On a balmy early morning, all the windows were open to allow the cool fresh air to permeate, I woke to a foul smell. I knew exactly what it was - SKUNK!
This made me wonder if skunks only spray in self-defense or do they spray at other times.
As usual, I took a deep dive searching the internet. Skunks are quite interesting little creatures. Here is some of what I found.
Skunks are cute little cat-like creatures that weigh about 3 - 10 pounds, and live to be about 3 years, but can live longer in captivity. Definitely have their glands removed though.
The males are called Bucks and the females Does, they are solitary animals and choose to live and forage alone except in February, during mating season, and when they have their babies, called Kits, in May.
Skunks are very resourceful and will eat almost anything, even digging for grubs, plants, fruit, bugs, frogs, eggs, small birds, and rabbits, making them major pests for farmers and those with home chicken coops.
Skunks have a robust immune system that can fight off a variety of disease-causing microorganisms, which helps them survive in diverse environments. They make good rattlesnake hunters because they are resistant to snake venom.
Skunks can carry rabies that will spread into their populations, eventually killing them. Some of their greatest natural predators are the Great Horned owl, coyotes, bobcats and domestic dogs. Human-related threats are cars, habitat destruction and pest control.
As far at the stink.... Skunks only have a limited amount of "musk" that can be sprayed before it needs to be replenished, which can take up to 10 days. Therefore, they do not just spray aimlessly. They will usually resort to other methods to ward off a would-be attacker. They stomp their feet, hiss and raise their tails before spraying the "life-saving" stink if possible.
Skunks do not like the smell either, so a female may spray an unwanted mate. Phew, that is a real turn-off. I said NO!!!!
If they do spray they are very accurate shooters for up to 15 feet and can regulate the amount of the oily stinky substance that they emit.
The goal is to aim for the face because it can cause temporary blindness if it gets into the eyes, allowing them the time to get away. And they can run 10 miles an hour!
The spray itself is an oily yellow fluid that consists of thioacetate and sulfur compounds. These chemicals are both foul-smelling and irritating to the skin and eyes and the odor can last for 2 -3 weeks.
If you or a pet have ever been sprayed then you know how hard it is to remove the odor. Tomato juice does not work, it just masks the smell. Experts recommend a mixture of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and liquid dish detergent.
When you or your pet have been blasted with this stench, you will do almost anything to get rid of the smell.
Getting back to the early morning aroma....Under ideal conditions, the small can travel over a mile from its source.
Hopefully, the next time you get a scent of the scent you will have more compassion for the furry little beasts.
Comments