PK-W03 · Nuisance wildlife
How to get rid of Striped skunks
Mephitis mephitis
Skunks are rabies-vector animals that dig under decks and spray when startled. Do not crawl after one with a flashlight in a tight space. Control is exclusion with buried mesh after confirming occupancy (and young), and removing pet food. Spray in the house is a restoration problem. CDC rabies guidance applies to bites and unusual daytime aggression. Gasoline and mothballs under a deck are dangerous nonsense.
How to identify Striped skunk
- Black and white stripes, nocturnal, musky. Digging cones in lawns for grubs sometimes.
- Dens under decks and sheds.
Signs of an infestation
- Odor, especially at night.
- Excavation at a deck corner.
- Pet confrontations.
Biology and why they show up
Omnivores, seasonal young. They eat insects, garbage, and pet food. Winter inactivity in cold climates, not always true hibernation.
Health and property risk
Rabies, spray in eyes (medical irrigation), bites. Do not “test” a tame skunk.
Proven control sequence
Work in this order. Skipping inspection or exclusion is why most “treatments” bounce back in a week.
- Hire a NWCO for occupied dens. One-way doors, timing around young, then bury mesh.
- Remove food. Garbage, grubs if lawn damage is the attractant (that is a turf IPM fork), pet food.
- Spray in eyes: rinse and medical care. Not tomato juice as the medical plan. Pets: veterinarian.
Matching tools for these steps can be bought on Amazon. Buy the field kit.
Tools for skunk exclusion
Screen the gap they use. Do not surprise a skunk in a crawl with a flashlight in its face as a plan.
As an Amazon Associate, Pest Kill earns from qualifying purchases. The EPA label is the law for any pesticide. These links match the sequence on this page — they are not a shopping list instead of identification. Details: advertising disclosure. Browse the full tools catalog.
Hardware
1/4-inch galvanized hardware cloth
Cut patches for vents, soffits, and the gaps foam cannot hold. Quarter-inch mesh stops mice; rats need a heavier gauge and no loose edges. Fasten to wood or masonry, then seal the rim.
Hardware
Headlamp or flashlight for inspections
German cockroaches, rodent runways, and bed-bug harborages are night-shift jobs. A light you can point into a hinge beats another can of spray.
Prevention that actually sticks
- Close deck skirts before den season.
- Secure garbage.
When to hire a licensed professional
Yes for structures. Rabies: public health.
United States and Tier 1 notes
US-wide. Canada similar. Spotted skunks are different species with their own status.
Common questions
Will mothballs chase them?
Unreliable, not labeled for this in occupied housing, and a child-poisoning risk. Exclude.