Skunk Removal

Skunk Problems

Skunks, like many pest animals, are widely adaptable and have no problem living in more populated areas that other animals avoid. And of course, their notorious smell means that you often know when one has moved into your neighborhood. Beyond just their smell, skunks can be quite a nuisance, getting into the trash, damaging gardens, raiding chicken coops, and digging holes.

A skunk can cause a lot of problems when they build a den near your home. These include:

• Spraying you: Skunks are notorious for their spray. It smells awful and can take weeks to get rid of. Being sprayed is also dangerous as it can cause blindness.
• Spreading disease: Skunks are one of the most common carriers of rabies, according to the CDC. Having them near your home is a serious health concern.
• Damaging your lawn: These smelly animals are known to burrow into people’s gardens in search of grub. This can ruin your garden, especially if you put a lot of time into maintaining it.

First Choice Wildlife Services will catch and remove skunks, ensuring that your family and pets are safe from skunk attacks and sprays. We will work to eliminate any future issues by addressing areas of entry and skunk living spaces. Skunks can carry rabies and other diseases, not to mention their permeating odor.

We cover a wide range of cities across Colorado, including Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Boulder, Longmont, and Denver. As one of the most highly experienced wildlife control services in Colorado, we’re your local skunk removal experts. Contact us today at 970-460-4044.

Removing Skunks

A skunk moving into your property can be a difficult problem to deal with. In the wild, a skunk will typically make its home in a hollow log, abandoned animal hole, or another protected area. But when they move into a populated area like Fort Collins, they often seek shelter under a porch, shed, or other structure.

When a skunk moves into a cozy spot beneath your deck, it can be difficult to remove. This is primarily because of the ability to produce their notorious sulfur spray from specialized anal glands. But that’s not all, skunks can cause other damage to your property. As an omnivorous scavenger, skunks will help themselves to any available food – including trash, pet food, chicken eggs, and garden crops.

Also, as a skunk looks for a place to live, they occasionally get stuck in basement window wells or even find a way into your crawl space. Removing a stuck skunk is a delicate (and often smelly) process.        

Removing a skunk is a tricky business. Not only do you need a lot of knowledge and experience to avoid getting sprayed, but you’ll also need a permit to comply with Colorado’s laws.

            That means that your only options are to prevent the skunk infestation from happening in the first place. You can do this by having a well-maintained fence around your home, as this prevents the pests from entering your property. You should also clean up your garden and keep your trash secured, as scraps of food can attract pests.

Preventing a Skunk Problem

As with most pest animals, there is no easy solution for preventing skunks from making a home on your property. But there are things you can do to limit the possibility of a skunk moving onto your Fort Collins property:

• Block Access: Most skunks are looking for a place that mimics their natural habitat. You can prevent skunks by blocking access to common sleeping places, such as under decks/porches, under sheds, and in your crawl space.
• Remove Food: Because skunks are nocturnal scavengers, they spend their nights looking for food sources. Store trash and pet food in a secure container, secure chicken coops, and fence off your garden to prevent providing an attractive food source to skunks.

But even if you’ve taken these precautions, there is no way to guarantee you’ll stay skunk-free. No spray or treatment can be used to drive off skunks, so if one moves onto your property, it might be time to contact a professional.

What To Do if a Skunk Sprays

Skunks are likely to spray when they are cornered or threatened and the lingering smell from the skunk can last for days. Dogs are the most common recipient of a skunk’s spray, but they won’t hesitate to spray a human that gets in their way either. Before a skunk uses its spray, it will give several warning signs that should allow you to get out of its path. The skunk will stomp its feet, begin shuffling away, and arch its back if you see these signs, which means the skunk is preparing to release its infamous spray. 

You’ve probably heard all sorts of folk remedies for dealing with the odor (like bathing in tomato juice), but there is a proven and simple method. If you or a pet gets sprayed, you can create a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid dish soap that will remove most of the odor. Here’s the recipe:

• 1-quart hydrogen peroxide
• ¼ cup baking soda
• Roughly 1 teaspoon of dish soap

Mix the ingredients and use it as a shampoo or body wash as quickly as possible. Let the mixture soak for around five minutes and then rinse with clean water.

Call First Choice Wildlife Services

            Our experts at First Choice Wildlife Services are equipped with years of experience and the gear to quickly remove skunks. As a wildlife removal company, we also have the permits needed to capture skunks and other wildlife.

            Give us a call if you live in the areas of Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Greeley, Longmont, or Loveland in Colorado. We’re always eager to help solve people’s skunk problems!

The Damage That Skunks Do to Your Property

    Skunks are a very common animal throughout the United States, as they have become very comfortable living in urban settings. While they might seem cute and harmless other than their ability to spray, they can actually present quite the problem when it comes to damaging your property and buildings. Continue reading to find out more about skunks and how they damage your property, as well as how you can remove them safely and effectively.

Why Are Skunks Attracted to My Property?

    You may be wondering why skunks would choose to come onto your property in the first place. This is generally a straightforward answer, however, every situation varies. Generally, skunks will come onto a property for food and shelter. One of the best ways to make your yard less attractive to skunks is to get rid of any of these easy sources of food and shelter. Seal up any pet food and garbage you have laying around. Be sure to pick up any fallen fruit from trees. Always keep a clean yard by cleaning up any wood piles or tall grass, as these are excellent places for critters to live. Simply by performing these tasks, you can reduce your chances of having skunks invade your property.

What Damage Do Skunks Cause?

    While skunks seem relatively harmless, they can cause a good amount of damage to your home and property. Skunks are burrowing creatures that will settle in once they have found a home. To settle in, they often dig large dens underground, usually up against a structure. Oftentimes, this happens to be right next to the foundation of a home or building. This is a problem, as these dens and burrows will potentially weaken the foundation of buildings, creating a serious problem in the long run. When the foundation fails, it can cause serious damage that will potentially cost thousands of dollars to fix. 

    As if the potential for the weakening foundations was not enough, skunks can also harm your property in other ways. Since skunks love to root around in yards for grubs, they can really make a mess out of yards and gardens with their rooting around. In addition, gardens of the vegetable and flower variety can be potentially wiped out if the skunk decides to hunt around them. The final, fairly big bit of damage skunks can cause is if you have any small pets or birds around. If you have chickens, ducks, geese, or other fowl, skunks will certainly try to eat them and their eggs. In addition, small pets can often get into fights with skunks, which is never a good thing.

How to Get Rid of Skunks

   Since skunks can cause a large amount of damage to your home and your property, it is important to remove them as soon as you can. It might seem easy enough to just throw a cage trap out and bait it. It is rarely this simple with skunks because many times there are more than one and they quickly get wise to cage traps. In addition to the potential for being sprayed, the dangerous diseases skunks carry is another reason why it is oftentimes a better idea to hire a professional wildlife removal company.

Why Hire First Choice Wildlife Services?

Since skunks can present quite the problem when they inhabit your property, give us a call here at First Choice Wildlife Services. We have been proudly servicing much of Colorado for all kinds of nuisance wildlife management, from skunks to bats, and virtually every other nuisance animal in between. Not only will we treat animals with ethical and humane treatment, but we also respect our clients and strive to keep them safe during all parts of the removal process. Be sure to give us a call at First Choice Wildlife Services if you have a skunk problem, big or small!