How to evict skunk family living under shed?

[quantAndHold]

A pest removal company will destroy them. They are also not likely to survive relocation. Why not just let them live there for a while? My neighbor has foxes living under her shed. I always have rabbits living in my bushes. It seems that skunks eat rodents, which is certainly useful.

If you have to get rid of them, then put a camera on the area, and when they are all out from under the shed, block the entrance so that they can't get back in.

+1. Yes, I don't understand this common reaction, It's a wild animal kill it. How about instead, it's a wild animal doing us no harm, live and let live. Especially since we're responsible for destroying its habitat.

All of these “doing us no harm” comments must from people who’ve never lived up close and personal with a skunk family.

I had skunks in my yard. They are beautiful, elegant animals.

They’re cute when they’re just walking by. Until they move in and you can’t use your shed because of the smell. Or they eat your entire garden. Or your dog gets skunked. Multiple times. Or your kid gets skunked (yes, kids can be that stupid). Or, god forbid, they set up shop under your house.

Like I said, you’ve never lived up close and personal with a skunk family. You clearly don’t know the havoc they can cause.

[ondarvr]

Had a skunk take up residency here last week, it was evicted.

[snackdog]

I tried mothballs, ammonia rags, lights, talk radio and an expensive skunk powder from Amazon. The skunks seemed to thrive on all of it. The best part was the mothballs as they eliminated the skunk stink inside the barn/workshop area.

I have not seen momma skunk on camera in a few days (which happens) but yesterday there was a large rabbit poking around the area and entering the den. I don't think rabbits and skunks get along so maybe the family moved on. I'd hate to fill in the den hole with them (or the stupid rabbit) in there.

On a related note I have a 100' concrete tunnel (from house to dog run) which I think the rabbit has also been occupying but I'm scared to go in there. Maybe one day.

[White Coat Investor]

My mom asked if they had a shovel. We all watched in disbelief from the safety of the porch as she took the shovel out to the henhouse and dug them out, killing them with it, one by one as they emerged. In the process she got covered in spray, some of which got in her eyes, which was apparently very painful.

We all piled into the Vista Cruiser with her to take her to the hospital after washing out her eyes offered no relief. I remember what a sight we must have been, 7 of us packed in the car, speeding down the road with our heads hanging out of the windows as far as possible in an attempt to escape the stench. The scene at the hospital was equally memorable. I have many such memories of my mom's exploits.

This is the best thing I've read on the internet all month. I love it. I mean, I'm glad it didn't come into my ER but what a story!

[vested1]

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[Harmanic]

Once I arrived home and opened the door to the car and a skunk jumped in like a dog wanting to go for a ride. Everyone piled out and we waited with doors open until it left. I never realized how fearless these creatures can be.

[illumination]

I would take it seriously, skunks can carry rabies. It's actually the second highest animal in some areas to carry rabies, right behind bats. Plus obviously they can spray. I personally would not just put something out to repel them and hope they find greener pastures if they are living in close quarters.

I had a raccoon problem at my summer cabin, biggest game changer was modifying things so they couldn't get into spots they wanted to (after setting traps and removing the ones there). There's was a few areas that had a small opening and it allowed them into the attic. Pest control company also recommended getting a cheap clock radio and leaving it on in ares where they tend to congregate. I'm thinking most animals it will likely help repel. All of this seems to work.

[hudson]

My state has a list of those who can solve skunk problems.
They show up and put out traps and bait them with sardines.
I check the traps every morning and call the man if I catch one.
I've caught lots of possums, a squirrel, and a cat....all quickly released.
I recently caught a skunk, called the man, he threw a blue tarp over the trap and put it in the back of the truck.
The animals have to be put down because of rabies.
The skunk man also found the gap in the fence where the skunks were getting in. We put a trap there. I'll close up the hole once I think that we've solved the skunk problem.

Note: We have a dog that was getting skunk sprayed inside a fenced-in back yard once or twice a week. It's either the skunk or the dog.

[vested1]

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[brian91480]

Why not just let them live there for a while? My neighbor has foxes living under her shed. I always have rabbits living in my bushes. It seems that skunks eat rodents, which is certainly useful.

This would be my play also. Be harmonious with nature. I practice what I preach.... I have made multiple decisions over the years to let different animals stay on my property.

As for doing anything yourself... no! My best friend got sprayed by a skunk back when I was a teenager. He was trying to approach one for some bad reason. The experience was not pleasant for him!

--- Brian

[Retired2013]

My neighbor had a sunk living under his shed many years ago. He called the town animal control. He came out and set a trap / cage by putting peanut butter on some bread in the trap. Several days latter the skunk was caught (Thanksgiving Day). The town animal control came back, threw a towel over the trap and carried the trap with the skunk inside to his truck. He was back in five minutes so he didn't take the skunk to far from here but it never came back. He said as long as you don't startle the skunk, it will not release the smell. He said he relocated skunks this way all the time. Not a job I would want!

[snackdog]

I tried music, bright lights, ammonia towel, moth balls and skunk powder for weeks but nothing worked. I removed a few cords of wood near the entrance and that seemed to coincide with their move out. Haven't seen them on the StinkCam in over a week. I think the kids grew large enough that it was for Mom to move everyone out anyhow. A large rabbit went in their den the other day. I guess rabbits can't smell too well.

While the skunks were here they seemed to eat all the moles in the yard. Now they are gone and the moles are back. How to evict moles? I use traps with mixed results and poison worms.

[cubs1999]

I tried music, bright lights, ammonia towel, moth balls and skunk powder for weeks but nothing worked. I removed a few cords of wood near the entrance and that seemed to coincide with their move out. Haven't seen them on the StinkCam in over a week. I think the kids grew large enough that it was for Mom to move everyone out anyhow. A large rabbit went in their den the other day. I guess rabbits can't smell too well.

While the skunks were here they seemed to eat all the moles in the yard. Now they are gone and the moles are back. How to evict moles? I use traps with mixed results and poison worms.

Im glad the skunks finally moved on and they didn't need to be destroyed. It's interesting that they had a beneficial effect in terms of the moles.

[BaerLee$Makinette]

We had a groundhog living underneath our shed over the past couple of years and he (she?) had dug two large holes on either side for ingress and egress so I finally decided it was us or him(her) so I did the ol' internets consultation and lo, I discovered using coffee grounds was a useful deterrent.

So I began each day throwing out my used grounds into each dug-out hole, including leaving the paper filter there. They decompose nicely and are mostly bleach-free brown paper.

Oddly enough, since I began this practice, the groundhog(s) have been completely gone. Zippo. I've probably tossed several dozen filters full out there and often smash 'em down flat with my foot and thus deeper into their foyer. Seems to be an answer so far.

[vnatale]

We had a groundhog living underneath our shed over the past couple of years and he (she?) had dug two large holes on either side for ingress and egress so I finally decided it was us or him(her) so I did the ol' internets consultation and lo, I discovered using coffee grounds was a useful deterrent.

So I began each day throwing out my used grounds into each dug-out hole, including leaving the paper filter there. They decompose nicely and are mostly bleach-free brown paper.

Oddly enough, since I began this practice, the groundhog(s) have been completely gone. Zippo. I've probably tossed several dozen filters full out there and often smash 'em down flat with my foot and thus deeper into their foyer. Seems to be an answer so far.

How big are those holes? Although I've only seen a groundhog once ... I seem to have seen plenty of their damage in my vegetable garden.

I thought I'd found their holes but in retrospect they seem far to small. Do chipmunks also create holes / tunnels?

[ddbtoth]

Get a wolverine?

[Ret2018]

Ha ha, reminds me of the time we thought something was living under a small backyard shed. We took a hose to it. Imagine our surprise when one by one a whole family of skunks ran out. We ran faster, though! After that, we closed up the holes under the shed and never saw the skunks again.

[BaerLee$Makinette]

The groundhog holes were about 6-8 inches wide and roughly 5 inches in height, about the size of a softball or maybe two side-by-side. Of course, over time, the critters dig 'em out and widen them so they get bigger.

[tunafish]

A pest removal company will destroy them. They are also not likely to survive relocation. Why not just let them live there for a while? My neighbor has foxes living under her shed. I always have rabbits living in my bushes. It seems that skunks eat rodents, which is certainly useful.

If you have to get rid of them, then put a camera on the area, and when they are all out from under the shed, block the entrance so that they can't get back in.

+1. Yes, I don't understand this common reaction, It's a wild animal kill it. How about instead, it's a wild animal doing us no harm, live and let live. Especially since we're responsible for destroying its habitat.

All of these “doing us no harm” comments must from people who’ve never lived up close and personal with a skunk family.

I had skunks in my yard. They are beautiful, elegant animals.

They’re cute when they’re just walking by. Until they move in and you can’t use your shed because of the smell. Or they eat your entire garden. Or your dog gets skunked. Multiple times. Or your kid gets skunked (yes, kids can be that stupid). Or, god forbid, they set up shop under your house.

Like I said, you’ve never lived up close and personal with a skunk family. You clearly don’t know the havoc they can cause.

As I said, I had a skunk family in residence. None of the things you list happened,

[vnatale]

The groundhog holes were about 6-8 inches wide and roughly 5 inches in height, about the size of a softball or maybe two side-by-side. Of course, over time, the critters dig 'em out and widen them so they get bigger.

Thanks. I do not think I've seen holes that large. So have not yet seen where they have been living.