Homemade Skunk Repellent
Skunks are unwanted visitors in most urban settings. If you have skunks on your property, you want them gone. They damage lawns and gardens by digging for grubs and can spray when threatened, leaving behind that characteristic acrid odor. According to the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, skunks can be carriers for a number of diseases transmittable to humans, including rabies, Q-fever and tularemia.
Female skunks typically make a den in a dark, protected location to raise their litter, making crawl spaces beneath porches and under sheds primary locations for skunks to take up residence.
Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Mothballs
- Cloth bag
- Stick
- Light
- Radio
- Onion
- Jalapeno pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Water
- Pot
- Cheesecloth or mesh strainer
- Spray bottle
Instructions
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Suspend bags of mothballs near den openings. The vapors from the ingredients in mothballs are an eye irritant and discourage skunks from entering their den. Suspend the bags from sticks in the ground or from an overhead beam or railing. Remove the bags as soon as the skunks have left the area.
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Place a light and radio near the entrance to the skunk den. Skunks are nocturnal, and bright light and noise will make their den area inhospitable. Hang an electric trouble light, the kind used by auto mechanics, near the den entrance. Place a radio near the entrance as well, with the volume turned up as loud as you and your neighbors can tolerate. Turn them on at dusk and off during the day to save electricity.
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Make a liquid, hot-pepper repellent. Jack Murphy, licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator, of Urban Wildlife Rescue in Colorado, recommends the following recipe: In 2 qt. of water, boil one chopped jalapeno pepper, one chopped yellow onion and 1 tbsp. of powdered cayenne pepper. Boil for 20 minutes; cool and strain. Apply the repellent around the entrance to the den with a spray bottle. Reapply every three to five days and after it rains.
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Tips & Warnings
Not all repellents work all on all skunks. If one method isn't successful, try another.
Make your home inaccessible to skunks by closing access to areas under porches or garages with hardware cloth.
Do not kill the skunk; the spotted skunk is protected in many states.
Never approach a skunk, particularly if they are aggressive or show no fear of pets or humans, as they may be ill and need removal by trained professionals.
Mothballs are toxic to humans and pets if ingested. Keep them in a breathable bag to contain them and dispose of them when they are no longer needed.
Avoid spraying any liquid repellent directly into the den. If the skunk is in the den and feels threatened, it may spray.
When handling the hot-pepper spray, use caution. Avoid contact with eyes or skin.
