next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects Hello Henk, I looked around online and found a skunk rescue website that gives some reasons for why skunks spray. http://www.wildskunkrescue.com/thesmellfactor.htm Although I have not had too much problem with skunks here in Canada, it is a different story when down in Bisbee, Arizona for the winter. Many of the houses in town are old miner's shanties and are built on rock, often on steep hillsides so that the house is open beneath, or has a crawl space. Two years ago, it seemed like everyone had skunks hanging out under their houses and were moaning about the odor, dogs and cats being sprayed, etc... My place got skunked 2 or 3 times over the space of a couple of months. Each time, just before it happened, it sounded like there were skunks fighting under the floor. My dogs would wake me up as they could hear the skunks growling under the floor. I suspected that the fighting was either some territorial behaviour, or more likel that the skunks were mating, as mentioned in the article. In any case, the resulting odor was incredibly bad and hung around for at least a week. One night, the odor became so pungent that the dogs were whimpering to get outside and I felt sick (and I am no wimp when it comes to skunk odor). I almost decided to relocate out to the van that night. I don't know that the odor was harmful, but it was definitely very unpleasant. By the way, down in Bisbee, skunk activity is regularly reported in the police beat report of the local paper. The animal control division is very active down there, dealing with such things as bands of javelinas in gardens, burros in the town traffic circle, rattlesnakes in garages, bobcats with babies under porches, and *lots* of skunks. That winter, a skunk even walked in the open front door of one of the local hotels. Fortunately, it departed without incident. regards, bev wigney Round Hill (in summer) --- On Wed, 7/13/11, Henk Kwindt <cbatl@eastlink.ca> wrote: > From: Henk Kwindt <cbatl@eastlink.ca> > Subject: [NatureNS] skunk behaviour questions. > To: "naturens" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> > Received: Wednesday, July 13, 2011, 7:40 PM > > > > > > > > Hi All, > > We have had one or more > skunks on our property for > several years. Every now and then, lets say once a month, a > skunk sprays very > close to the back wall of our house where our open bedroom > window is located. > > I find it hard to believe > that the animal is > threatened so often so close to the house. > Could somebody answer the > following questions > please: > a. What animal would > threaten a skunk? > b. Does a skunk only spray > when threatened or may > be sometimes "for the hack of it" ? > c. would it be unhealthy > to breathe in the strong > odors all night? > > Thanks, Henk Kwindt, Cow > Bay, > NS. >
next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects