All City Animal Trapping, Skunk Control in LA,
Skunk Removal in LA, Skunk Trapping in LA
Skunk control and skunk removal company services all of Southern California. We have skunk control and skunk removal offices in San Bernardino county, Riverside county, Orange county, Ventura county, and Los Angeles county.
All City Animal Trapping removes skunks by hand on a daily basis. Grabbing a skunk by its tail or not allowing it to lift its tail makes it difficult for them to spray us. Skunks do not have good depth perception, they often get stuck under homes and die, this means that we are frequently hired to crawl underneath house and remove dead skunk carcasses. The most common way of removing skunks is by humane skunk trapping. Our nuisance wildlife control experts place traps on the animals path, and bait these traps with a special skunk lure formulated from sweet fruit extracts. These Trappers are skilled at locating the skunks den. When trapping skunks, placing traps in front of their den is the most effective place to set a trap. Unfortunately our trappers constantly get sprayed, its apart of the skunk control and removal business and it stinks no matter how long you've been trapping!
Skunks are legendary for their powerful predator-deterrent - a hard-to-remove, horrible-smelling spray. A skunk's spray is an oily liquid produced by glands under its large tail. Skunks spray as a defense against their predators lifting up their large tails and unleashing a horrible odor on their victims. Getting sprayed by a skunk can be devastating and sickening, the smell can last for weeks. All City Animal Trapping deals with the control of skunks and their spray on a daily basis, so you and your family can have a skunk free home.
As a defensive technique, the spray is very effective. Most skunks present otherwise easy prey for larger animals, but typically these predators give them a wide berth unless little other food is available. Coyotes love feeding on skunks and they are an easy prey to locate, just follow that smell!
Skunk spray causes no real damage to its victims, but it sure makes them uncomfortable. My dogs chase and get sprayed by skunks all the time, you would think they've learned their lesson, they look so unhappy and never actually get a hold of the skunk. But they haven't learned yet. It can linger for weeks and is difficult to remove, even a professional groomer has a hard time eliminating the smell.
There are many different kinds of skunks. Most skunks are the size of a large cat. Skunks are often found living underneath people's and homes coming out at night to feed. Skunks appear in a variety of striped, spotted, and swirled patterns - but most are a vivid black and white which makes them easy to identify and may alert predators to their pungent potential.
All the trappers at All City Animal Trapping are trained in skunk control and skunk proofing repairs. Installing one-way doors at the entrance of dens is an option. If the skunk digs new entrances around the door, plug them up using concrete or metal screen. Leave the one-way door installed for several weeks to ensure that the skunk is really gone.
Some of our trappers use coyote urine near and around the entrances of the den.
Our trappers typically trap skunks and all their animals using peanut butter and dry cat/dog food. We then top it off with a smelly liquid -banana concoction we made specifically for skunks, it is then optional to cover the trap with a tarp or old blanket. This will make it easier for you to approach the trapped skunk and move it without being sprayed. Traps set for catching skunks during the summer time must be covered or in the shade, skunks will die if in direct sun and heat for more then a few hours. Skunks are very heat sensitive. You should approach the trap quietly and spread the tarp over the open trap entrance. This provides a dark secure environment for the skunk. You can then gently move the skunk to your vehicle and easily transport without the skunk spraying. It has been shown that transporting a skunk in a covered trap has proven to be perfectly safe. At your skunk release site, set the trap up so that you can easily open the door. It is recommended that skunks be transported at least 10 miles from the capture site. Relocations in california are not suggested according to The California Department of Fish and Game, its against the law for health and safety reasons, skunks are the number rabies carrier.
Harassment of the skunks works some of the time. Leave repellents such as ammonia soaked rags or mothballs in burrows or where skunks have to pass to go in and out of their dens. It has even been suggested that leaving a light on under a shed or deck utilized by a skunk may push it away. Skunk odor can be extremely nauseating and is a complex chemical compound. Our trappers are experts at removing skunk stench and smells, using personal formulas, ozone generators, and commercial foggers -we can eliminate any skunk odor left behind on a customers job. Many old remedies are just myths and they do not work, such as tomato juice or vinegar.
I personally had such a problem with the lingering skunk smell on my truck and clothes after trapping skunks all day, that my wife started her own odor control business specializing in skunk odor control and skunk control. Call us today to learn more about our odor removal and eliminating services. 1-877-724-5314
Here are two affective mixtures that you can mix up at home to help eliminate the stench from skunk spray.
Recipe #1
You will need:
-1 quart of Hydrogen Peroxide
-1 cup of Baking Soda
-1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap
Mix them together, while the mixture is still bubbling use it to wash the affected area, then rinse off with water. Repeat as needed.
Recipe # 2
You will need:
- 1 oz of human urine
- 8 oz of Murphy's oil soap
- 4 oz of castor oil
1 gallon of water
Mix the Ingredients together and apply to area
More interesting facts on the Skunk species:
There are three species of Skunks (Genus)
- Mephitis -The most common; which includes the well known Striped Skunk.
Conepatus -The species of skunks that includes the Hog-Nosed Skunk.
Spilogale -The species of skunks that includes the Spotted Skunk.
The skunk gestation Varies between 7 to 10 weeks but approx. 9 weeks.
Young are born in May through early June, naked and blind for 3 weeks and they nurse for 6 to 7 weeks.
Skunks begin breeding in late February. Yearling females will mate in late March through early April.
Skunks only have one litter a year averaging 4 to 6 young.
The young stay with the mother until fall. Both sexes mature by the following Skunk life expectancy- Skunks have the potential to live to about 10 years, but few live longer than 3 years in the wild.
Males play no role in raising young. In fact, aggressive behavior by adult males toward females and their young can result in deaths.
The Overall length of the skunk ranges from 16 to 17 inches. The average weight of a skunk ranges from 1 to 7 pounds. Skunks can live up to 10 years in captivity, but most don't live past 3 years in the wild
Skunks are the most common animal to carry rabies. Although Skunk spray is not known to carry the rabies virus.
Skunks are best known for their odorous defense. They are able to expel a fine spray of foul-smelling musk. The skunk's scent glands are mature at less than one month of age.
Skunks can spray up to 13-23 ft in a favorable wind-although they are usually only accurate for up to about 2m 6.5 ft.
Most skunks try to warn before spraying. They stomp there two front paws aggressively over and over to let you know there serious. 2 month old skunks do this, its the cutest think ever. Spotted skunks will occasionally bluff by stomping without spraying. If that fails, they will drop onto all fours and spray. The spray is aimed at the face and causes intense irritation, even temporary blindness, if it reaches the eyes.
Most animals avoid skunks. However, a notable exception is the Great horned owl, which does not appear to be deterred by skunk spray while foraging at night.
There can be considerable variation in coat pattern even within species: for example in the Hooded skunk the white-backed form has two bands of white on its back narrowly separated by a black line, whereas in the black-backed form the white stripes are widely separated and are situated on the sides of the animal. The fur color is not always black; it can be various shades of brown, as well.
Normally skunks and skunk dens do not smell "skunky." During aggressive encounters between skunks, however, they will spray one another.
All skunks are largely carnivorous, with insects and small mammals as major prey, but they also eat grubs, birds' eggs and fruit seasonally.
Skunks are found in a wide variety of habitats, and are common in many urban areas, but prefer open or forest edge areas, where they forage at night, using their long front claws for rooting out food.
Inactive denning periods (not true hibernation) occur during the winter months if weather conditions are severe. In some areas several species occur together, but each uses different portions of the area more effectively than the others. To sum it up, skunks will stay in their dens for days at a time but they do not enter a true hibernation period
Except for Spotted skunks, which are mainly active at twilight, skunks are chiefly nocturnal. For example, stripped skunks, normally forage only at dusk, dawn and during the night, ambling in search of prey at a leisurely pace and avoiding contact with people and domestic animals.
Skunks coexist with foxes, raccoons and coyotes, groups of skunks often using the same burrows as these species, but at different times of the year. Skunks often can be found sharing a cat bowl with a neighborhood feline. Outdoor pet bowls are an attraction for unwanted urban wildlife!!
Females occupy home ranges of a mile each overlapping at least partially with other females. The territory of one male will encompass those of several females, but rarely that of other males.
Skunks are opportunistic omnivores, eating plant and animal foods in about equal amounts during fall and winter. They eat more protein (animal matter) during spring and summer, when they feed heavily on available insects. During spring and summer grasshoppers, beetles, crickets, grubs, cutworms, and other insect larvae are heavily consumed. Additionally they eat bees, wasps and their hives, larvae and honey. Many of the insect larvae they eat are injurious to agricultural crops and other plants in the yard and garden.
Mice are also a very important part of their diet, especially in winter. Skunks will also take rats, cottontail rabbits, bird eggs, and other small mammals. Food analysis of 414 skunk stomachs showed 41.3% insects, 22.1% fruits and berries, 14.1% mammals mainly mice and rats, 12.9% grains, 5.4% carrion, 2% birds, and 2.2% unidentified.
Their home is customarily a den in the ground, but they can occasionally be found in a stump, refuse dump, woodpile, cave, rock pile, crevice in a cliff, or under a building. Urban skunks are typically found under homes or slabs of concrete. A skunk may dig its own den, particularly for its young, but more often it takes over an abandoned den of another animal.
Skunks are rarely found out at any time of day, most generally they start foraging in the evening and stay out most of the night. Skunks locate their food or prey more by sense of smell than by sight. Skunks do not hibernate but they do put on a layer of fat for winter. When the weather is colder skunks spend more time in their dens. The amount of time skunks spend out foraging in winter is more dependent on temperature than anything else. Skunks do not normally climb so keeping them out can be easier than it is for the climbing species
Skunks become a nuisance when they move or burrow under buildings and foundations. Skunks will get into garbage and refuse when not secured. Additionally they will forage under bird feeders and in compost piles digging as they go. Skunks also dig holes in lawns, golf courses, and gardens to search for insects, grubs, and worms. Skunks have been known to occasionally kill poultry and eat eggs. They also prey on upland game bird, waterfowl and other ground nesting bird eggs. Young children or pets, who may not understand skunk defense, may get sprayed when harassing or alarming a skunk. However, skunks are generally very amiable if left alone and will not spray unless they feel threatened. The spray does not typically cause blindness.
Skunk Habitat Modification, Practice good sanitation by properly disposing and securing garbage or other food sources that attract skunks. Skunks will often enter sheds, barns, garages, and crawl spaces in search of mice and rats or to establish dens. Mouse and rat control programs and covering entrances will remove these attractants.
Skunks role in our ecosystem - Valuable as a destroyer of vermin such as mice, and harmful insects and their larvae. Skunks are fur-bearers, with a market for the fur. Fur is considered to be 70% as durable as otter. Skunks are excellent "mousers", and may even be better at it then cats. They eat many mice, rats, other small rodents, grubs, and a variety of insects. They will also take the eggs and young of ground nesting birds. There are many instances of skunks living in close contact with humans under sheds, decks, houses, and even in garages, without ever spraying their human hosts. Skunks are generally shy, non aggressive, retiring and nocturnal creatures.
With a little acceptance and understanding, you can live with skunks, if you do not unduly alarm them. However, there are many instances, especially where you have pets or young children, where this may not be possible. Removing attractants that draw skunks is the best possible prevention. Do not leave dog and cat food or garbage where skunks can get to it. A good rodent control program will also discourage skunks. Clean up old piles of lumber and brush where skunks may live. You should board up entries and crawl spaces under sheds, houses, and other buildings. Entrances can be blocked with chicken wire and it should be buried at least 6 inches. Buried wire should be set in an "L" shape and extended out another 6 inches to keep the skunk from digging under the wire.
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