# Skunks: is it common for them to nip/bite?



## davebrum (Feb 12, 2009)

I have now heard of a few people that there skunk nips or bites them - some worse than others.

And just wondered if this is common and what methods you have found effective for stopping it 

<still trying to be totally prepared for when ours arrives <G>


----------



## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

Hi Dave,

In my research, of whice i've done huge amounts, i've found alot of it depends on there up-bringing, and if they have been castrated/spayed, Obviously the better bond you create when they are kits and the more socialisation you give they are better when older, I think hormones come into it alot, I've only heard of one persons biting properly, no one else, only in play etc.


----------



## ditta (Sep 18, 2006)

domino nips cats feet but never touches me he chases cat to bite her feet but never bothers with mine, i hand feed him treats so he always trys to climb my legs but he has never nipped me, cat screams and runs like a girl tho:lol2:
i usually do any training/discipline but its too funny so im not gonna:lol2:


----------



## naminé (Apr 19, 2009)

Do dogs bite? Do cats bite?

Well as most animals :they have teeth and are able to bite(luckily or it would be hard to feed them) but as for skunks and many other animals; there's a difference between real biting and playful ones.

I have three skunks myself: one of them doesn't want to be held or cuddled at all; she has not been bred in a loveable home but in a breeding farm so she's not as tame as many people would want, but I don't care as long as she's happy I can live with that, but even the fact that she's not really tame even after one year of having her, and not letting me handle her(she pushes me off from her when I hold her and even jumps out of my arms; not minding about the height) she's never bitten me; it all depends on the character of the skunk and the way they have been raised and even then there may be a moment they just want to bite if they're feeling annoyed.

Playful bites: yes all skunks which are playful ones(all young are and should be) like to bite and at this time you should teach them that it's not allowed to bite; or not to bite that hard: I teached them when they were 6 weeks old: I played with them and I didn't mind some soft biting(which is their way of playing ;like a dog does) but when they bit too hard; I said: NO! and I put them in a pet carrier for a while without giving any attention; even if they started crying and begging; they sure know how to play with your emotional feelings :bash:

As for now I can honestly say that I've never been bitten intentionally, I had my first bite just a few days ago which was not the skunk's fault at all: I was holding my pregnant skunk and suddenly my bro's girlfriend decided she wanted to feel if the babies were kicking inside so she placed her hand on her tummy while I was holding her underneath her bum with my hand and the other one underneath her front legs and my skunk didn't want someone else to touch her and she looked down and grabbed the first finger she saw underneath her; which was my thumb :2thumb: , I bled since she bit just underneath my nail but when she noticed it was my finger she immediately let go. She's just a skunk who doesn't want some people around her: she has a limited group of people who she allows .
So skunks do bite but this has to be very very rare while playful bites are common and if they keep them as soft as a playful bite supposed to be I don't mind them at all.

When a skunk bites it's always the fault of the human, keeper, breeder!

if it's not raised properly you can get a vicious skunk, if you threaten it , want to feed them; they LOVE food so they won't see fingers behind something eatable and can accidently take some human flesh between their teeth as well if you are not cautious and want to feed them out of your hand(not advisable for some heavy food addicts :mf_dribble

The worst bite my skunk has delivered was with my horny dog; he's always horny when some female animal or woman's around; so he tried to mate my skunk and got an erection: and she bit him right into his "pole of love" , he bled alot but that's how she deals with rapers. He's never tried it again, he just decided to leave it with sniffing butts but no real action anymore :devil:. Maybe not capable of doing it anymore lol


----------



## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

Some skunks bite for the fun of it too though :whistling2:


Yes most skunks are cute an cuddly BUT there are always acceptions 


As a few people know that i have been conversing with about a lil prob im having at the moment :lol2:


Im gonna be watching this with great interest


----------



## naminé (Apr 19, 2009)

Biting for the fun of it: that's supposed to be playful bites then? If they bite to hard they should know when it's too hard to be accepted by your norms.

It may be a sign or affection :flrt::lol2:

bleeding love


----------



## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

naminé said:


> Biting for the fun of it: that's supposed to be playful bites then? If they bite to hard they should know when it's too hard to be accepted by your norms.
> 
> It may be a sign or affection :flrt::lol2:
> 
> bleeding love


 
Trust me the wounds im carrying they are not love bits or affection bites 

I ment for the fun of it in a term of some skunks will bit just because they know they can


----------



## Talk To The Animals (Jan 10, 2008)

Hershey has only ever bitten by mistake, when she mistakes fingers for food. She once bit me so hard I had a bruise as well as the teeth marks!

Oreo bites if she doesn't get her own way, but only nips. I was sitting on the floor crossed legged tonight and she got between my legs. She then tried to climb out so I went to give her a little lift and she nipped me. She is a stubborn lady who likes things her own way and nobody elses!!


----------



## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

the results of a bite i got last nite 

when it was cleaned up and not looking too bad it bled a lil :lol2:

though i have lost the feeling in the end of my thumb an the nurse at docs said its my nerves that have been bruised


----------



## stoaty (Jul 21, 2008)

Poorly socialised skunks bite but then I have also seem totally bonded skunks go for their owners even worse. It seems that skunks are good at throwing tantrums and know what they are doing at those times. Sounds daft I know but I have seen several skunks that their owners could do anything with suddenly throw tantrums and badly bite when the owner decided to stop them doing something they wanted to do. It may have something to do with the skunk not having any 'fear' of the owner. I am not talking about the owner hitting them so their animal is threatened by them just overly bonded skunks who don't view their owners with respect. Training can help alot. When they do something you dont want as babies then the 'time out technique' really does work and stops the skunk running riot.


----------



## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

stoaty said:


> Poorly socialised skunks bite but then I have also seem totally bonded skunks go for their owners even worse. It seems that skunks are good at throwing tantrums and know what they are doing at those times. Sounds daft I know but I have seen several skunks that their owners could do anything with suddenly throw tantrums and badly bite when the owner decided to stop them doing something they wanted to do. It may have something to do with the skunk not having any 'fear' of the owner. I am not talking about the owner hitting them so their animal is threatened by them just overly bonded skunks who don't view their owners with respect. Training can help alot. When they do something you dont want as babies then the 'time out technique' really does work and stops the skunk running riot.


 
I totally agree with you on that one that bite i got was from my very socialised bino skunky who i have had since a kit 

He is being a nightmare at the moment...............i do think he may be going through his nippy stage late as he was never nippy as a kit 

But at the moment i am getting unprovoked attacks from him the thumb injury being the worst the others are bruises an grazes on my legs where he has attempted to get me 

Though the thumb injury would have been worse hadnt i got him off as he was pre shake as i removed him OUCHIE would have been bye bye end of thumb :lol2:

fortunatly most of his grabs an shakes he has given me have been my jeans and he will hold for a good few mins before letting go :lol2::lol2:


Hmmm why do we do it again :whistling2::lol2::lol2:


----------



## stoaty (Jul 21, 2008)

This grabbing the trouser leg thing is another common thing. Seems to be around this time of year thing. They grab hold and rag. If your leg gets in the way it doesn't matter to them.

The boy I bred last year is doing this now. His mum did it in the year after she was born as well but this year does not seem to be so bad. Maybe just an adolecent thing.


----------



## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

stoaty said:


> This grabbing the trouser leg thing is another common thing. Seems to be around this time of year thing. They grab hold and rag. If your leg gets in the way it doesn't matter to them.
> 
> The boy I bred last year is doing this now. His mum did it in the year after she was born as well but this year does not seem to be so bad. Maybe just an adolecent thing.


 
yeah im hoping it is lol my legs are bruised as beggery LOL 

but i would say it probs is cos siku never had his nippy stage with me as a kit havoc had his just before he was castrated so this could be siku having his moment LOL


----------



## stoaty (Jul 21, 2008)

Emmaj said:


> yeah im hoping it is lol my legs are bruised as beggery LOL
> 
> but i would say it probs is cos siku never had his nippy stage with me as a kit havoc had his just before he was castrated so this could be siku having his moment LOL


Its not a nice stage they go through thats for sure. One minute you have a qute little skunk running round and the next its going for the trouser leg and shaking like a terrier with a rat. No warning just wham. Like I said my female went through it last year but this year does not seem to want to do it - what a pity, lol.


----------



## davebrum (Feb 12, 2009)

some interesting replies thanks folks - so basically some skunks are just damn stubborn and if they want to get forceful they will <G> pretty much what i expected really - just pray mine is going to be a softy!


----------



## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

stoaty said:


> Its not a nice stage they go through thats for sure. One minute you have a qute little skunk running round and the next its going for the trouser leg and shaking like a terrier with a rat. No warning just wham. Like I said my female went through it last year but this year does not seem to want to do it - what a pity, lol.


yeah tell me about it he is such a sweet lil angel when he wants to be lol its mad it really is 



davebrum said:


> some interesting replies thanks folks - so basically some skunks are just damn stubborn and if they want to get forceful they will <G> pretty much what i expected really - just pray mine is going to be a softy!


 
dave erm....... road trip an yeah you can borrow him if you like an you can get the feel for trouser raggin an thumb biting an watching for the white fluffy thing out the corner of your eye :lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2:


----------



## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

davebrum said:


> some interesting replies thanks folks - so basically some skunks are just damn stubborn and if they want to get forceful they will <G> pretty much what i expected really - just pray mine is going to be a softy!


Lol, same here, all the people Ive spoke to that will be keeping them in the same situation as me have done really well with theres, so fingers crossed, do you know when yours in coming yet?


----------



## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

farmercoope said:


> Lol, same here, all the people Ive spoke to that will be keeping them in the same situation as me have done really well with theres, so fingers crossed, do you know when yours in coming yet?


 
i have a confession 

i actually asked dave to start this thread to try an get other peoples opinions without having to put my story up an be slated for it :lol2:

but i was talkin to dave on msn about the troubles i was having with siku an he said why dont you make a thread i said no you do it lol he did thank you 

so thank you dave your a star an i have had replys from people who know what im going through at the moment


----------



## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

Dave, do you know when yours is coming yet?


----------



## davebrum (Feb 12, 2009)

not totally sure when its coming yet - apparently they have been born! but not sure when they will be weaned- but at least it means we are on a count down in weeks rather than months now 

Emma - i also was worried i might end up covered in scars myself after chatting to you and seeing other peoples posts elsewhere <G> thankfully they seem to be oddities rather than the norm <G>


----------



## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

davebrum said:


> not totally sure when its coming yet - apparently they have been born! but not sure when they will be weaned- but at least it means we are on a count down in weeks rather than months now
> 
> Emma - i also was worried i might end up covered in scars myself after chatting to you and seeing other peoples posts elsewhere <G> thankfully they seem to be oddities rather than the norm <G>


yeah dave thats so true i mean i have 4 that are fine an one that likes trouser an leg :lol2:

but hopefully its just a phase with him :lol2:


----------

