Question

We think we might have a skunk nesting somewhere around our house. Our dog has been acting up a lot when he’s out in the yard, and one time we did see a skunk cross the lawn. Where would a skunk nest? We can’t find any big holes anywhere.

Answer

If there is a burrow entrance, it could be well hidden. With their long, strong claws, skunks are very capable of digging their own burrows but usually choose not to. They often nest in hollow logs or brush piles, or in the abandoned burrows of foxes, woodchucks, or other animals.

Around homes, skunks sometimes dig a short entrance hole to get into existing cavities or spaces around foundations, or under porches, decks, or sheds. They will even den in a crawlspace if they can get in through a missing vent screen or other opening.

Until you can have someone trap and remove the skunk, you should be concerned about your dog coming in contact with the animal. Besides the obvious odor problem that results from a skunk/dog encounter, skunks do carry rabies, as well as several other diseases. You should keep your dog inside at night when skunks are active.

Skunks are also residential problems because of their foraging behavior. They are known for their nighttime excursions when they will dig numerous cone-shaped holes in lawns while looking for grubs and insects to eat. They will even roll back sections of sod while looking for insects.

You should contact a professional pest control company that is experienced in trapping and dealing with nuisance wildlife. At Colonial, our technicians are certified and licensed in Nuisance Wildlife Removal and Exclusion in MA and NH. Besides finding and removing your skunk, they can advise you on how to best skunk-proof your home and yard. They can even do the job for you. Give us a call today.