Skunks Under our House

[irv]

Originally Posted by tschock

Oh great! I can see it now, going to the PO with a package, reciting the new line. Nothing liquid, fragile, perishable, or potential hazardous. No perfume, lithium batteries, mercury (recently added), or fox urine.

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Shame, as they're actually really cool. We had a stump in our front yard that the previous owner ground down but didn't remove. The skunks loved to dig through it for grubs and had it basically removed within a couple years. They eat larvae and grubs all sorts of things that destroy lawns, trees etc. They're also chill, as long as you don't startle or corner them. I've hung out outside within 10 feet of them a lot, never been sprayed.

The trouble is, they also destroy lawns and if you don't kill the grubs, which come back every year, this problem will persist.

A couple years ago, around midnight, I was awoken to the strong stench of what I thought was Mary Jane.
My son, who was 16 at the time, who I didn't believe smoked pot, was the first thing that came to mind.

Long story short, I went outside on our back patio and was startled immediately by the scurrying of what I thought was a raccoon. After getting my eyes adjusted to the dark, I realized it was a large great horned owl which I seen fly to my neighbors eave trough.

I seen nothing further that night and went to bed as dawn came early at 5:30 am. When I went out on the same patio around that time the next morning, I noticed a large pile of intestines laying on my lawn.

I grabbed a shovel and a plastic bag and as I was in the process of cleaning up the mess I noticed a skunk which looked like it dove into my wife's flowers? I touched it with the shovel but it was stiff.
With a pair of gloves on I pulled out the skunk to notice the head was completely gone.

I have no idea how it got there as where I noticed the intestines this area was about 30 feet away.
My wife's flowers were not all flattened like it had been dropped, it actually looked like the skunk had dove in there without its head??

I did some Google research and found out skunk is the no#1 diet of great horned owls.

Just his year, as one still lives under my neighbors shed I believe, my wife seen 2 great horned owls on the prowl one early morning, and we live in the city.

[JackW]

Great story, Dale.

[Griffins]

Can you try the same technique you used on the fireants, only with a bit more caution?

[frankbmd]

My vision is a skunk chat room discussing how to remove skunks in the House.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Griffins

Can you try the same technique you used on the fireants, only with a bit more caution?

Lighting myself on fire is something I don't really want to do again.

So when I heard urine was something skunks don't like I found the 3 holes and had my restroom the rest of the day. My wife said throwing a bar of soap in each hole would help. So I did that too. Then night before last they didn't go in the holes (I guess, there was no smell) and I filled them with dirt. It's raining in Big D but when the weather gets a little better I will put some chicken wire all across where the holes are, covered by heavy rocks. I am pretty sure they will try to find an easier spot to make home. So for the last 2 nights, so far so good. (knock on wood)

[JackW]

Chicken wire can be a lifesaver in so many ways. Just behind duct tape!

[pitchernut]

When I first moved into our house we had a problem with raccoons and rats getting in under the house and the later getting in the attic. After a few trial and errors I have found that by installing the brightest led rope lights (most nocturnal animals dislike bright lights) in the crawl space and attic seems to have alleviated the problem for the last three years. Best of all the lights are very easy to install and reasonable to operate 24/7 365.
Not sure it will work on skunks but being a nocturnal animal for the most part I would think maybe worth a try.

[pokerplyr80]

We put a lawn in at an our old house and watered it quite a bit to make sure it didn't die. A few skunks showed up not long after. I read online this is a common occurrence when a lawn is over watered. If this is the case in your situation maybe turning the water off for a few days would drive them out.