About skunks
Skunks are moderately sized mammals that are most known for their
capability to spray a liquid containing strong odor. There are
diverse species of Skunks in the world today, they include; Striped
skunks, Spotted skunks, skunks, Hooded skunks, and Aposematic.
Appearance
Skunks come in different colors; however, they are mostly found in
Black and white, cream, or brown colors. Though, the animals may
vary in size, but usually measure between 40 and 90cm in length, and
weigh between 0.5 and 8.2kg. The Hog-nosed skunks seem to be bigger
than other species, while the spotted skunks have the least body
weights. Most skunks do have furs that are predominantly white or
black in color, however, all skunks have stripes, even from the
moment they are born. Skunks may have single stripe, or a stripe
that runs from the back to the tail. Some skunks may have broken
stripes, while others have thinner stripes that may show up in their
legs.
Biology
Skunks do not often hibernate during winter, but they are relatively
in active during such periods. When winter periods are over, as many
as 12 female skunks can live together in one then, while the males
are known to stay alone. Skunks have perfect sense of smell,
however, their vision is very poor, and can hardly see objects that
are beyond 3 meters away from them, thus , they are vulnerable to
death. Skunks give birth to their young ones alive. Pregnant female
skunks generally pass through a gestation period of about 65 days.
Life cycle
Skunks do have a life cycle of between 2 and 10 years.
Habitat
Skunks are known to shelter inside burrows, especially inside
woodlands and somewhere they can find softer soil to dig. Skunks are
predominantly found in rural areas but they are now found in urban
areas due to rapid expansion into rural regions
Diet
Skunks are predominantly Omnivorous in nature, thus they can consume
plant and animal materials. They are capable of changing their diets
from one season to another. Skunks are capable of eating insects,
larvae, worms, snakes, frogs, birds, lizards, moles and eggs. They
can also consume leaves, roots, berries, birds, rodents and
leftovers from pet foods.
Behavior
When not breeding, Skunks are generally solitary in nature, the
females often give birth around the month of May, and shortly before
then the pregnant skunk excavates its then to provide enough room
for its litter. Skunks are usually deaf and blind when born,
however, they are covered in their mother’s furs for protection.
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Read more articles about skunks that I wrote based on my years of experience. Find out if it is
legal to trap a skunk and what to do if a skunk gets
inside your house. Learn some humane ways to
kill a skunk in a cage and if it is safe to handle a skunk with
bare hands. I can show you how to keep skunks out of your a href="skunkgarden.html">Garden and how to
Exclude Skunks without Trapping Them. Find out if skunks
fight each other or are generally
aggressive. Learn if skunk feces are
dangerous to touch or breathe and what you should do with a skunk after you
catch it. I can show you the
equipment that is needed to trap a skunk as well as how to
Find and Remove a Dead Skunk. Read about the
Diseases Skunks Carry, why skunks
dig, and about their
natural diet. Learn, too, if a skunk under a shed or porch will have a
nest of babies.
Go back to the main
Skunk Removal page for
more information about About skunks.