Photograph by Don Johntson, All Canada Photos/Corbis. Stankowich T.S., T. Caro, and M. Cox. Baby skunks are de-scented at an early age (male skunks at 3-4 months old, and females at 4-6 months old), so there is never any concern of them letting loose their musky spray. Skunks, easily identifiable by their characteristic black and white striping, are infamous for producing a foul odor when frightened. Their gestation period often lasts around two months and they give birth to two to 10 offspring at a time. Baby skunks are called kits. The striped skunk is found from Canada to Mexico. I imagine that could lead to all kinds of shenanigans for their mothers with babies accidentally spraying each other because they can’t see and they think their brother or sister is an enemy. To employ this scent bomb, a skunk turns around and blasts its foe with a foul mist that can travel as far as ten feet. After that first shot, the skunk is helpless for nearly 10 days! These intimidation tactics are very important because once a sunk sprays once, there’s a refractory period. Spotted Skunk Description Skunks have a very keen sense of smell and hearing, but poor eyesight. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'wildlifeinformer_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_11',114,'0','0']));It’s important to exercise caution when coming across any wild animal, and skunks are no exception. After this time, the young will venture out for nighttime foraging with their mother. Why all this trouble to avoid drawing attention? Skunk: Cuteness Of The Jungle. Kits are blind when born, since their eyes are sealed shut until around the age of 3 weeks, according to the San Diego Zoo. Great horned owls also prey on skunks, and since they have little sense of smell and are also nocturnal they may pose the greatest risk to skunks, but the threat is still relatively small. Unusual Animals Animals Beautiful Cute … If a female conceives early in the season, the development of the fertilized eggs may be paused for a few weeks, in a process called delayed implantation. In basic shape and appearance, skunk tracks most closely resemble bear tracks, except they are much smaller. A skunk's spray is an oily liquid produced by glands under its large tail. This makes them a nuisance to beekeepers, but also integral to keeping wasp populations low. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'wildlifeinformer_com-leader-2','ezslot_15',113,'0','0']));If you keep chickens, you’re probably aware of what a nuisance skunks can be to your coop. Skunks can survive a snake bite. That was a good read. This last fact about distance may be one of the most important facts about skunks you can learn. They can run only 10 miles per hour. ( Log Out /  Skunks use their strong forefeet and long nails to dig for food like grubs and earthworms. A common wives tale is that bathing in tomato juice will fix the odor if you happen to get sprayed by a skunk. After they are weaned, they leave the den and at to 10 to 12 months old they are ready to have their own kits. This makes skunk track identification somewhat easier than picking out the prints of other, similar-sized animals. They eat insects & larvae, earthworms, grubs, small rodents, lizards, salamanders, frogs, snakes, birds, moles, eggs, berries, roots, leaves, grasses, fungi, and nuts. This and during mating seasons are the only times skunks will associate with one another as they prefer to live and forage alone. Even with all this activity, female skunks will do their best to keep their search and their chosen burrow a secret. Any predator that finds a skunk den can quickly make a snack of the skunk babies, and male skunks also enter dens and kill and eat young. Skunk produces strong disgusting smell as they secrete liquid by glands under their large tails. They have five toes on each foot. The smell of it can linger for days with some instances reporting people smelled even after weeks. Animals. They’ll stomp the ground, slap their tail, and will even stand on their hind paws to better display their backside. Often compared to cat feces, skunk droppings can take on slightly different colors and shapes depending on the weather, the contents of their meals, and the length of time from the initial deposit. ( Log Out /  1982. The official name for the skunk family is Mephitidae, which means "stink." If you know without a doubt that a baby skunk is an orphan (the mother was hit by a car, etc.) With a gestation period of 7-10 weeks, adults have their young during the first part of May, and yearlings during the first part of June. Cute Baby Animals Animals And Pets Wild Animals Farm Animals Animal Babies Cute Animal Photos Animal Pictures Skunk Facts Skunk Pet. For more information and pictures of striped skunks see: Elbroch, M. and K. Rinehart. They’ll stomp the ground, slap their tail, and will even stand on their hind paws to better display their backside. The northern populations of this species hibernate (sleep) over the winter. Skunks will always prefer to intimidate a predator away then have to spray them. Thank you Ted, and thanks for a fascinating article on the evolution of aposematism. a skunk likes to feed on small animals and insects Skunks eat small prey. The albino skunk can be differentiated from a white skunk by its pink eyes. Rearing: Baby skunks keep their eyes closed for the first 21 days and remain in the den for the first 6 to 8 weeks. Skunks can run up to 10 miles per hour. The only time skunks appear to even pay attention to a person or animal is if they feel threatened, when they will begin a typical set of behaviors that progress from hissing while arching their back and displaying their tail, to stomping their front feet, and ultimately bending in a U-shape to simultaneously look at the threat and aim the business end of their musk glands before spraying. WildlifeInformer.com is a site that’s all about wild animals and nature. Baby skunks are born completely toothless and blind, with the eyes of the baby skunk not opening until the skunk is a few weeks old. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'wildlifeinformer_com-leader-1','ezslot_13',112,'0','0']));Skunks don’t hibernate, but they do occasionally huddle in communal dens for warmth. Here are a few facts about skunks to help us better understand this misunderstood outcast. 10 Pungent Facts About Skunks. Now I share my knowledge here on this site with you! Skunks have two anal glands that carry the spray material. Especially during the colder months, they’ll stumble upon small rodents in wooded areas or near the garbage. Once the skunk enters and begins to dine, carefully tilt the can up a bit, raising it elevator-style out of the window well, then gently tip it on its side again so the skunk can amble out. Those who have one are adamant that the animal makes a great pet, and is has been shown that skunks are smart, curious, and have individual personalities just like a cat or dog. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Striped skunk. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'wildlifeinformer_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_8',105,'0','0']));If the preemptive stripes don’t work, the skunk will then try to scare off a predator with a kind of dance. Unfortunately, this isn’t true, as the tomato just covers up and slightly neutralizes the smell. 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