Skunk under the house

[NativeRose]

After several nights of mysterious bumps under the house I finally left the porch light on and finally saw the critter. My question is do "moth balls" made of formaldehyde really keep skunks away or is this just another wive's tale? (why isn't that husband's tale? :haha: :haha

[TexasArtist]

I don't know about mothballs but I just got rid of one of the little monster from under my moms house. I went ot the hunting section of a local store and bought some fox urine. About 9:30 at night I put a few drops here and there underneath the house. So far he hasn't been back. We figure he moved in after all the rains because the house is kinda on a hill.
You can also get the urin stuff in coyote, wolf, mountain lion, bobcat, and the fox one I bbought. It cost about $4.00 for a small bottle.

[Little Quacker in OR]

Many people here on the forum swear that mothballs will do the trick and I believe them. I don't use them myself as I am wary of the fumes both for my health but my dog's also.

I just put out a live trap and catch the little devils and transport them somewhere up into the forest near water and let them go.

I wouldn't mind keeping them around as they are very good mousers and eat many insects that harm plants. However, with a dog that just hates them and never backs down, that is not practical. A person can bath a dog only so many times at midnight and that gets old fast! LOL

You might try the achives on this subject also as we have discussed this many times in depth, including how to trap the skunk and release it safely(for both you and the skunk! LOL).

Good luck, LQ

[Cosmic]

Originally Posted by NativeRose

My question is do "moth balls" made of formaldehyde really keep skunks away or is this just another wive's tale?

Probably depends on your particular little skunker.

Some can't be moved out with anything, maybe including nuclear weapons. My neighbor had one living under the porch. He tried everything including moth balls, spraying it various chemicals and even one of them smoke bomb things, ---- lucky he didn't burn down the house. Finally only solved the problem with totally blocking up all entry spaces except a hole to come out and that was blocked once he went out for chow. You guessed it, moved to under his shed, still lives there.

[MichelleB]

I second the vote for predator urine. My mom had a family of skunks under her house, and she'd hired a guy to come with live traps. He'd trap an animal nearly every week, and after a while she joked that he was just releasing them right back into her house to keep the business going.

I heard about using scents, and they tried that; no more skunkies.

After that, she was inspired and began using mountain lion urine on rags in her rose garden...kept the deer out. Mostly.

[Tango]

We have a few dig into our crawl space every year. Mothballs haven't worked for us and neither have baited hav-a-hart traps. We've had to kill them because I am highly allergic to their smell and while they're around my Catahoula comes in every night with wearing their perfume. As I type this another family ofskunks has moved in. The fox urine sounds like somethning I need to try. Thanks Texxas Artist.

[NativeRose]

Thanks for all the information. I will ask my hubby to try the fox urine. Yuck!!
I will also check the archives. Thanks again everyone.

[Little Quacker in OR]

Originally Posted by Tango

We have a few dig into our crawl space every year. Mothballs haven't worked for us and neither have baited hav-a-hart traps. We've had to kill them because I am highly allergic to their smell and while they're around my Catahoula comes in every night with wearing their perfume. As I type this another family ofskunks has moved in. The fox urine sounds like somethning I need to try. Thanks Texxas Artist.

Ok Tango, why can't you get them in a live trap? My curiosity is killing me here! LOL Skunks are not afraid of anything and readily go into a live trap baited with almost anything. If you cover three sides of the trap the little devils will pop right in. However, maybe the predator urine would be a better way for you to go? I have never "met" a skunk that was afraid of anything, much less a fox so I find this very interesting.

LQ

[gobug]

Skunks are mellow critters, with a bad habit. They are quite easy to trap. It is best to close off potential habitats before they make a home.

Now is when the mother skunk is ready to give birth to next year's crop. If you are so lucky, you will benefit from a properly sized trap. Fish flavored cat food has always worked well for me, although I have occasionally caught a cat or raccoon. I have heard that raw eggs also work great.

Chances are if you start trapping now, you will get the mom first. This could be a problem this early since the family is not out and about yet. You might wait until you see signs of the whole group. Mom usually chases Dad away before the litter is born. Once the litter is mobile, she will be out training them whenever weather permits.

There can be several in a litter, and if you bury one under your porch, it will stink for years. You must capture everyone before you close their door. Use flour outside the entry to the den to record footprints. It will give you information about activity.

Use an old shower curtain to protect yourself. Hold it up over your face and body as you approach the trapped skunk. Lay the curtain over the trap and pick it all up at once. Using this method I have never been scented in 15 years.

As long as the trap is covered, the skunk will not spray. You can submerge the whole trap in a trash can full of water to exterminate the peacefull little guy, or you can release it by pulling the curtain back from the gate and opening it away from you.

Next to bats, skunks probably have the highest rate of rabies, so be careful.

[Tango]

I guess our small spotted Florida skunks are smarter than those elsewhere. I've tried all sorts of baits and have only ever caught one feral tomcat.

[mightybooboo]

Moth balls dont work on our raccoons,I will try the fox urine.

BooBoo

[gobug]

Mothballs are dangerous to people. They are not intended for use in people air spaces. Recent news reports that even trace amounts of benzene cause large drops in white blood cell counts. Mothballs are paradichloroBENZENE. The proper use is in an air tight space, like a tightly closed plastic bag. Their effectiveness at repelling critters is myth.

[Renee]

You have my sympathy.
This article appeared today on our regional TV news page:

Skunk Chases Family From Home 3 Times

http://www.newsnet5.com/family/4207630/detail.html

Renee