More and more skunks are living in human areas nowadays, just like other wildlife creatures, they’ve had to adapt to living with humans because of urbanization.
Skunks sometimes spray in unusual places, like under your house. So, why do skunks spray under the house? This article looks into it.
Table of Contents
Why do skunks spray under the house:
Skunks, spraying, and your home:
Skunks don’t spray for any old reason, they release their spray as a defense mechanism against any predators that get too close.
The strong aroma of skunk spray keeps many predators away. In addition, skunks don’t choose to den anywhere and everywhere, these animals may be extremely adaptable, but they choose their dens carefully.
If a skunk has made a home under your house, this means that they feel safe from predators under your home. Another reason why skunks choose to den under your home is that there is likely an abundance of food and water in the area.
Why they may spray under your house:
It feels threatened by a predator:
If a skunk sprays under your home, then it most likely feels threatened by something that found its hideaway, the skunk likely sprayed as a way of defending itself.
A predator may have seen the skunk retreat into its hideaway, and followed it in, causing the skunk to spray.
It feels threatened by your dog:
Your domesticated dog may be the reason why the skunk sprayed. Dogs are curious and can sometimes be too friendly with skunks. If your dog managed to follow the skunk underground, then the skunk may spray it
It isn’t ready to mate:
Another reason why a skunk may spray under your house is that it isn’t ready to mate.
Female skunks go into heat during the breeding season, a female being in heat triggers the male skunk to pursue her and initiate breeding.
If he tries to initiate breeding, but she isn’t ready, then she will spray him in an effort to get him to leave her alone.
What to do if a skunk sprays under your house:
If a skunk sprays under your house, you’d need to quickly neutralize the odor. There are a variety of ways to do this:
Open windows and doors:
This is a simple yet effective way to get a lot of the skunk smell that’s lingering in the air out.
Try to get air moving throughout your house as best you can, do this by switching your air conditioning on, turning your fan on, and opening your curtains to let sunlight in.
Sunlight helps to remove the odor.
Clean furniture:
If the skunk spray has attached to your furniture you’d need to clean it off as soon as you can.
Machine wash any rugs that can fit in the washing machine, steam clean furniture, and scrub any carpets that smell of skunk using a solution of vinegar, water, and baking soda.
You may have to clean your home a couple of times to get rid of the odor.
Hard surfaces will need to be sprayed and wiped down with a mixture made up of nine parts water to one part bleach.
Leaving bowls of vinegar around your house will also help to get rid of the smell of skunk spray. Leave bowls of vinegar out for 24 to 48 hours for maximum effect.
If you don’t want to do the above, you can have your home professionally cleaned, this will save you time and effort.
How to get rid of a skunk under your house:
Get rid of food and water:
One of the main reasons why a skunk will choose to live under your house is because there is a good supply of food and water close by.
If you take this incentive away then the skunk will be forced to leave and find another home with ample food and water sources.
Limit food and water by sealing your trash cans tightly, draining water bodies on your property, and picking up fallen fruits, vegetables, and nuts from your property.
Contact pet control:
If the skunk is still on your property after you’ve removed the food and water sources, then you may need to contact your local pest control professionals.
Pest control professionals will be able to get rid of your skunk problem without harming themselves or the animal.
Close off access points:
Skunks enter your home through small access points on your property. Once you’ve gotten rid of your skunk problem, keep them from coming back by closing off access points.
You can install a hardware cloth in an L shape under your fence to prevent these animals from digging under your fence
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other skunk related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Skunk Smell On A Dog, Smells Like Skunk In Apartment, Bathroom Smells Like Skunk,
