How to Breed Pet Skunks

For a few hundred years now, people tend to consider skunks as pests. Only recently have people started to bring them into their homes as pets. De-scented they can make good pets, and breeding them is a growing field of interest. It's a complex process to breed skunks, and you need to prepare your facilities and check legalities first. However, if this sounds interesting, read on to learn how to breed pet skunks.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Get information for owning and breeding skunks in your state, county and town. There's a list of states where ownership is legal on the Owners of Pet Skunks website. Find out if animal breeders in your area need special permits. Take care of all your licensing so you cover the legalities before you get your first skunks.

2. Buy the facilities and necessities before you get any animals. You need large kennel-sized cages, litter boxes, cat litter, food bowls and water bowls. You also need to build a warm, soft and dark area as a den for your female to have her litter. You can use a cardboard box with a blanket, but you might need to throw them out and use a different one after each litter. Or you can place a blanket over a kennel with another blanket on the kennel floor.

3. Decide the type of diet for your skunks. There are dietary tips available on the Owners of Pet Skunks website.

4. Look for a local veterinarian with the ability and experience to treat skunks. They need to be de-wormed and have a checkup once per year to make sure they're healthy enough to continue breeding. Check to see what inoculations are available.

5. Set aside a clean area in your home for your animals. Skunks are largely social creatures. Keeping them caged constantly can make the animals mean and attempt to bite more often, so you want them to have some freedom. Skunk-proof the area where they roam with baby-proofing materials.

6. Purchase two healthy kit skunks that are neither obese nor skinny in June or July from a knowledgeable breeder. Be sure you get both a male and a female. Some breeders have waiting lists so call well in advance to get your skunks when you want them. Your skunks should mate in February or March of that first year.

7. Run your skunk breeding business just like you would any other. Keep accurate records, take care of your animals so you have good merchandise and stay abreast of the laws for licensing and certification.

Tips & Warnings

• Question your potential customers hard about their home environment to make sure it's suitable for skunks. Make sure they are aware of any potential problems with owning a skunk where they live. Stay current on federal and state laws as well as the latest in skunk care so you can discuss any concerns.
• Legislation is fluid. Join an activist group for exotic animals and work to change the laws you don't like.
• Don't feed your skunks cat food. It's too high in protein and fat for a skunk. Mix healthy human food with dog food and only feed them moderate amounts. Look at the Owners of Pet Skunks website for more food ideas.
• Don't let your vet use ferret vaccines on your skunk. They have been known to cause problems, illnesses and deaths. Some dog vaccines have had success, but be careful.

Resources

• Owners of Pet Skunks
• Phoenix Exotic Wildlife Association

[EssaAdams]

on 10/12/2008 There are so many pet skunks that are given up to foster care and rescues or even let loose in the wild becasue people who purchase the kits don't realize what they are getting into. I think that this article, 'How to Breed Skunks' is woefully lacking in information, legal guidance and humane considerations for the animal. Consider this - the male is likely to tear up the female. What are you gong to do to avoid that situation or handle it if it arises? Consider well that there are so many fostercare domestic skunks now that need homes. No one should just decide to breed pet skunks for money. A breeder won't actually make anything anyway as there as so many expenses to breeding, so many complications. And I hope the first complication in such a plan comes right straight from the Department of Natural Resources NOT granting the license to breed.