# All skunk owners.. a little help and advice please.



## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

hi all skunk owners,

i have been looking around in here at all the skunk posts, i absolutly love them and want one.

my only concern is what are they like around the house? i would want my skunk to be free roaming around the house but with a cage to put him in at night. as i said though, my only concern is what are they like around the house? do they chew, scratch, and destroy things and furniture/carpets?

any other stories or information anyone can provide would be appriciated.

thanks


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

Depends in the individual skunk..............

some skunks can be really destructive where as others not 

so its kinda pot luck really :lol2:


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

ok cool, so is it something you can train them out of if they are distructive or is it quite literaly, black and white... they either are or they not.


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

tbh they are very head strong animals so if they want to do something then you will be lucky to stop them lol 

i have been lucky really the worst i have had is them pulling up the carpet when i used to have carpet down 

though there are other people who have had a fair amount of damage caused by their skunks 

its more a thing of you skunk proofing and removing anything you wouldnt want damaging or finding ways to protect it


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## sam gamgee (Apr 8, 2009)

*Skunkies? Sweet smelling angels......*

Dont chew cables etc (do knot em up when being chased/playing though) do try to dig through rugs, carpets etc.Lots and lots of poo (hopefully in litter trays strategically placed throughout the house lol) but wouldnt be without em.......most of the time!:bash::devil:: victory::flrt::censor::flrt::lol2:


Ello Emzeeee! Owzit going girly? (sorry to hijack thread a little)

Dave.


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

sam gamgee said:


> Dont chew cables etc (do knot em up when being chased/playing though) do try to dig through rugs, carpets etc.Lots and lots of poo (hopefully in litter trays strategically placed throughout the house lol) but wouldnt be without em.......most of the time!:bash::devil:: victory::flrt::censor::flrt::lol2:
> 
> 
> Ello Emzeeee! Owzit going girly? (sorry to hijack thread a little)
> ...


 
hee hee yeah thats why i dont have carpet or rugs now lol 

im good davey will pm you then we dont hijack the thread lol:lol2:


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## sami (Oct 23, 2006)

mine's dug up the carpet in the bathroom, and hidden under the kitchen counters or the bath for a few days.. 

but other than that... :whistling2:


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## sam gamgee (Apr 8, 2009)

sami said:


> mine's dug up the carpet in the bathroom, and hidden under the kitchen counters or the bath for a few days..
> 
> but other than that... :whistling2:


 
:gasp::gasp::gasp::gasp::gasp::gasp::gasp::gasp:


:lol2:

Dave.


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## exoticskeepers (Dec 27, 2009)

Well mine arrived last night via SamtheVanMan (thanks to him for the great service) from Emmaj (and thanks to EmmaJ for workking with me while I sorted getting this guy). I took this guy on as he needs a little more understanding than your ordinary skunk (and I'm a glutton for punishment) lol

I've ferrt/cat/rabbit/possum proofed houses in the past so figured it was no major deal... 

left him alone last night in his 'room' I converted under the stairs for the wee guy so he has a 4x8 foot room to run around in while I'm asleep. Woke up this morning to find a hole in the corner of the concrete wall. And a door frame in the kitchen that looked like this after he escaped his own room:









(Yes that is a gaping big chunk out of it lmao)

Went looking for him and apparantly he was tired after his adventure as he made his way back into his bed into what I thought was the escape proof room lmao (Sorry folks, I didnt think about getting a photo of the wall before I started repairs lol)


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

exoticskeepers said:


> Well mine arrived last night via SamtheVanMan (thanks to him for the great service) from Emmaj (and thanks to EmmaJ for workking with me while I sorted getting this guy). I took this guy on as he needs a little more understanding than your ordinary skunk (and I'm a glutton for punishment) lol
> 
> I've ferrt/cat/rabbit/possum proofed houses in the past so figured it was no major deal...
> 
> ...


 
You forgots to mention the lovely tara who looked after him up until sam picking him up :flrt:


I did chuckle and gasp when you sent me that pic earlier hee hee 

sowwie :blush::lol2:


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## xxx_phoenix_xxx (Sep 25, 2009)

exoticskeepers said:


> Well mine arrived last night via SamtheVanMan (thanks to him for the great service) from Emmaj (and thanks to EmmaJ for workking with me while I sorted getting this guy). I took this guy on as he needs a little more understanding than your ordinary skunk (and I'm a glutton for punishment) lol
> 
> I've ferrt/cat/rabbit/possum proofed houses in the past so figured it was no major deal...
> 
> ...


 

PMSL!!!!!!!!:lol2::lol2::lol2:


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## exoticskeepers (Dec 27, 2009)

Lol wasnt sure tara was on here, but you and she both know she has my heart felt thanks 

You chuckled at that?? Good job you werent here in person while i was picking up bits of concrete this morning then lol

Never known an animal like it. I would have SWORN he couldnt escape from that room


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## xxx_phoenix_xxx (Sep 25, 2009)

exoticskeepers said:


> Lol wasnt sure tara was on here, but you and she both know she has my heart felt thanks
> 
> You chuckled at that?? Good job you werent here in person while i was picking up bits of concrete this morning then lol
> 
> Never known an animal like it. I would have SWORN he couldnt escape from that room


 
well you were proven wrong:Na_Na_Na_Na::lol2:


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## exoticskeepers (Dec 27, 2009)

xxx_phoenix_xxx said:


> well you were proven wrong:Na_Na_Na_Na::lol2:


i would put money (money I no longer have too) that the little bugger cant get out tonight lol


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

exoticskeepers said:


> i would put money (money I no longer have too) that the little bugger cant get out tonight lol


LOLOL Andy i did warn you what lil shizers they can be 

hee hee least sam knows what skunk spray smells like too :whistling2::lol2::lol2:


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## xxx_phoenix_xxx (Sep 25, 2009)

exoticskeepers said:


> i would put money (money I no longer have too) that the little bugger cant get out tonight lol


:lol2::lol2: well good luck with that lets just hope your right as you will have some more DIY to contend with in the morning :lol2:


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## exoticskeepers (Dec 27, 2009)

Well dispite all his best efforts he didnt manage to get out last night lol.... did anyone take my bet? lol


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

mat_worrell said:


> hi all skunk owners,
> 
> i have been looking around in here at all the skunk posts, i absolutly love them and want one.
> 
> ...


hi think you need to do a bit more research as there is NO WAY you can 'put it in a cage at night' they are nocturnal so it would be horrible for the skunk. they need complete free range. they sleep most of the day and are like maniacs of a night so caging it would be cruel. if you want a skunk be prepared for a life change. they destroy everything. my girl dug up concrete, pealed the wallpaper and dug out all our new leather couches from underneath. i had a cage which i would only use for time out... very rarely. only if say we had work being done on the house and people coming in and out all the time etc.


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

to be honest most of the information i have read up on them suggest cages. obviously they need room to roam and execise and play however a cage is used to ensure safety when you are not around, ie out at work or in bed asleep. surely it is irresposible to leave a pet unsepervised?! 

i have read it is also good trainning and practise to use a cage. 

i have read a number of times that although nocturnal they do adjust to your body clock. so that they are up and playfull in the day and sleep at night. 

personaly if i do purchase this baby skunk i hope it will adjust and i will be using a cage to ensure that he is safe at night and not getting into any danger.


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

"Although they can be given the run of the house, being very easy to potty train, it is best to invest in an indoor rabbit cage, with a soft plastic base and wire top. These cages usually open at the top and one side, allowing the animals to come and go through the side door."

from a well known skunk care sheet.


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

"When young, baby skunks are best kept caged, when you are not playing with, or holding them. They will mainly sleep throughout the day, but as they grow, they will often adjust their sleeping to your daily routine."

Again from the same care sheet.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

mat_worrell said:


> to be honest most of the information i have read up on them suggest cages. obviously they need room to roam and execise and play however a cage is used to ensure safety when you are not around, ie out at work or in bed asleep. surely it is irresposible to leave a pet unsepervised?!


No, responsible Skunk owners will make a room (or the whole/majority of the house) suitable for unsupervised living. They don't cage them when they are active, and free them when they sleep.



> i have read it is also good trainning and practise to use a cage.


On what grounds would caging such an animal be 'good practice' ? Consider the amount of exercise they should have, and need to keep healthy, I can't see how caging a Skunk (or most medium-large exotic pets for that matter) would be good practice.



> i have read a number of times that although nocturnal they do adjust to your body clock. so that they are up and playfull in the day and sleep at night.


Yes, if you wake up a kit constantly throughout the day and make it so tired it has to sleep at night, some individuals would adjust to that, but why would you ('you' as in 'one') get a nocturnal animal and adjust it to being diurnal because you (and again) want it that way? Seems rather bizarre to me.


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## sam gamgee (Apr 8, 2009)

We have three skunks now....descented male and female, fully loaded female. The descented male and loaded female have complete run of upstairs (and down if they desire, they dont really bother) at all times wether we are here or not.
The most recent addition (descented, spayed and cute) prefers downstairs and only goes upstairs during the night, havind bedded herself at the bottom of the bookcase in the living room, lol.
We are careful, making sure none can get to the other animals (reptiles; tegu in conservatory, others in thier own room downstairs) and keep them out of the kitchen. Other than that and along with the pain of having litter trays in each room (!!) they have the complete run of the house, day/night. They do have thier own room upstairs but Ollie and Ella have decided that under the wardrobe is a much better place to den down (our bedroom), we caved in and leave the door open for them. Wouldnt put em in a cage but understand why some have to.

Dave.


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

In answer to you last comment I hardly see it as a negative that they are up during the day and sleep at night. All of the videos I have seen the skunk seems to be very activ during the day. After all is it not just the same as humans working nights?? 

Anyway I think the whole perspective of this post has been lost. I am not saying i will cage my baby skunk 24/7 it will be caged for the 8 hours I am asleep.


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

Cheers for that dave. Adding a bit of perspective back to this thread. 

Supose it's a bit like the use of dog cages, some people swear by them some people hate the idea of them! Gues it also depends on the individual animal too.


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

Hi Matt,

Personally, I am glad that you are taking the time to post your thoughts on getting your skunk. While some responses to your post are not encouraging, what it does do is open your eyes to things you may not have come across, and it can also give you insight into how other people cope with their individual skunks. 

My thoughts on the matter are that animals will become habituated to a way of life and routine quite quickly - more so when they are young. Providing the cage you use has plenty of room and toys/enrichment to keep your baby amused in the night, and there is free exercise and play during the day and evening, then you shouldn't have too many problems. It all depends upon the individual you get and how they respond to the home environment you provide. I'm sure you realise this already! Having a plan B and probably C and D in case the cage idea does not work is a necessity - what will you do if your skunk keeps you awake all night trying to get out of the cage?

I'm waiting to see if my baby girl is pregnant, and I can assure you I will try and put off potential owners of any kits as much as I can, which I guess is what other responsible skunk owners on this forum do. It's no joke trying to rehome unwanted animals when they have been traumatised by an unprepared first home. For skunks, rehoming is very hard, so it's got to be a well researched decision to have one. 

Thanks for posting and keep on doing it!


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

Thanks for that information, very helpfull. As I am sure I have said already I am in no means ready to take on the resposibility of keeping a skunk yet, just using this forum as a 'tool' to try and gain any and as much information as I can from poeple who own skunks. As sometimes reading a general basic caresheet is A, not enough and B, sometimes very different from the 1st hand experiences of actual keepers.


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## FuzzyFurry (Dec 13, 2009)

mat_worrell said:


> "Although they can be given the run of the house, being very easy to potty train, it is best to invest in an indoor rabbit cage, with a soft plastic base and wire top. These cages usually open at the top and one side, allowing the animals to come and go through the side door."
> 
> from a well known skunk care sheet.


*shuffles in* Scuse me if I'm being thick. but surely having a cage with a 'soft plastic base' would be a bad idea anyway? considering they can dig through concrete?


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

I see your point but i'm sure you mean plaster as concrete is pretty tough S**T! Lol.


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## sam gamgee (Apr 8, 2009)

They dont all dig through concrete!

Ours sometimes keep us awake through the night but if it gets too bad we send them to the naughty room (actually thiers lol) although we have only done this a couple of times and occasionally through the day.However this is rare and they usually chill out through the day, sleeping.....
Skunkies are not for the faint hearted but they can be a pain/funny/loving(ish)/independant/greedy/fussy/delightful/frustratinggorgeouse/sweet and many other things all in the blink of an eye!!!!!

Ya gotta love em.:flrt:

Dave.


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## loulou (Jan 18, 2006)

mat_worrell said:


> I see your point but i'm sure you mean plaster as concrete is pretty tough S**T! Lol.





sam gamgee said:


> They dont all dig through concrete!


They can dig through concrete (well some) one of our females has TWICE and through an outside wall as well http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/exotic-mammals/274577-maple-miner.html

Also personal opinion but I think putting a skunk that will wander for miles and miles at night in a tiny rabbit cage is cruel, if you are going to cage a skunk when its at its most lively and active then at least make an enclosure or cage where the poor animal can turn around, something like an 8ftx4ft minimum. A room is better, our skunks (all 9 of them) have parts of the house which has been skunk proofed so its safe, its not that hard to do.


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

While some skunks are awake through the day they love nighttime play and would need full run of house. Yes i agree that an animal should be safe and secure when owner is not around but a cage is not the answer. before anyone should get a skunk they need to create a safe area- be that a room or a full house and not just a cage. the size of a cage they would need may as well be a room. when my girl was a baby i kept her in a 150cm rabbit cage for the first few months when i wasnt with her but quickly gave her free rein when i noticed the crazy pacing a skunk can do when contained. the care sheet you mention i followed only to quickly realise that it was wrong and they need as much freedom as possible. thats why no everyone is suited to having a skunk.


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