Help, skunks in our garden

Our large back yard, on a dead end street, has a pond with a waterfall, several fruit trees and lots of plants and flowers. We have had skunks off and on for years, but our pond is new as of last June and we have lots of skunks that come in to drink and eat the fallen bird seed (oiled sunflower seeds mostly). We keep the fallen fruit picked up, the compost is in rotating, closed drums. Our dogs are sprayed by these pests regularly in the warmer weather. We have tried traps, pellet guns, etc. We are fenced, but the neighbors have lots of underbrush that the critters must live in. Any suggestions? P.S. I have a good recipe for washing the odor off dogs, if you are interested.

Linden, I like solving problems and wish I could help, but this is one problem I hope I never have to solve.

Just curious - what kind of dogs do you have that don't mind being sprayed regularly by a skunk? I have a feeling they aren't bloodhounds.

Scare Devices and Repellents

Motion-sensitive oscillating sprinklers have been very successful in deterring wildlife. Ro-pel® and Get-Away® are taste and smell repellents available for use in target areas. You can also place regular household ammonia stations around your yard in the areas frequented by skunks. To do this, take a shallow dish or bowl, place a rag in it and pour ammonia over the rag until it's completely saturated. Place extra ammonia in the dish so the rag will continue to wick it up through the night. Avoid lawn areas, as ammonia will burn the grass.

Dealing with Skunk Families

Skunks generally breed once a year, in February or March. Birth usually occurs in April or May and skunk kittens remain in the burrow about two months until fully weaned. Young skunks stay with their mothers until late fall. When a mother skunk and her young are present, we recommend leaving them alone for the few weeks that the young are helpless. Monitor the skunks' activities to determine when they have left for good, and then secure all entrances to the nest site to prevent re-entry. Trapping skunks is rarely necessary and should never be done while they are nesting.

Important If you have a mother with babies, be sure to give her extra time to relocate her entire family before you seal the entrance to their den. If the parent is gone but you are unsure whether the young are also out, do riot seal the opening. The babies will starve and possibly discharge their spray before dying if trapped in the den. (Consider using a mild deterrent such as a radio to accelerate the skunks' departure from the den.)

Skunk Under the House, Porch, Deck or Shed

It is important to check your property regularly to ensure that all air vents and openings to crawl spaces and other potentially accessible areas are secured. Skunks are rodent predators who often follow mice and rats into these areas. Close openings around decks, stairs, sheds and hot tubs. Keep woodpiles elevated off the ground and pick up any debris that could potentially house a skunk den.

Place a radio near a known skunk den and keep it on loud during the day. Wait until the animal has begun their nightly foray and locate all entrances and exits. Block all except one and use repellents or frightening strategies to scare the skunks out. To be certain the animals have left, sprinkle flour at the exit and watch for footprints that lead away from the opening. When you are sure the animal is gone, securely close the opening.

Yards and Gardens

Skunks are one of the easiest of our wild neighbors to deter. Because they normally do not climb, fencing is a highly effective means of keeping skunks out of your yard. By attaching an extension of chicken wire along the base of your fence and burying beneath the ground's surface, you will prevent skunks from gaining access by digging under the fence.

Vegetable gardens can attract skunks, although they are mainly interested in the harmful rodents and insects that can ruin your garden. While foraging for grubs, skunks may dig many shallow holes in the lawn; similar to those made by both raccoons and squirrels. A nursery or garden center can advise about how to prevents grubs.

The most effective method of discouraging visits by a sl~unk is to secure metal trash containers with tight-fitting lids and to hold the lid in place with a thick rubber strap. Make sure compost piles are in sturdy dosed containers. Keep all recycling in closed contains and out of reach. If you feed your dog or cat outside, be sure to bring any leftover food indoors after dusk. Replace the food and water bowls with ammonia stations during the nighttime hours.

Coco: Thanks so much for all the information. Much appreciated! I am very interested in the sprinklers and will get right on this. I understand that mothballs might work like the ammonia?

Copperbaron: The dogs are a Rhodesian Ridgeback and an Alaskan Husky. They don't like being sprayed, but the instinct to chase a critter must be more important