The skunk is dead....

[meridian]

Mimi, that is SUCH a cute picture. Skunks really are awesome critters. I would have seriously considered one as a pet if it were not illegal in my state. I settled for two lovely ferrets instead

On another note, if we went around killing everything that may pose a threat to us, our pets, or our precious (smelling) bikes, there wouldn't be much wildlife left for us to enjoy.

If we take a step back and look at things, humans are just as much of an infestation and threat as any ‘nuisance’ animal, but we have no free killing passes for them

Share Earth

[IFjane]

YES! Skunks are awesome little guys. We had one in our yard about a week ago - late afternoon - we suspect it was a nursing female and she was soooo hungry she couldn't wait until dark. She waddled up to the flower bed - she was headed for the spilled birdseed under the feeders - but when she heard us in the house she scurried back through the yard and into the woods.

When I was very young my dad and I found a baby skunk down by the creek in our yard. It was the cutest thing I ever saw! It was quite ferocious and definitely thought it was much bigger than it really was. It kept pouncing on my shoes. Dad and I got some crabcake from the kitchen (shhhhh! don't tell Mom!) and fed it some morsels. No, we did not keep it. In fact, once we put the crabcake on the ground in front of it, we left and never saw it again.

No, I don't want to walk up on one at night and yes, all my dogs were sprayed at one time or another. They can be very unpleasant - but they deserve a place on this planet just like we do.

[lauraelmore1033]

I remember taking the kids camping on Whidby Island and being surprised to discover that the campground was chock full of skunks. Dozens of them came out after dark and quietly sniffed us and our stuff out. They were kinda like cats roaming around, but without the "singing" and fighting. We quickly realized it was perfectly safe to roam among them and we were able to make our night time trips to the bathroom without danger of being sprayed.

There was an episode of Mythbusters dealing with removal of skunk spray odor. I think they discovered that is very difficult to induce a skunk to spray. They ended up using skunk stink out of a bottle because they couldn't manage to get any of the skunks to spray even though they were subjected to some pretty heavy duty harassment.

I don't think it is surprising that your skunk didn't spray. Poor little guy.

R.I.P. Skunky

[SouthernBelle]

We have lots of skunks around here. I've sat on the deck and watched one eating grubs in my back yard. He wasn't but a few feet away.

Another time I walked out front to get the mail, later than usual. Turned around and there was a skunk. I could have scratched his little head. he was traveling along so I just stood and watched him go by.

They've never bothered my cats, who also seem to enjoy watching them from the deck.

[SadieKate]

Wait, wait, wait. We've all managed to diplomatically share our opinions about skunks without calling each other names. Can we keep it that way? Please?

[Running Mommy]

We all have our own opinions here, but calling someone stupid is uncalled for!

I don't agree with some of the things I read in the posts here, but I would never go so low as to call names. And then to suggest that you hope someone or something KILLS that person???!!!

NO. Back up!! C'mon ladies. This is a diverse forum, with diverse views and beliefs. The fact that until now we have all coexisted in a rather peaceful way is what makes me love TE. Lets not go down the path that so many other forums have...

[Meg McKilty]

Meg, did you forget your coffee this morning?

V.

BTW, I was drinking hospital coffee at about 0400 this morning, so it might have something to do with it. That is some nasty coffee, folks.

[SadieKate]

Meg, there are times when animals must be eradicated from an environment. FlyBye’s post gave very little information about the skunk’s behavior but to her it could obviously have been sick. A skunk (or dog or cat) with rabies cannot be tolerated. None of us could see what FlyBye saw. I personally wonder that she’s had 11 serious encounters with skunks, making me think that something in her yard is an attraction for them, but I’m certainly not going to judge her for this one incidence. There is absolutely no evidence that what she did was wrong because there is not enough information.

There is respect in putting an animal out of its misery.

[snapdragen]

Can we not beat up on flybye - she and her family did what they felt was best. None of us knows if the skunk in her yard was sick; I would tend to believe it was by it's behavior. I really doubt it brought great joy to have to kill the poor animal.

[SadieKate]

Wow, snap, I thought I was giving her some resources to deal with the next time. Skunks are part of almost all rural and urban environments.

[Zeek]

This thread has my curiosity peaked. So when does a skunk spray and why? I'm assuming it's when it feels threatened somehow. I've never seen a skunk "in person" but it's good to know that if I ever encounter one, not to automatically assume it's going to spray me.

[snapdragen]

Personal attacks are unacceptable. I have deleted the offending posts. If you can't play nice, don't play at all.

Thank you!

[jeannierides]

We had an interesting morning. Our weimaraner (dog) was out in the back yard stalking something that was on the other side of the fence and under our shrubs.

My daughter & family have a 6 month old weimaraner/Chesapeake Bay retriever (took me this long to learn how to spell it). She is beautiful, but at 6 months already weighs 51 pounds!! She's eating (or at least chewing) the furniture - wooden(!) furniture!!

Sorry, girls, but I just got back from 5 days away and found this thread! At first I was (what a story) then (someone called a name??) then !! Opinions expressed. No names called. Thank you, SadieKate, so happy you got rid of whatever the offending post was... then, you gals just made me LMAO I just had to bring it back around.

[Flybye]

My daughter & family have a 6 month old weimaraner/Chesapeake Bay retriever (took me this long to learn how to spell it). She is beautiful, but at 6 months already weighs 51 pounds!! She's eating (or at least chewing) the furniture - wooden(!) furniture!!:.

Our weim is 2 years old and weighed 70 something pounds before she got knocked up We had her bred and her babies will be here around the 24th of July. I will be sure to post pictures when I get back. She's beautiful and spoiled rotten. She couldn't be more loved. Proof that I am an animal LOVER right there

Here is the challenge to all of you wonderful gals! I am going to be away from the computer for a week while I camp with the skunks in the great outdoor wilderness of Idaho. We have many adventures planned such as a train trip, rafting adventure, and camping. I challenge you to keep this thread going until I come back and I will try my best to find a Mountain Man Rendezvous - don't know spell that one - and get myself a genuine skunk hat and take a picture. I may even use it for my new avatar. I will post it when I get back.

You may be delighted to know that we will have no firearms with us on the trip but we will be catching fish and man those hooks are sharp - bwahahaha.

Love you ladies -

[SadieKate]

Thank you, SadieKate, so happy you got rid of whatever the offending post was... then, you gals just made me LMAO I just had to bring it back around.

Don't thank me. Thank Snap, our strong and patient mod.