Skunk Trapping & Removal Services
If you’re dealing with skunk problems in or around your property, contact us today to schedule expert skunk trapping and skunk control service!
What are Skunks?
Skunks are mammals found in both North and South America. These animals are known for their ability to spray an unpleasant-smelling liquid.
Common Name: Striped Skunk
Scientific Name: Mephitis mephitis
To learn more about wildlife removal, take a look at our Removal & Trapping page.
We know that having a skunk in or near your property can be unnerving. You can rely on Varment Guard’s expert wildlife removal and skunk control services to get rid of skunks quickly.
Skunk Biology & Characteristics
- Adult body length (without tail): 13 to 18 inches
- Adult body weight: 6 to 10 pounds
- Gestation period: 63 days
- Litters per year: 1
- Litter size: 2 to 10 young (usually 4 to 6)
- Breeding season: February through March
- Birthing season: April through May
- Age at which young are weaned: 6 to 7 weeks
- Activity period: Night
- Range: 4 square miles or less
- Primary foods: Meats, fish, pet food, insects, fruits, vegetables
How to Get Rid of Skunks
The best way to control nuisance skunks is through trapping and exclusion. The experts at Varment Guard can determine the best skunk trap and best skunk bait options for your specific situation.
Live Skunk Trapping
Trapping is the preferred method of removal for skunks. Trapping is most commonly performed through the use of live-catch wire cage traps. These skunk traps are baited with a variety of scents skunks find irresistible. The experts at Varment Guard know how to remove a skunk from a live trap quickly, safely, and humanely so you never have to deal with it.
So, what is the best bait for skunks? Read more below or go to our Skunk Trapping page to learn more about how to bait a skunk.
Skunk Exclusion
Prevent skunks from entering your yard or burrowing underneath structures by performing these exclusion tactics. To learn more about how to keep skunks out of unwanted areas, visit our Skunk Exclusion page or read more below.
Habitat Modification
Keep food sources inaccessible whenever possible. Bring pet food dishes indoors at night and secure trash cans and bins containing food garbage. Clear away fallen fruit from beneath trees located near dwellings.
How to Get Rid of Skunks: Skunk Exclusion
The best solution to prevent a skunk under your home, deck or shed is to screen or block them out. Exclusion is essential for all entrances and openings in the foundations of homes and outbuildings.
Spaces beneath porches, stairs, and mobile homes should be closed off to exclude skunks. Once skunks have made their home beneath a building, the problem becomes more severe.
Before closing off the entrance, we must ensure the animal is not present. This is done with our trapping program. We can also install a one-way door to prevent re-entry. We can also install a one-way door to prevent re-entry.
Buried Wire Fencing Exclusion
Buried wire fencing can prevent skunks from excavating or re-entering beneath porches, shallow decks, and slab foundations.
Fasten a skirting or band of ½ inch mesh hardware cloth to the above ground structure of the porch, deck, or foundation. The buried wire fencing barrier will discourage skunks and other burrowing animals from digging beneath it.
How to Trap a Skunk: Live-Trapping
Live-catch wire cage traps are the best method for removing skunks from your property. Varment Guard technicians place live traps where the animals are entering the building or on active trails.
Effective skunk trap bait includes peanut butter, fish (canned or fresh), fish-flavored cat food, and other baits that will appeal to a skunk’s sense of smell and cause them to approach the trap.
Once baited, we place the traps near the point of entry. One of our technicians will check them daily. During This daily check, the technician will remove captured skunks, re-bait traps and adjust the trap placement.
Funnel-Style Traps
Our technicians are also equipped and trained with funnel-style traps. These traps get placed directly over the point of entry and catch any animals that exit the structure.
Population Control Trapping
Over-abundance or high populations of skunks can be addressed through population control trapping. Your technician will set baited traps along established trails, fence lines, buildings, and more. This method can be effective for removing skunks that may be burrowing on a nearby property but regularly come on to your property.
Live Animal Emergency Removal
Varment Guard can quickly capture and remove a skunk that is sick or injured outside or has fallen into an area such as a window well by using an animal control pole (catch pole). Call us to locate and remove the problem animal. If we can’t locate the animal, we can set skunk traps to capture it.
Skunk Odor Control Service
Varment Guard offers a service to help eliminate or reduce skunk odor. The service uses a product that breaks down the skunk odor at the molecular level. It doesn’t cover the odor, it eliminates it with a fine mist anywhere skunks may have sprayed, including under decks, houses, sunrooms, sheds, and foundations of homes. It can even be applied to shrubs, bushes, and lawns.
If you are having issues removing skunk odor, contact Varment Guard today!
Where Can I Find Skunk Control Near Me?
If you need help trapping a skunk or removing nuisance wildlife, Varment Guard operates all over the Midwest and beyond. So, no matter where you are, you can trust us to solve even your trickiest (and stinkiest) wildlife challenges!
Wondering how to set a skunk trap? Unsure of what to do if you catch a skunk? Let the experts at Varment Guard handle it.
Our expert team has the knowledge and skill to catch a skunk no matter where it’s hiding. If you’re looking to free your property of problem wildlife, get in touch with Varment Guard today!
We can rid you of skunk problems safely and efficiently!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is There a Skunk Near My House?
Signs of skunks near your home include: cone-shaped holes, skunk tracks, disturbed dirt near the porch or deck, holes in grass or sod,, droppings, and odor. Finding these signs can lead you to understanding how to get rid of the skunk. Learn more!
Where Do Skunks Come From?
Skunks typically can be found in heavily forested areas, where food and shelter are plentiful. They either create burrows by digging under existing structures or steal them from smaller burrowing animals. As solitary creatures, they generally live and forage alone. Read more!
What Do I Do If I Encounter a Skunk?
The best thing to do when you encounter a skunk is to stay calm, leave them alone, and get out of their way. Basically, you should try moving slowly around the pest to limit the chances of being a victim of their odorous spray. Learn more!
Why Do Skunks Stink?
Skunks use their spray to defend themselves. Many predators that would naturally prey on skunks like bears and coyotes rely on their smell to hunt. When skunks spray them, it’s not just unpleasant–it’s overwhelming. Nonetheless, they usually do give a warning before they are going to spray. Read more!
How Long Will A Skunk Live in a Live Trap?
Skunks can survive for weeks without food but only a few days without water. That’s why Varment Guard checks traps daily on weekdays to return wildlife to the wild quickly and humanely. Learn more!
What Food is Irresistible to Skunks?
Skunks are omnivores who eat a variety of foods including rodents, birds, eggs, insects and fruits. When it comes to baiting skunk traps, peanut butter is a favorite but any aromatic food like tuna, meat or cat food will suffice.
How Long Does It Take to Trap a Skunk?
Knowing skunk behavior and understanding their paths will expedite skunk capture. That’s why it’s best to trust professionals, like those from Varment Guard, who understands where skunks are likely to be.
