you find a skunk in the yard, and the dog’s bark will scare the pest away. If you don’t have a dog, you can use simple objects that make a loud sound, for example, pots or pans. You can take a tin can and pour coins into it. You should go out into the yard and start shaking the can to see the skunk leave your yard. You can also make the pest leave the area with your loud voice.
FAQ About Skunk Sounds
You can learn a little more about the distinctive sounds of the skunk from answers to popular questions.
Do skunks make a sound when they spray?
If a skunk splashes liquid, it means it is frightened. Therefore, trying to scare away the enemy, the animal can hiss, click or shout. Besides, if other skunks are nearby, the animal can tell its congeners that it is in danger by such sounds.
Do skunks make chirping noises?
Chirp-like sounds are another way skunks communicate. They can communicate with each other with the help of the so-called chirp. But most often, they can make this sound during breeding when males actively attract females.
Do skunks warn you before they spray?
Before raising its tail and splashing a strong-smelling jet, the skunk may warn its prey with sounds. First, it will click or gnash its teeth. The animal may stomp its paws as a sign of its displeasure.
Pay Attention to the Sounds
If a skunk has settled in your yard, sooner or later, you’ll discover it. But the consequences can be different. If you hear one of the sounds I described in this article, you should be on your guard and prepare for pest control. If you detect the problem in time, you can evict the skunk before it ruins your property.
Also read:
- Can Skunks Climb a Fence
- How to Get Rid of a Skunk in Your Yard
- How to Scare a Skunk Away
- Do Mothballs Keep Skunks Away
- Best Skunk Baits in 2022
- How to Stop Skunks From Digging up Lawn
- How to Get Rid of Skunk Under Deck
- Home Remedies for Keeping Skunks Away
- Do Skunks Live Underground
Have you ever heard skunk sounds? Tell me about your experience in the comments.
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