You can smell them. Every time you settle in for the night or roll down your window in your car, you get a big whiff of that skunk smell. That is the biggest sign that you have a skunk problem, but there are others that may be lurking right underneath your nose - and it’s not always the smell.
Why You Don’t Want Skunks
Aside from the awful odor they release, you don’t want around your home skunks for other reasons too. Skunks will...
- Spray you, your kids, your cats, or your dog
- Demolish your garden
- Dig holes into your grass to access bugs to eat
- Forage in your garden
- Invade your home
- Burrow underneath your floor, deck, patio, or in your crawlspace
Skunks also pose a health threat to you and your family. Skunks are carriers of rabies, and you don’t have to be bitten to become infected. Rabies can be transmitted through saliva or blood, so all it takes is a scratch to make you dangerously ill.
Why You Have Skunks in and Around Your Home
Now that it is getting colder outside, skunks are out more because they are searching for shelter, and your home and/or shed are the first place they will look. Skunks require food and shelter, and your home is the perfect place to get both.
You can tell that you have skunks by spotting the following signs:
- You can smell them
- You see holes in your lawn
- You see or hear evidence of scratching
How to Prevent Skunks
Preventing skunks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut is possible by implementing these steps:
- Use a grub killer on your grass
- Keep your garden secure
- Cover your garbage cans
- Store food, bird food, and pet food in sealed, airtight, plastic containers
- Do not leave human or pet food outside
- Store compost piles away from your home or off of your property entirely
- Install vents, windows, and caps around your home
Of course, sometimes all the prevention tips in the world are not enough to keep these pests from choosing your property, when this happens, turn to the wildlife control professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions for services you can count on.