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- Thread starter RavenSky
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OK I have a problem. A Skung problem!
A while ago I posted this photo but it's not about the turkey this time. That cat fence and the lattice fencing on the right goes under the porch to the side of the house. It;s a cat fance to keep the cats in.. And on the other side of the porch is the deck. Under the porch is about 2 chords of firewood at least.
At dusk I was out tonight and heard the noise of small animals at the wood lattice fencing. I went out into the cat fence and checked under the porch and there was the skunk inside the fence. I could see recently disturbed dirt. They have dug under the wood lattice and can go in and out. I strongly fear that they have their den inside the fencing under the deck. And of course that's where the cats go and there is a cat flap door under the deck into the basement.
So I have blocked the cat flap of course. But what to do? Tomorrow during daylight I will investigate closer. The skunks should be asleep.
I just went out the porch door onto the deck and looked down into the yard and there was a young skunk in the middle of the yard inside the fence. When it saw me it went under the porch.
CRAP CRAP. I hope not but fear that they have their den inside the fence under the porch. So far I think that it's at least two young ones. I haven't seen any full gown ones around the fence.
CRAP CRAP.
A while ago I posted this photo but it's not about the turkey this time. That cat fence and the lattice fencing on the right goes under the porch to the side of the house. It;s a cat fance to keep the cats in.. And on the other side of the porch is the deck. Under the porch is about 2 chords of firewood at least.
At dusk I was out tonight and heard the noise of small animals at the wood lattice fencing. I went out into the cat fence and checked under the porch and there was the skunk inside the fence. I could see recently disturbed dirt. They have dug under the wood lattice and can go in and out. I strongly fear that they have their den inside the fencing under the deck. And of course that's where the cats go and there is a cat flap door under the deck into the basement.
So I have blocked the cat flap of course. But what to do? Tomorrow during daylight I will investigate closer. The skunks should be asleep.
I just went out the porch door onto the deck and looked down into the yard and there was a young skunk in the middle of the yard inside the fence. When it saw me it went under the porch.
CRAP CRAP. I hope not but fear that they have their den inside the fence under the porch. So far I think that it's at least two young ones. I haven't seen any full gown ones around the fence.
CRAP CRAP.
I just realized the young skunks are probably attracted to all of the wild black raspberries right there. So far we have picked and baked 4 pies from those wild berries and they are still growing and berrying. Got to get them all out tomorrow! Tomorrow i may be able to tell if their entrance under the lattice is big enough for an adult skunk. Maybe the den isn't inside the fence!
Oh, and a skunk was in the driveway 10 minutes ago. It went in back of the garage when I shined the flashlight.
Oh, and a skunk was in the driveway 10 minutes ago. It went in back of the garage when I shined the flashlight.
Today my daughter did locate the den. She was looking around under the parch and saw a hole and a young skunk poked it's nose out and my daughter screamed. I got all of the berry bushes out of the cat fence and the side. I read that skunks hate the smell of used cat liter so we spread it around the hole in an oval except for where they go out the lattice into the yard. I also read that skunks will leave a den that is flooded in light so I have set up a flood light that I'll shine on the hole starting after dark when I'd expect that the skunks will be out again. Then I'll also spread more used cat litter at the hole and around the area.
I hope that they relocate on their own.
Wish me luck!
I hope that they relocate on their own.
Wish me luck!
4321lynx
Veteran Member
Yeah, good luck.
And have plenty of tomato juice (NOT Ketchup) handy to wash yourself with. It worked like a charm for the smell on two occasions on my big hairy Newfie dog, so should work on you if you get sprayed.
We'll see. I don't plan to get sprayed. If my plan above doesn't work I plan to put the garden hose down the hole. Not enough that they'd drown but enough that it will fill and stay filled. I don't mind keeping the outside water on slow for a few days and nights.
Jimmy Higgins
Contributor
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Darnedest thing! I’m at a park which is still under the radar last weekend and I see something in a shaded garden. It looks odd, and think maybe it is a small thing of leaves. It starts to move. I’ve never seen a bird like this before. The bill was peculiar as it was long. A bird with a chipmunks coloring. Too shaded and I couldn’t get a photo, but I think it was a smallish King Rail. The thing is, there have only been a couple nesting areas in Ohio, near Toledo, so this bird wouldn’t be local. Were near a swampish area, so it fit the habitat. If I had had my real camera, I could have got a shot.
No sign of the skunks last night. The used cat litter really stinks. They may have left when we weren't watching. Of not. Today before nightfall I'm going to put something down in front of their pathway that will indicate whether or not they have been through. One thing I read is to put down a layer of flower and see if there are tracks in the morning.
Well the young skunks are using the entire wood piles to stay during the day. One was out in the cat fence tonight and when I shined a flashlight at it it just went under the wood pile. I have not seen any adults.
I think tomorrow or the next day i need to try something new. A radio on all night and I need to get some ammonia and a sprayer to spray as much under and on top of the wood pile as possible. The wood is just too much to move and not with skunks under it!
I'm still keeping the cats in at night and blocking the cat flap.
I guess I need to go to the hardware store for a new sprayer and ammonia.
I think tomorrow or the next day i need to try something new. A radio on all night and I need to get some ammonia and a sprayer to spray as much under and on top of the wood pile as possible. The wood is just too much to move and not with skunks under it!
I'm still keeping the cats in at night and blocking the cat flap.
I guess I need to go to the hardware store for a new sprayer and ammonia.
Jimmy Higgins
Contributor
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I had skunks under my shed. I needed to rip out the wooden plywood floor because it had had it. So I got the aluminum shed up and off the base and used a pole to rattle the skunks into leaving.
It took probably a half hour plus as they left one by one. Didn’t get sprayed. I removed the plywood and filled the gaps with stone to avoid future guests in the shed.
Long story short, leave them a shelter, they’ll make it a home.
It took probably a half hour plus as they left one by one. Didn’t get sprayed. I removed the plywood and filled the gaps with stone to avoid future guests in the shed.
Long story short, leave them a shelter, they’ll make it a home.
Toni
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Sandhill crane on a refuge near where I live:
laughing dog
Contributor
If your luck is not good with that, try fox urine. (www.predatorpeestore.com/how-to-get-rid-of-skunks-with-predatorpee.html).
Arctish
Centimillionaire
You might also consider low level harassment like you've been doing for the next couple of weeks, and only step up the pressure in August. The young skunks might be too young for their mother to take them in search of a new den just yet, but you'll definitely want them out by mid-September.
Is there a place on your property where you wouldn't mind them living, like a deadfall in the woods? You might encourage them to consider it by leaving a few cat treats on it at night. Perhaps a small woodpile in front of it would make it more appealing.
The first plan failed. Cat litter and the light.
I'm waiting for my wife to head out for a trip to the house in Maine to prepare for the 5 of us and two cats to to go up later. She uses the porch as an office and she wants me to wait on plan B until she is away. Plan B is to spray all over the place with stinky ammonia and turn a portable radio on 24 hours a day. I may also set up flashy Xmas lights all around the wood pile.
I strongly doubt that the mother is still around. I think she took off long ago. Last time I saw an adult was back in April. I think the two kids moved in on their own.
I'm fine with the skunks living anywhere else outside around the yard other than inside the cat fence where they are now. The cats hate the cat flap being closed at night. There are wood piles out away from the house in the woods. I just don't know that the skunks would find any scraps before the squirrels and other critters get to them.
I say outside because we have a detached garage and I don't want them moving in there. I've been keeping it closed except to get things to be sure that they don't move in there.
Wiploc
Veteran Member
My instinct is to deploy a single moth ball.
Or more like 100. They have too huge an area to hide under this wood pile.
Mothballs may retain their stink longer though. I'll see how long the ammonia smell lasts.
Cheerful Charlie
Contributor
Get a portable radio, and set it up on an obnoxious station, and put it where they seem to be nesting. Disturb their daytime beauty rest and they will leave.
been a while. Apologies.
A zabulon skipper.
A snowberry clearwing.
A young spotted sandpiper.
A hummingbird clearwing.
A black swallowtail.
And an eastern bluebird.
Rob
A zabulon skipper.
A snowberry clearwing.
A young spotted sandpiper.
A hummingbird clearwing.
A black swallowtail.
And an eastern bluebird.
Rob
I have been bad at posting here for a while mainly because my photos are mostly the same-old same old.
I got something rarer for me a could days ago. A large spotted salamander was coming down the driveway. Though usually these guys are out at night.
This was perhaps 7-8 inches. Big for a salamander.
I guess he can't help looking pleased with himself.
I got something rarer for me a could days ago. A large spotted salamander was coming down the driveway. Though usually these guys are out at night.
This was perhaps 7-8 inches. Big for a salamander.
I guess he can't help looking pleased with himself.
A couple nights ago after dark there was a raccoon in the front yard. I took a photo while shining a flashlight on it. Not great but it's definitely a raccoon.
