Mothballs to Get Rid of Skunks
The strong odor of a skunk is hard to miss. If you notice it in your yard, you may have a skunk making its home under your deck or foundation. Even once you've determined its location; it can be difficult to get a skunk to leave. The best way to get rid of a skunk is to call a wildlife removal professional. Although mothballs are a do-it-yourself method that can repel skunks, it may not be an effective or safe method of getting rid of them. Does this Spark an idea?
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Identification
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A skunk may have made a home in your yard if you smell a persistent skunk odor over a period of several days. Typically this smell is centralized in one area, such as under your deck or foundation. Search the locations where the smell is strongest for a hole. When you find it, cover it with loose dirt and leave it overnight. In the morning check the hole. If dirt is disturbed you'll know a skunk, or another burrowing animal, is using the hole.
Mothballs to Get Rid of Skunks
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Mothballs placed in socks or bags can be hung around your yard to discourage skunks from digging holes and to repel them from garbage; but use caution in choosing where you hang them. Mothballs can be harmful to humans and pets, and if you put mothballs in a burrow or under the deck, it is likely the skunk will just throw them back out again. Mothballs are insecticides containing either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. These chemicals are flammable and toxic. They are also unstable and can vaporize at room temperature and should never be used in an airtight space such as a sealed bag. Naphthalene has been associated with adverse health effects such as headache, nausea, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. According to the University of Oregon, the use of mothballs in removal of skunks and other wildlife pests is illegal in some states. Check with your local animal control office to determine if use of mothballs in eliminating skunks is legal in your area. The label on mothball packaging lists the intended uses and precautions clearly.
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Alternatives
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If you've determined a skunk has burrowed under your deck or your home install one way doors, which you can purchase at hardware stores, on the entrances to the holes. These allow the skunk to leave, but it can't get back in. Do not try to evict skunks using one way devices during May through August. There will likely be babies inside and they'll die if the mother can't get in, which is not only inhumane, it also creates more odor problems. Never seal a skunk's burrow until you're sure it's gone. If you trap one under your home, it will either die, or it may try to exit through the interior of your home.
Do not trap skunks to remove them. If you want immediate removal contact an animal control professional to do so properly.
Prevention
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Make your home and your yard uninhabitable for skunks. Do not leave pet food outside and seal all garbage containers securely. Eliminate the odor of the garbage using a small amount of ammonia or cayenne pepper on the garbage. This discourages skunks from scavenging in your garbage and eliminates a food source. Seal all gaps and holes in your home's foundation with cement or steel mesh to prevent skunks from burrowing beneath.
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References
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