If you are experiencing a skunk invasion on your property, you will want to know all that you can about skunks before you begin your adventure of getting rid of them. Skunks are small in size and are furry mammals. They are black with white stripes in many cases but there are a variety of them to view. It doesn’t matter what patterns the skunk has; they all feature a signature defense mechanism that you will never forget if you ever smell it.
The size of a skunk
The size is going to depend on the species of the skunk but for most, they get to be about as big as a cat. They will grow up to 19 inches long and can weigh up to 14 pounds.
The habitat of a skunk
Because there are different species of skunks, there are also a wider range of habitats to consider. The most common habitats include shrubbery, mixed with woods and grass, forests, agricultural areas, as well as urban areas. Each species has their own choices in habitat. There are times when human development or human decisions can destroy the habitat of the skunk.
The diet of a skunk
The diet of the skunk is wide ranged. They can find something to eat in about any location they travel to. Skunks like to feast on worms and larvae as well as reptiles, birds, amphibians, small mammals, eggs, roots, small creatures, nuts, berries, grasses, mushrooms, leaves, fruits, and seeds.
Because they like worms and larvae, as well as small creatures including small mammals, they tend to dig around in the yard leaving holes that not only look bad but can make mowing difficult.
The life cycle of a skunk
When it comes to the life cycle of a skunk, it is very interesting to know how it comes about. Skunks find more than one mate during the breeding season that starts in February and goes through about the end of March. Afterwards, the male will leave the female and have nothing to do with the babies or providing for the babies.
Most litters contain between four and eight babies which are born between the last part of April and the early part of June. The gestation period lasts between 62 and 68 days. When the babies are born, they cannot see, they are completely helpless, and even though they are born without any hair, their striped pattern is noticeable on their bodies. Their eyes will soon open around the 22nd day of life and once they reach between the age of six and eight weeks, they will start the process of weaning from their mother and begin to forage around for food with their mother.
Female skunks normally reach sexual maturity at 12 months while males tend to reach it at the age of 10 months.
When does the ability to spray begin for a skunk?
Spraying will start early for a skunk, in some cases, just a few weeks old. The spray is an oil based spray that is sprayed out of the scent glands located below the tail of the skunk. It isn’t until they are around the age of three months until they master the skill of spraying.
Skunks spray because they are either startled or scared by something or they have received an injury and are in pain. They don’t spray just to annoy humans.
When a skunk is ready to spray, they will normally give you enough warning to run before they do. For example, they may hiss at you or growl. Some will thump their food or make a shrieking sound. The most obvious sign is when they turn around with their tail toward you, raise their tail, and look over their shoulders at you. This is probably a good sign that it's too late to run and you are about to get sprayed.
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