What do skunks eat in the winter?
Skunks are omnivores, so they will eat plant and animal material. Since they are slow moving animals, they cannot chase after their food, so they will feed on anything that is available. During the fall and winter months, these mammals will eat plant and animal materials equally.
How much food should a baby skunk eat?
Kits (baby skunks) less than four months old need to eat four times a day (like puppies do). They only need about 3 tablespoons worth of food per meal. The food can be a combination of a third protein, a third carbohydrate, and a third vegetable.
Should you feed skunks and raccoons?
Skunks and raccoons are wild animals looking for a readily available food source, and feeding them will encourage them to keep coming back for more. While you might think you are doing a good thing by feeding skunks or raccoons, you could actually be jeopardizing the health of your family and your pets.
What is the best exotic pet diet for skunks?
One of the most popular is from the Exotic Nutrition Pet Company's Skunk Diet, and they also make skunk nutritional supplements and a canned insect diet for any protein-craving exotic pet. It might be easier for you to make the skunk's meals yourself.
What can I feed my skunk?
The diet of skunks in the wild consists of whole prey, insects, eggs and some fruit and vegetable matter. Skunks in zoos have been fed a variety of diets with success. We recommend a diet of 75% formulated diet (zoo omnivore, insectivore and low-fat high quality dog food) and 25% a variety of vegetables and fruits.
What should you not feed a skunk?
What NOT to feed a SkunkNO leaf or iceberg lettuce.NO cat food (dry or canned) Cat food is high in fat and protein and should only be used as a last resort if a skunk won't eat anything else.NO sweets.NO chocolate.NO fatty foods.NO fried foods.NO lunch meat (salami, bologna, etc.)NO hot-dogs.More items...
What kind of vegetables do skunks eat?
These veggies may include bell peppers, red cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and cauliflower. It can be served fresh or frozen or fresh. Skunks also eat cooked foods though they should only be fed such food once a month. Such food could be potatoes, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash.
What kind of fruit do skunks eat?
Skunks that live in the wild will eat a variety of berries and your pet skunk can also enjoy this type of fruit. Items such as black berries, strawberries. blueberries and raspberries can all be purchased at your local grocery story or at fruit stands. Always use fresh or frozen fruit and nothing processed.
What is a skunk's favorite food?
Diet. Skunks prefer meat, but will also eat plants and vegetation. Insects, small animals, birds, eggs, poultry, worms, berries, grubs, and grasshoppers are also common food sources. Skunks are attracted to honey and also foods with a strong odor.
Do skunks eat peanut butter?
Although skunks are known to eat opportunistically, they are most attracted to oily, meat-based baits like fish and chicken. They have a strong sense of smell, so anything particularly smelly works best - even peanut butter has been proven to lure in skunks.
Do skunks like bananas?
When choosing fruit, choose mostly low-sugar options like berries and melons. However, high-sugar fruits like bananas, apples, or pears won't hurt if given in small amounts. Finally, leafy greens should make up a large portion of your skunk's vegetable intake (just skip the lettuce).
Is cheese good for skunks?
Carnitine and Taurine Needs Heart problems in skunks sometimes are triggered by insufficient amounts of carnitine or the amino acid taurine in their diets. Strong taurine sources include insects, fish, eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, cheese and cottage cheese.
Can skunks eat egg shells?
Use an enclosed compost bin, since skunks like to eat old fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells, and other items that you may be composting.
Is cat food okay for skunks?
High fat or high protein diets make a skunk fat and lazy which leads to poor health. DO NOT FEED CAT FOOD. Cat food has too much fat and too high protien content for skunks.
Do skunks eat bird seed?
Skunks also enjoy eating bird seed, which can sometimes be a nuisance when it comes to bird feeders. If you have an issue with skunks living in your garden, removing any bird feeders -- particularly during the night hours -- may help you solve the dilemma.
Do skunks like cat food?
Skunks need a mix of fruits, vegetable matter, carbohydrates, and protein like we do. And don't be taken in by those begging faces; skunks will eat even when they are full. (Sound like anyone you know?) Asparagus and cat food are not healthy for skunks.
Can skunks eat human food?
Skunks generally do well when they're fed lean proteins such as fish or chicken, cooked grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. Leafy greens in particular make good veggies for skunks. Good vegetables and fruits to feed skunks include: Carrots.
Is chocolate poisonous to skunks?
Please do NOT use chocolate as a skunk repellent. The theobromine found in chocolate is poisonous to skunks, as well as many other animals.
Can skunks eat raw meat?
Skunks should be offered a variety of proteins; meats and dairy should total about 60 to 70 percent of the diet. Chicken and quail eggs can be offered raw, boiled or scrambled -- with or without the shell. Offer raw chicken or marrow bone once a week.
Can skunks eat peanuts?
During the fall and winter, when food is scarce, skunks will scavenge for fruit, nuts, bird seed, and pet food. As a last resort, skunks will eat small mammals, including mice, rats, rabbits, and chicken eggs.
How much food should a skunk eat?
They only need about 3 tablespoons worth of food per meal.
What do skunks eat?
It would be like raising a child on a diet of only hamburgers, fried chicken, and water. They wouldn't be too healthy for too long. Skunks need a mix of fruits, vegetable matter, carbohydrates, and protein like we do. And don't be taken in by those begging faces; skunks will eat even when they are full.
What would you write about if you were a skunk?
If I was a skunk, I'd write about all of the foods I'd want to eat, but not much about the foods I'd need to eat. Pet skunks have the same problem of overeating, just as we do. Fortunately for the pet skunk, the owner is in control of the dietary choices; an overweight skunk risks dying an early death just like an overweight person.
How to keep a skunk as a pet?
First, make sure you get a skunk from a skunk breeder—do not just pull one out of the wilderness. Second, make sure you get them spayed and neutered and descented, as this will make it much easier for you to keep one as a pet. This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge.
How long do skunks live?
So long as you feed your skunk a healthy diet and keep them active, they can live up to ten years. However, like humans, they are susceptible to becoming obese along with all of the complications associated with having too much body fat. That's why it's important to know what you should and shouldn't feed your skunk.
What to feed a sailor?
And their evening meal can be: 1 ½ to ¾ cup fresh or cooked veggies 2 2 tablespoons of cooked chicken or turkey 3 1 to 2 teaspoons of nuts, cooked grains, or bread 4 1 teaspoon of yogurt
Can skunks eat anything?
Pet skunks will eat just about anything. Since they are still relatively new in the pet world, how to best feed a skunk is still the subject of some debate and probably will be as long as people care about keeping skunks happy and healthy.
What do skunks eat?
These animals, like many large rodents, have feeding habits and special diet systems. Skunks are omnivores, so they will eat plant and animal material. Since they are slow moving animals, they cannot chase after their food, so they will feed on anything that is available.
Why do skunks have long claws?
Their long claws and strong feet allow them to easily dig for food. Skunks benefits from low fat foods that have low protein contents. Foods that have high counts of these will make the skunk fat and will also result in laziness and lethargy, which can shorten the lifespan of the animal.
Do skunks raid food?
Skunks are also known to raid a food that may have been stored by another rodent like a weasel . Skunks themselves are not food storers. They eat everything they find and do not being food back to their dens. Most skunks will be seen foraging for food on their own. It is rare to see multiple skunks in the same location.
Do skunks hunt at night?
They spend most of their time foraging and they will hunt at night when not sleeping. Most skunks will be highly drawn to grubs, which they can smell through the layers of soil. Skunks are great diggers, and will make holes in the ground to find grubs and other insects.
Do skunks hibernate?
Since skunks do not hibern ate, they have to be able to find food sources throughout the year, which can be difficult during winter months. However, these animals enjoy many types of food that is found in the wild and they will also eat human food if it is offered or can be found.
Can skunks harm property?
Though they can be destructive to gardens and have been known to damage property at times, they are rather harmless if left alone. If skunks do become threatened, they will warn their predators with stomping and noises before they emit a powerful and pungent spray.
Do skunks eat animals?
However, during the spring and summer, they tend to lean more towards animal materials since they are more common and easily avaiobale. In regards to preferred foods, skunks are not overly picky. They will eat the first thing they come upon, making it easy for them to sustain in the wild.
Making Sure The Kits Are Orphaned
As humans, we like to swoop in and save helpless baby animals without giving it much thought. But we encourage you to take a step back from the situation. We need to make sure that these babies are actually orphaned and that the mother isn’t coming back for them. So keep an eye out on the baby.
Checking The Laws
Now that the orphaned skunks are inside and safe, you will need to check your local laws. Currently, it’s only legal to keep skunks in 17 states. And if you have too much contact with the kits, it’s nearly impossible to release them back into the wild. So it might be best to contact your local wildlife agency to care for the skunks.
Preparing A Home For Them
One of the first things you will need to do is figure out where to put your baby skunk. A warm dark place is best for them with old towels for bedding. Some people prefer to use an old cardboard box, but it won’t be long until they outgrow this.
The First 24 Hours
Now that your skunk kits are inside and safe, the most important thing to do is warm them up. Most people want to jump right into feeding and giving animals water. But this could cause more harm than good. The reason for this is that it takes a lot of energy to digest food.
Estimating The Age & How Much To Feed
With your baby skunk rehydrating, it’s time to start guessing how old your baby kit is. To do this, you will need a scale and an excellent observation of the skunk. Here is what to look for when guessing how old your kits are and how much to feed them. You can also use this as a guide to keeping up with your skunk’s growth and development.
How To Feed A Baby Skunk
Now that you know how old your skunk is and what they need to eat, you might be wondering how to feed it. Most people want to jump right in and buy bottles used to nurse kittens or puppies. But you don’t want to do this. Skunks are very aggressive eaters, and if you feed them with a bottle, they will engorge themselves.
The Best Formula
What to feed orphaned baby skunks wouldn’t be complete without talking about the best formula to buy. It’s essential to find a formula that will have everything skunks need. The best formula on the market is Esbilac for puppies.
How long do skunks stay with their mom?
They get together only for the purpose of mating. The mother skunk then raises her babies by herself . The kits will stay with her for about eight months, then they’re ready to go off on their own.
What happens if a skunk visits a neighbor's yard?
If one of your skunks visits a neighboring yard, the homeowner might freak out a little, call animal control and the little fellow could end up trapped and then killed. Skunks can harbor rabies and so it’s standard operating procedure to euthanize all captured skunks.
Is it illegal to feed skunks?
It is illegal to intentionally feed wildlife, so I hope you’ll let nature take care things and you can continue to enjoy and cherish the occasional skunk visitor without interfering with their activities. They don’t need us to provide them with food. They prefer fruit, plants, insects, mice and reptiles.
Do skunks rely on humans?
Your skunk friends are starting to rely on you for food and shelter, and in doing so, they are becoming comfortable around people. That likely will lead them to think all humans are kind and will provide them food when they approach, and unfortunately, that’s not going to happen.
What Are the Risks Associated with Feeding These Wild Animals?
Skunks and raccoons are wild animals looking for a readily available food source, and feeding them will encourage them to keep coming back for more. While you might think you are doing a good thing by feeding skunks or raccoons, you could actually be jeopardizing the health of your family and your pets.
Is skunk spray dangerous?
While a skunk’s spray isn’t necessarily dangerous, it can cause eye irritation and even temporary blindness. The bottom line: you don’t want to feed them and encourage them onto your property.
Can a skunk get rabies?
Skunks and rabbits sometimes carry rabies, which can be transmitted via biting , and their urine and feces can also spread disease. Raccoon secretions, for instance, can transmit leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that can cause flu-like symptoms or even kidney and liver problems.
What do skunks eat?
Since they live primarily on insects, snakes, frogs, lizards, rodents, eggs, fruits, vegetation and even carrion , they are very useful creatures to have in our environment.
What to do if a skunk is sick?
If a skunk is exhibiting any or all of the above conditions, you should avoid the animal and call your local Animal Control. The animal may have distemper, rabies, or some other disease. Do not attempt to trap, feed, or handle the sick animal. Keep pets, livestock and other humans away from the area where the skunk was seen.
Why do skunks move their babies?
Skunk mothers move their den, which is normally an excavated area or hollow in the ground sometimes under slabs, porches, sheds, or decks, frequently in order to keep the scent from attracting predators. When the babies are under 5-6 weeks old, she will carry them from one den to another. If the mother is killed, injured, or senses danger during the moving process, the babies will be in jeopardy.
How to tell if a baby is a skunk?
If you see a baby out during the daytime, wait to see if the baby either finds his den again or the mother returns. Once skunk babies get to about 6-7 weeks old, they start exploring outside the den, but their mother is generally not far away. An orphaned baby will generally appear frantic, more so as he/she gets hungrier. If you think the mother won’t be returning, you can either place an inverted laundry basket over the baby or babies to help you keep track of them or try to catch them and place them in a box or pet carrier.
How old are skunks when they open their eyes?
The babies’ eyes don’t open until 3-4 weeks of age. Their teeth start coming in after that, although they can’t do any damage with their bites until their jaws get strong enough, about 7-8 weeks old. Until they are juveniles at between 10-12 weeks of age, about the size of a small cantaloupe, they usually can’t spray on purpose and aren’t very good with their aim. Usually, they are quite harmless unless they have a disease. Before attempting to capture the skunks, we would recommend wearing gloves and/or calling for assistance if you have any concerns about your situation.
What to do if you pick up a baby skunk?
Before attempting to capture the skunks, we would recommend wearing gloves and/or calling for assistance if you have any concerns about your situation. If you have picked up a baby skunk who has genuinely lost his/her mother, first you need to place him in a warm, secure, quiet place away from children and pets.
Do skunks move around in the day?
A skunk moving about in the daytime is not necessarily cause for concern. While skunks are primarily active at night, when food is scarce and particularly when a mother skunk has babies to feed, it is sometimes necessary for skunks to search for food during the day as well.
How to eradicate a skunk?
If you have a skunk in your environment, there are several ways of eradicating it; By Trapping: You can use bait and set a trap to cage it. Skunks are omnivores, they eat anything, but they take special likings to anything fleshy.
What is a skunk?
Skunks are a set of annoying, mischievous, irritating, and destructive pests that find it easy to call anywhere home to the detriment of the landowners.
What is the poison that causes a skunk to convulse?
It causes renal failure caused by the production of hypercalcemia that leads to the calcification of the system’s soft tissue. Strychnine: This poison exterminates all kinds of pests. When it is taken in either by swallowing or by inhaling, it causes convulsion in skunk.
What to do if a skunk sprays on clothes?
If a skunk sprays on your clothes, you have no alternative than to throw the clothes away.
How long does skunk spray last?
A single dose of spray has a long-lasting foul odor that changes the ambiance of the environment for at least six months. It is almost impossible to get rid of the odor except you get a chemical used to eradicate the smell of skunk’s spray.
What happens if a skunk is left alone?
If a skunk is left alone, ti will keep breeding its young ones under your house- this means more skunks, each having one reason or the other to spray each other, a pet, or you. Trapping skunk is not only difficult and sometimes impossible; it is a time and energy-wasting exercise.
Why is it important to relocate a skunk?
Relocating skunk is more like making another landlord as you go through the stress of catching it. It increases the chances of re-visitation because that landlord in an attempt to keep it far away might drop skunk by your neighborhood again. Skunk is not different from rats, mice, or snake.