Animals
- Small mammals – Skunks regularly eat mice, rats, moles and other small mammals, but usually in the winter time.
- Lizards and salamanders – Small lizards like salamanders, skinks, or anoles make a great source of protein for skunks.
- Frogs – Skunks will make a meal out of just about anything smaller than they are, including frogs and toads.
How to keep skunks away from your house and yard?
- If you set a trap, be sure to check it at least every 24 hours to make sure you don't capture an animal and keep it from having food or ...
- Bait the skunk trap with peanut butter, canned sardines, cat food, or another strong-smelling food. ...
- Traps designed for raccoons, feral cats, and other wild animals also work well for skunks.
What kind of bait to catch a skunk?
- Canned fish (such as sardines)
- Fresh insect larvae (such as may beetles)
- Bacon
- Cat food or bread with peanut butter
- Marshmallows
How to create a natural skunk repellent?
Easy-to-Use Skunk Repellent Tips and Recipes
- Preventative Measures. Everything is attracted to food sources. ...
- Easy, Low Maintenance DIY Skunk Repellent. ...
- The Ultimate Homemade Skunk Repellent: Homemade Hot Pepper Spray. ...
- Using Household Cleaners. ...
- Urine – the Ultimate Natural Skunk Repellent. ...
- Motion Sensor. ...
What do skunks eat in captivity?
What do Skunks eat in zoos and captivity? In a captive or zoo environment, a skunk is usually fed with commercial insectivores, omnivores and carnivores diet. These commercial foods are manufactured by many different brands for animals like skunks.
Is it OK to feed skunks?
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 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 do you feed domesticated skunks?
Fresh, cooked or thawed frozen vegetables and occasional fruits, cooked poultry like chicken, and healthy foods made with grains, such as cereal, should all be fed. Nuts, cooked grains, a few pieces of dog food, and yogurt should also be mixed into the diet.
What is the favorite food of a skunk?
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 wild skunks eat apples?
Fruits and vegetables Skunks also eat certain fruit and vegetables. They are especially fond of fruits like berries, grapes, apples, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, frozen fruits, and many others they might find on fruit farms.
Do skunks eat carrots?
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.
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 banana?
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).
What happens when you feed a skunk?
So long as you feed your skunk a healthy diet and keep them active, they can live up to 10 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 give your skunk.
Do skunks eat bird seed?
Skunks eat mice, eggs, lizards, frogs, beetles, earthworms, garbage, acorns and fruit. They are also heavily attracted to bird seed or sunflower seeds. Skunks are usually not dangerous but are more of an annoyance because of their spray, which carries an extremely unpleasant smell.
What time do skunks come out to eat?
nightSkunk Feeding Habits Skunks conduct all of their business when it's dark outside, as they are nocturnal creatures, according to the Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development division. Because they are nocturnal, they feed at night.
Do skunks drink water?
Skunks generally do not drink a great deal of water, but clean water should always be available.
1. Insects
Insects are a major part of a skunk’s diet making up around 70% of their daily intake. They are great at foraging for insects of all species and sizes. Insects provide skunks with an excellent source of protein and also water.
2. Bees & Honey
Skunks are the number one predator for honey bees and their hives. The skunk will eat both the bees and the honeycomb inside.
3. Rodents
Skunks are known to eat small rodents such as mice, rats, and moles. Although they won’t specifically go hunting for rodents, they will eat them if given the chance.
4. Amphibian & reptiles
Skunks are also known to eat amphibians and reptiles such as frogs, toads, snakes, lizards, and salamanders. Depending on the environment these can be available in large numbers and easy for skunks to catch.
5. Birds & eggs
Skunks will eat ground-feeding birds they find in the wild. That’s because skunks aren’t great at climbing and can’t really get to birds that are higher up. That is unless those birds are sick or injured.
6. Fruits & vegetable
When food sources are scarcer in the winter month skunks will fill up by eating fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Skunks aren’t really fussy about what type of fruit and veg they eat, yet leafy greens are often a favorite. Fruit and veg keep skunks healthy by providing them with nutrients and vitamins as well as a good source of fiber.
7. Vegetation, grains & fungi
Skunks like quite a variety of vegetation as part of their diet. They will happily feast on leaves, buds, grasses, and grains.
What do skunks eat?
Here’s the answer. Skunks are omnivorous which means they eat both meat and plant. With that in mind, they’ll eat insects, small rodents, as well as berries and nuts. Below is a more complete list of foods that skunks are known for eating.
How old are skunks when they emerge from the den?
The mother will go out foraging for food at night and return to her young in the den to nurse them. Once they reach about 2 months old the babies will emerge from the den and begin learning, with the mother’s guidance, how to forage and take care of themselves. By 4 months old they are small replicas of adult skunks.
Do skunks eat chicken eggs?
Birds – While skunks don’t typically eat flying birds unless they get the drop on them, they do have a reputation with chickens. See more on this below. Eggs – Skunks are notorious egg thieves and will nab any they can, especially chicken eggs if they get into the coop.
Can skunks eat cats?
No, skunks do not eat cats. A cat is much too big for a skunk to eat as a meal, however if defenseless kittens are left unattended it’s possible that a skunk may take one as a meal. So keep small kittens in your care safe indoors if you have seen skunks in or around your property.
Do skunks eat fish?
Snakes – Skunks will even hunt and eat venomous snakes since skunks are immune to snake venom. Fish – Skunk prefer hunting on land, but will eat fish on occasion. If you have a koi pond watch out for skunks.
Do skunks climb fences?
Because of their short stocky bodies they are excellent diggers and will typically gain entrance to the coops this way. Skunks aren’t known for being climbers so climbing fences likely isn’t their preferred way of entering the coop.
Do skunks attack cats?
If you have an indoor/outdoor cat that is regularly fed outdoors then be wary of skunks. If a skunk comes upon a dish of cat food and a cat is standing in its way, it may very well attack the cat by any means necessary to claim the meal. So do watch out for skunks when it comes to outdoor cats.
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.
Skunks Habitat
Skunks will quickly adapt to different habitats that provide them food and shelter. However, these animals will mostly prefer to live close to a water source.
What Do Skunks Usually Eat?
Skunks are omnivorous animals, so they can adapt their diet based on the food they find according to each season. While during summer, skunks will go for some easy food that consists of small prey and insects, during the colder months, they might have issues accessing these natural sources.
What Do Skunks Eat-In Urban Areas?
Very often, skunks leave behind their wild areas and get closer to the urban settlements. This mostly happens when they find themselves in extreme cases. Unfortunately, these animals can invade homes and feed with any food they see in the garbage or human gardens.
How To Feed Pet Skunks
Although their odors are not that pleasing, some people love the idea of keeping a skunk as their favorite pet.
Last Thoughts
Skunks do not have a peculiar diet, but they need to seek the ideal nutrients to survive, especially during the winter months. Since the skunks do not hibernate, they will always look for food from different sources.
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.
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.
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.
