Skunks can be a nuisance to homeowners for many reasons: they have an unpleasant odor, they dig through trash and gardens, they can leave large holes in your yard, and more. Skunks are also known to carry diseases, like rabies, that they can pass on to humans and pets. While skunks are not usually aggressive animals, they may bite if threatened. One of the biggest issues with skunks is that when they feel threatened or intimidated, they will spray a sulfur-based chemical with a vile odor that can take weeks to come off your skin and clothes. Skunk spray can also cause severe eye irritation and even temporary blindness. For these reasons, it’s essential to contact a pest control professional who has experience dealing with skunks if you have one or more on your property. In this article, we’ll talk about some of the telltale signs that a skunk may be living under or around your home!
Odor
One of the most prominent signs of a skunk living under or around your home is their smell. Almost everyone has smelled skunk spray a few times in their life, and if you have, you know just how nasty it is. The smell of skunk spray can travel a long distance, so noticing it once does not necessarily mean that a skunk is on your property. If you notice that the smell of skunk spray is particularly strong in and around your house, or you experience it more than once in a short time period, it may be a good idea to have a pest control expert come check your property.
Yard Damage
Another sign that a skunk may be living on your property is the discovery of damage to the grass or sod surrounding your home. Skunks dig half-moon-shaped holes in grass when they’re looking for food, so the discovery of this damage may mean that a skunk has taken up residency around your house. If this damage is recurring, you should contact a pest control professional to remove the skunk(s) from your property.
Sightings
One of the more self-explanatory signs that a skunk may be living around your home is actually seeing them. While seeing a skunk on your property once may not mean that they’re living there, many sightings in a short period of time indicate that there is a good chance they’re living close by. Skunks tend to be nocturnal, so if you’re seeing them during the day, it could be a sign that they have a disease like rabies. Skunks are about the size of a domestic cat with black bodies and a long white stripe running from head to tail.
Contact Pied Piper Pest Control!
If you have questions about the signs of a skunk problem or believe a skunk is living under or around your New Orleans area home, don’t hesitate to contact us! Our team would be more than happy to assist you in any way that we can! Give us a call at (504) 366-1333 or fill out the contact form on our website, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!