Grade a Critter

9 Effective Tips For a Skunk Free Home

Published: February 10, 2022

Skunks are uninvited guests that love to hide in our backyards. Though they are peaceful fellows, their pungent smell makes it difficult for prospects to withstand them. 

Moreover, they dig holes in the soil and hide there, making it difficult to spot them. So if you have one frequently visiting your place, these nine realistic animal controls can help get rid of them. 

9 Effective animal control tips for skunks

  1. Get a motion detector for your backyard

All it takes is a sudden movement or loud noise to scare off skunks. So installing a motion detection sprinkler in your backyard can keep these animals away. 

These motion detector sensors detect motion and heat. It emits a water jet with a loud noise upon sensing the skunk’s shuffling. The animal consequently scampers and runs away. 

It is a natural, non-toxic, and harmless method of animal removal. 

  1. Build an electric fence around 

Another effective method to scare these stinky animals away is by installing an electric fence around the perimeter of your home. It delivers a readily-felt shock for a few seconds, enough to prevent them from entering inside your property. 

All you need are ground rods, aluminum wire, and an energizer to charge the fence. 

Insert the ground rods in the moist soil of your backyard. If wet soil isn’t available, moisten the area with water for better electricity conduction. 

Place aluminum wire at the height of 6 to 12 inches above the ground. The skunk will feel an electric shock whenever they try to enter your premises.

  1. Ultrasonic repellent

Skunks have poorly developed eyesight but have excellent hearing abilities. So their sensitive ears are perfect to use for repelling them. And this is where an ultrasonic repellent works for repelling them. 

Get it installed in your backyard and switch it on. Like electric fences, they also have sensors that detect any movement. The device starts emitting high-pitched, annoying sounds upon detecting the motion. 

Skunks can’t withstand this sound; they run away and might not return. 

  1. Sprinkle repellent granules

These critters enjoy digging holes in the soil, searching for food and shelter, and end up spoiling your garden. It makes you wonder about what you can do to thwart them from digging? 

You can sprinkle a handful of skunk deterrent granules on the soil and into the existing holes. 

These granules are urine-based natural products that have unpleasant aromas. Since these granules are solid and mix well with your ground soil, these critters find it challenging to remove them. And after a few days, you will notice that no skunk visits your home. 

  1. Light up your yard for animal control

These critters are nocturnal and are thus highly active during the night. So if you light up your backyard, their routine gets disturbed. Besides, the sudden transformation from darker to brighter environments is sufficient to startle them. 

  1. Tightly secure your garbage bins

Being omnivores, skunks scavenge anything, both plant or animal stuff, making your trash a buffet for them. So you offer them a steady food source if you don’t securely seal your garbage bins. And, in no time, they will be your permanent guests. 

  1. Remove the eatables

Skunks can survive on anything edible and may even go through your trash to fill their stomach. They gobble up your fruits, bird feeder, or anything edible that you leave for pets. So walk around the property, check, and remove any accessible food items.

  1. Find and remove their shelter options

Skunks love burrowing and living in dark places, invisible to the predators. So you only invite them to stay in your home has suitable hiding places.

So how can you prevent them from staying over your place? The first thing you can do is declutter all your trash, thus minimizing its chances of hiding in it. Next, clean your backyard and throw away any wood or unused materials. 

Additionally, you can routinely trim the overgrown bushes and remove compost. 

Look for any openings and cracks and promptly repair them if you find any. Also, remember to cover all the drainage pipes. A decluttered place offers no place for skunks to hide. 

  1. Trap and relocate

Trapping these nuisance animals and relocating them at least six miles away from your property is the best animal control tip you can follow. 

You can set the skunk trap at a spot they frequently visit using bacon, chicken, canned tuna, etc., as bait. The creature gets attracted to the irresistible smell of these items and will get trapped.

Check the trap frequently, and relocate the critter as soon as it gets trapped, else the animal might die. 

Skunks not only pose a threat to your property and pets but your health as well. They are common carriers of dangerous diseases like rabies, tularemia, canine distemper, etc. 

Therefore it is essential to get them safely removed from your place. You can easily keep these stinky critters away by implementing these nine animal control tips. 

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