The striped skunk is common throughout all 88 counties in Ohio. Primarily a night forager, they eat a variety of food; worms, insects, fruit, eggs, plant matter, small rodents, and easy meals left by humans such as trash, pet food or bird seed.
With that being said, you would think that they wouldn’t be very active in the winter – WRONG! Breeding season for the striped skunk in Ohio begins in mid-February and continues through March. This means skunk sightings will be on the rise across our area as the critters roam about looking for love!
Officials with the Ohio Department of Wildlife said the active critters could stir up trouble, especially in residential areas and particularly around pets. Striped skunks are very adaptable and can become habituated to humans and their trash, pet food and other sources of food, officials said. In particular, they love nicely manicured lawns, which tend to be full of grubs in the spring.
Keep a close eye on your pets or on a leash, since skunk spray can become your worst nightmare. However, if you should have a close encounter, there are all kinds of home remedies to relieve your pet from the eye-burning smell, from washing with tomato juice to Dawn dish soap. Having survived a few bouts with Peppy ‘Le Pew, I have found the following remedy is best.
Mix together in a bucket:
- 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (available at any pharmacy)
- ¼ cup of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of Dawn dish soap (blue works best)
Rub the mixture on your pet (lather them up thoroughly), rinse and repeat!
Since gestation for skunks is approximately two months, the product of the winter love making will be born throughout April and May. They are born hairless and with their eyes closed, remaining in the den for about six weeks until they are weaned and begin to join their mother on her nightly ramblings.
A female striped skunk gives birth to litters of two to TEN young!!! How about checking out one of our past feature articles on how to repel this most unwanted visitor:
Unless you are one of “those people” who thinks they are just “so cute”. Then let me educate you on the perils of rabies, often carried by the striped skunk: