6 Ways To Get Rid Of Skunks Under House
Skunks might seem small and shy, but they are one of the most lethal rodent. They tend to be intelligent as well and it can be quite challenging when they infest your home. When the skunks get around your home, they will dig holes under the house and live there. They can adversely affect the home, which can be so annoying. If you have any concerns and nerves about removing them yourself, you could always look into affordable humane skunk removal services by Sacramento Valley Wildlife Services, or by services in your local area.
So what do skunks eat? These rodents will eat vegetables like tomatoes, insects, rats, eggs, pests, and garbage in the trash. They are omnivorous and they change their diet throughout the year. Here is how to get rid of skunks under house in the easiest and safest way.
1.) Seal The Holes Around The House
One of the major ways that the skunks will get under your house is via the holes that are around the house and its surroundings. For that reason, you must ensure that you seal all the holes and any other outlet that is in the house, especially those along the base. The skunks cannot get in the house through the ventilation holes near the roof. Saying this though, if they have somehow managed to find a way into the roof, this can cause issues. So, it may be best to get in touch with a roofing company that can seal the open spaces and prevent skunks or any animal from making a home in the roof.
2.) Add More Lights
Another thing with the skunks is that they tend to avoid the areas with bright lights. For that reason, you might want to add some floodlights in your yard. You can find some powerful LED rechargeable floodlights online to ensure that bright light is emitted all over your yard, with a variety of models within the range designed to suit many different applications. This will help to keep the skunks away and they will avoid the yard completely. Generally, most of the rodents detest brightly lit areas, so some light will help in getting rid of the skunks.
3.) Limit Stuff That Attracts The Skunks
There are some specific things that will attract the skunk in your yard. Some of the things that will attract skunks include leftover veggies, water bowls, fruits, garbage bags and pet foods. You might want to get rid of such things, lest you have more skunks living under your house.
4.) Install motion sensitive sprinklers to get rid of the skunks
Skunks are rodents that are sensitive to sudden movements. Also, like most of the animals, skunks do not like having water sprayed on them. For that reason, you might want to install powerful, motion sensitive sprinklers. This will help to chase away the skunks whenever they walk around the yard. You should install the sprinklers in areas that you highly suspect the skunks will pass through. This will make it easier to control them.
5.) Use repellents
There are a number of repellents that can naturally chase away the skunks, without you having to use any more effort. These are liquids that contain natural ingredients, which will repel the skunks whenever they taste it. For that, you might want to spray it on your garbage, or where they mostly pass through. These repellents are usually very effective.
6.) Trap them manually
Another most effective, though risky way of getting rid of the skunks is by trapping them manually. There are a number of traps that have been designed to capture the skunk and cage it inside. The only problem is that the skunk can get violent when it feels threatened.
Tips on how to handle the skunks:
- When you are attempting to get rid of the skunk, you should be overly cautious. Also, there are different types of skunks, which means that they will always behave differently. For that matter, you must ensure that you understand the behavior of each skunk. The most common types are the Spotted skunk and the Hooded skunk, which have specific ways of spraying their enemies. Other important tips that you should keep in mind include the following;
- Call a professional when you want to trap the skunk. The professional will be equipped with the right equipment and skills to get rid of the skunk.
- Avoid shooting the skunks. It can be effective to shoot at the skunk, but it can also be dangerous and it is illegal in some areas, especially near structures or homes, so avoid this. In addition, shooting the skunk will only make them spray the toxic content, which is very lethal.
- Avoid trapping the skunks anytime of the year, except December and November. It is only allowed to set the skunk traps in December and November. This is a time that is safe for other domestic pets.
- When you are setting the trap, bait it with over-ripe bananas, peanut butter, marshmallows or jelly, in order to avoid capturing the cats.
Generally, ensure that you seek professional advice when you want to get rid of the skunks in your house, especially if you intend to trap them.