With fall just around the corner, skunks will be searching for somewhere warm to live. They will try and find shelter in an area where there is also a food source. Your backyard will be a prime spot for any wildlife to live during the colder months. If you want to avoid your home from turning into a hotel for skunks, follow these tips.
Remove Food and Shelter
• Remove any natural food sources from your yard, like berries or nuts. If you have any bushes or trees that produce a food source, rake often to avoid skunks from scavenging your yard.
• If you have a garden in your yard, harvest the ripe fruits and vegetable as soon as you can. Also make sure you have some sort of fencing around the garden to keep animals from getting in.
• Place a tray under bird feeders in your yard to catch any dropped seeds.
Protect your Waste
• Skunks are scavengers who will eat anything they can find, even your garbage. Keep your trash can properly sealed to keep animals from rummaging through it.
• If possible, store your trash bins in a shed or garage at night.
Close off Hiding Spots
• Skunks like to make their homes under decks, porches, and other sheltered areas. Close off appealing spaces with fencing or plywood to keep animals out.
• Many animals like large bushes for shelter, so keep them trimmed back to make them less appealing.
• Outdoor lighting will also work as a good deterrent against wildlife. Use motion sensor lighting that will turn on when movement is detected to avoid your electricity bill from skyrocketing.
Use Repellants
• There are many repellants that you can use that skunks hate.
• Fox and dog urine deter skunks, home improvement stores will carry sprays.
• Skunks hate the smell of ammonia. Soak old rags in ammonia and place them in spots you want to keep skunks out of like under your deck.
• You can also place orange and lemon peels around your property to keep skunks out too.
