Damage that skunks can cause under your house

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There are several situations in which a skunk can find its way into a cavity beneath a domestic property, and one of the big problems in this type of the situation is that the skunk can cause a huge amount of damage. Skunks are natural ground dwellers, and while they can dig their own dens, even in the wild they will often use natural cavities and caves as their nesting spots. However, if you are a home owner and do find that a skunk has found its way beneath your house, then it is vital to get the animal removed as quickly as possible, and also to be familiar with the kind of damage they can cause.

Burrowing And Creating Holes To Access Their Den Beneath The House

Skunks have strong front legs that are tipped with sharp and sturdy claws, and one of the things that you will see if the skunks are beneath the house is signs of digging around the bottom of the walls of the property. Skunks may have found one way into a cavity, but in this situation they will sometimes look to make that access point larger, or will even try to dig other access points into their new den.

Tearing And Damaging Vent Screens

Any vents that you find in and around the ground level of your property may also become potential access points for the skunks, and while the plastic and metal mesh here is quite sturdy, a skunk's claws are very sharp. If you do find any vent screens that have been slashed or damaged, then it is important to get it repaired promptly, otherwise other animals may also get into the property.

Feces And Odor Contamination

Skunks are famous for the smell that they can produce from their anal glands, and whether you have just one skunk under the house or you have a family of the animals present, the smell that they can produce is significant. This also needs to be considered when trying to remove skunks, as they may spray more of the foul smelling fluid when they feel threatened, so keeping any trapped skunks calm is very important. They are also likely to defecate under the property too, and this adds to the fetid smell which can permeate throughout the cavity beneath the property, and in many cases it can rise up into the house too.

For more information, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How much does skunk removal cost? - get the lowdown on prices.
How to get rid of skunks - my main skunk removal info guide.

The underside of my daughter's mobile home seems to be infested by a skunk (or skunks). This happened Friday, and the smell is still not going away. She has so far only been able to mask the odor in the home, and it is still extreme at times. She has an attached garage, and the smell in there seems to be getting worse. We think the skunk may have died under the home. There has been a recent skunk problem in my neighborhood. Considering I've seen three of them now just wandering around I figure someone should do something about it but I'm not sure where they are nesting due to their nocturnal ways. They aren't bothering any particular house but I feel as though they should be captured. How should one go about this?

Hello, I am disabled and live in the country in Waldorf MD near Dr. Mudds famous landmark.. Yes, I have all kinds of wildlife, but there is a skunk or skunks that have made a point to spray around my house and show up nightly in the early morning at 1am constant.. The stench is real bad, can't open windows to save on electric bills and fresh air. Last Night I saw the booger, the skunk does a circle pattern about 10 feet from my house and goes around the whole house. I went outside and yelled and threw a rotten tomato at the skunk and the skunk moved and kept sniffing and circling.. Finally when the skunk came towards the back window I pounded on my glass and the skunk took off into the woods. What are my options, I am tapped with living on disability, I could pay something, but need advice to remove this nuisance.. I don't want to set out poison because of other wildlife. HELP. Thanks Mr. Graham

I have a skunk, under my trailer, I don't. Know how to get rid of it. I am on disability & have little money. I have tried hot red pepper, moth balls, ammonia & put a boom box under trailer. No food or pets out side. Its been a couple weeks. The skunk population is out of control here. They dig up our yards even though people put grub & insect killer on yards. Our park management says it's. Not their problem. U found out how it got in. But am at my witts end! I can't stand the smell any longer .....