# bad experience with Dom (skunk) a warning to other skunk owners



## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

i have ummd and arrrrd about postin about this as i know i will probably get some people givin me jip about it but i feel that it may help other skunk owners so im goin to post about it anyway

as some will know we have had a lot of housing issues with Domino lately, he managed to get out his cage and get out the cat flap in the early hours of the morning but luckily we caught him in next doors garden. We then made a temporary pen for him and double baby gated the door, locked the cat flap and put a guard over it to ensure he couldnt mess with the lock. 2 nights went by with him not escaping the pen and we thought we had cracked it but then he figured out how to get over and managed to get into the hall way. So we put a number of pieces of wood between the gates and wedged it so that he couldnt get through the gate. This worked for one night then when i came downstairs this morning i found the back door open but the wood still where i put it last night, i thought ditta had been down to let the dogs out. When i got into the kitchen i found Dom was nowhere to be found. Upon lookin at the wood he had chewed the whole corner off and got out through that. I asked ditta if she had been down n opened the back door she said no......so i started to panick then thinkin we had been burgled, but the back door is broken and cannot be opened from the outside only the inside, so it looks like Dom has climbed up the guard and opened, yes OPENED the back door!!!! i was mortified that he was gone, we searched the garden and surrounding areas and a neighbour said he had seen him about 6 am in his garden. I was absolutely adament he was gone but we went upstairs to get dressed to go out and look and Ditta had a voicemail.....it was the rspca askin to ring them. i rung and they had found him on the estate near the school. Now although i dont have the best opinion of the rspca they have been brilliant about it. They did ask if i had a license to keep him to which i had to explain i didnt need one. Anyway they brought him back, came and had a look round and as all was well gave him back. 

Upon discussion, the inspector says its always a panick when they find animals like skunks as they do not have the license to board them overnight so need to find alternative places that do, apparently they need a zoo license, and if they cannot find places for them on the day they find them then they have no other option than to put them to sleep. Apparently a lot of skunks are being dumped in the lake district recently due to people not wanting them because of the descenting laws. I said i would happily take in any found dumped as i know i would be able to find them suitable homes or at least we have knowledgable people on here who would help out. its better than havin them pts. He said though we can keep them as pets we would have to have a license should the rspca want them to board with us. He said with the house the way it is atm still not being fully restored after the fire it wouldnt be possible but he will come back in january and see the house again then and if it is restored and suitable we can look into becoming boarders for the exotics that the rspca find, though we will need the appropriate license for this, so will have to meet certain standards, which the inspector said he will discuss this with us. 

anyway the whole warning thing is that *if you have a new skunk please be aware that they are capable of anything!!* even i couldnt have got through the baracade we put up at the kitchen gate so it shows how intelligent these animals are!!! be sure the place you have your skunk at night is totally secure. We have been out to buy hinges and a bolt and will be puttin one of the fire damaged doors up until we can build the door we want there, we are currently toyin with ideas for the most suitable and skunk proof to use!!! also *please please please get your skunk micro chipped!* the inspector immediately panicked when they found him n the young girl suggested scannin him, n luckily we had him chipped as soon as we got him. 

so, whoever wishes to comment may do, and i do expect some to come on readin me the riot act, but im postin this to help people and give them info they may not have, *that skunks can open doors!!!!!* people who have met me and seen me with Dom will know that my care for him is second to none and i love him and wouldnt do anything to jepoardise his comfort happiness or safety. 

Dom has been checked over by the rspca vet, and will be going to our vet tomorrow for a check up just to mae sure, though he is sleepin atm as he has had quite a wander!!!


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## mrsfluff (Jul 15, 2007)

Glad you got him back Cat. I've got to say, he sounds a proper handful! 

Jo


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## MSL (Jul 30, 2007)

DOn't know why anyone would give you a hard time sounds like you have done evrything you could...........
glad you got him back safe and sound.


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

mrfluff said:


> Glad you got him back Cat. I've got to say, he sounds a proper handful!
> 
> Jo


 he had a pain in his arse before, now hes become a pain in mine! :lol2:


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## cs3ae (Aug 24, 2008)

Firsty I dont think you have done anything wong
I think thats very nice of you to post that and hope you dont get any jip as you dont deserve to. When we got our first skunk Pepe he was used to being caged at night as that whats his previous owners had done. Not being quite sure what to keep him in at night we thought we were being very clever we went and got a large dog crate with small gaps in it. The first two nights were fine he stayed in there no problem. The third night he worked out that he could get out the crate by squeezeing through a small gap at the bottom inbetween the pull out tray and sides. Thankfully we are lucky enough to have bedroom we could leave him loose in. 
When we got moose she was unwell so the vet advised as to keep her away from Pepe. Not having another skunk proof room we kept Moose in a large indoor rabbit cage till she worked out she could lift the side. Thinking we were being more clever this time we went and got one of the cloth dog crates. It took one night for the little:censor: to work out she undo the zips from the inside. In the end we had to put her in with Pepe. When we got daisy we didnt bother and skunk proofed the bathroom and thats where she will stay till shemixes with the others. 

We did find however that you can padlock the zips on the cloth crate together and that seems to work quite well.


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## enola69 (Aug 27, 2008)

This may be a really stupid question but was the door locked?

I can't relax without checking the doors are locked a billion times before going to bed.


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

MSL said:


> DOn't know why anyone would give you a hard time sounds like you have done evrything you could...........
> glad you got him back safe and sound.


well i wouldnt put it past a few people :lol2:



cs3ae said:


> Firsty I dont think you have done anything wong
> I think thats very nice of you to post that and hope you dont get any jip as you dont deserve to. When we got our first skunk Pepe he was used to being caged at night as that whats his previous owners had done. Not being quite sure what to keep him in at night we thought we were being very clever we went and got a large dog crate with small gaps in it. The first two nights were fine he stayed in there no problem. The third night he worked out that he could get out the crate by squeezeing through a small gap at the bottom inbetween the pull out tray and sides. Thankfully we are lucky enough to have bedroom we could leave him loose in.
> When we got moose she was unwell so the vet advised as to keep her away from Pepe. Not having another skunk proof room we kept Moose in a large indoor rabbit cage till she worked out she could lift the side. Thinking we were being more clever this time we went and got one of the cloth dog crates. It took one night for the little:censor: to work out she undo the zips from the inside. In the end we had to put her in with Pepe. When we got daisy we didnt bother and skunk proofed the bathroom and thats where she will stay till shemixes with the others.
> 
> We did find however that you can padlock the zips on the cloth crate together and that seems to work quite well.


i think Domino was housed outside with other skunks so may not be used to bein in a cage. Hes been fine in his cage for about 5 weeks until one day he discovers how to pull the side off n bam! he does it every time!! i just feel exhausted by him and im definately not havin children!!!! not if this is anythin to go by :lol2:
Dom is a good chewer as we have found out, so i dunno if the material dog crates would work even with the zip locked. im just amazed he opened the door, we really have to yank down on the handle to open it so it shows he is strong!!!!

thanks for support btw guys. Despite puttin the door up tongiht with a bolt on it ill probably set up camp for the night on the stairs to see if he can get through the door!! cos after this last escapade i wouldnt put anything past him!! gunna put the door on upside down i think so he cant even pull on the handle! the house is gunna be like a padded cell soon! :lol2:


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## cs3ae (Aug 24, 2008)

They little :censor: buggers arent they I think Moose has aged me by about ten years. We had nothing but problems when we first got her due her being poorly but I wouldnt be without her now. Some how I think having children would be less stressful.


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

enola69 said:


> This may be a really stupid question but was the door locked?
> 
> I can't relax without checking the doors are locked a billion times before going to bed.


 
ive posted in the op havent i? lol the back door is broken and when its shut it doesnt open from the outside, only from the inside, so it cant be locked


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## enola69 (Aug 27, 2008)

sorry only scanned it quickly. 

I'd hate that so much!! I think i have a bit of OCD when it comes to locking doors. 

Did not realise rspca has to put them down that quickly - thats awful.


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## Mrs dirtydozen (Sep 5, 2008)

good luck with taking in animals from the rspca, a friend that dealt with the dogs across the road was supost to be arranging it for me to do, they checked the house n was really happy with everythin, i was gona do it totally free, my own time n animal food would be used n i was suppost to be fosterin animals all sorts till the rspca could get them a home, but havnt heard nothin back. they complain about all these animals etc and they have too many blaar blaar blaar n then when they get a good genuine offer they dont bother doing out.


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

enola69 said:


> sorry only scanned it quickly.
> 
> I'd hate that so much!! I think i have a bit of OCD when it comes to locking doors.
> 
> Did not realise rspca has to put them down that quickly - thats awful.


apparently it only applies to certain animals, though i dont know which animals it is. I think its totally stupid that they need a special license to board things. They did say puttin to sleep is a last resort but they arent even allowed to keep animals such as skunks etc even one night as they arent licensed to do so


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

Mrs dirtydozen said:


> good luck with taking in animals from the rspca, a friend that dealt with the dogs across the road was supost to be arranging it for me to do, they checked the house n was really happy with everythin, i was gona do it totally free, my own time n animal food would be used n i was suppost to be fosterin animals all sorts till the rspca could get them a home, but havnt heard nothin back. they complain about all these animals etc and they have too many blaar blaar blaar n then when they get a good genuine offer they dont bother doing out.


domestic animals arent a problem, its certain exotics that cant be boarded with people unless a zoo license or similar is held, this is what the inspector has said. An d to get the license your place of residence or the place you intend to board the animals have to meet a set of very high standards apparently. If it was as easy as takin in dogs and cats i would be takin some in tomorrow lol but apparently its quite hard thats why he said he will come back in jan to see if the house has been totally sorted after the fire


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## butterfingersbimbo (Jan 26, 2008)

bloody hell!!! i would have had heart attack, sounds like you coped with it well, that's the thing with pets, just when you think it's safe they prove you wrong : victory:


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

butterfingersbimbo said:


> bloody hell!!! i would have had heart attack, sounds like you coped with it well, that's the thing with pets, just when you think it's safe they prove you wrong : victory:


Ditta is puttin the door up as we speak while i sit here with 2 pairs of pjs on, trousers tucked into socks, big slippers on and a fluffy dressin gown, think ive become ill with the stress :lol2: think im comin down with flu or summink, im soooo coldddd


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## butterfingersbimbo (Jan 26, 2008)

oh no! as long as it's not "man flu"............now give her a hand with that bloody door :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Mrs dirtydozen (Sep 5, 2008)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> domestic animals arent a problem, its certain exotics that cant be boarded with people unless a zoo license or similar is held, this is what the inspector has said. An d to get the license your place of residence or the place you intend to board the animals have to meet a set of very high standards apparently. If it was as easy as takin in dogs and cats i would be takin some in tomorrow lol but apparently its quite hard thats why he said he will come back in jan to see if the house has been totally sorted after the fire


i said i would take in all animals mainly dogs n ferrets like one or two dogs at a time til they could get a home, the only animal said i wouldnt want to take in would be cats as i wouldnt let them out n didnt have the room to house them as they would have to go in a cage during the day. they said it was brill the house was fine, n they were really thankful for the help, got a few phone calls n after that didnt hear anythin.

so does that mean u will have to get a zoo license in jan?


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## Nerys (Apr 18, 2005)

*hugs* cat and ditta.. little sods aren't they at times!

if it ever comes to it i work with a UK based specialist exotic rescue group, who work with the rspca already, and am an approved courier for them.. i don't have a zoo license here, so if what cat was told is true, then i would face the same issues as her with boarding.. however the guys i work with already take and board animals taken in by the rspca (for whatever reason).. so i can get most animals taken on at very short notice.. and also between cat/ditta and me, i am sure we could sort picking most things up too.

i say that as i don't want people saying i am trying to get freebies.. i'm more than happy to help a skunk (or other exotic) in need tho, and if that means picking animals up and taking them to somewhere who is approved to take them, then i would rather do that than see them pts, whether it be with me, or with someone else, the important thing is to see they are safe.

N


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

Mrs dirtydozen said:


> i said i would take in all animals mainly dogs n ferrets like one or two dogs at a time til they could get a home, the only animal said i wouldnt want to take in would be cats as i wouldnt let them out n didnt have the room to house them as they would have to go in a cage during the day. they said it was brill the house was fine, n they were really thankful for the help, got a few phone calls n after that didnt hear anythin.
> 
> so does that mean u will have to get a zoo license in jan?


 
If we want to take in animals that require a zoo license then yeah accordin to the rspca, i dont know how much truth is in that nor do i know anymore details about it. ive got people on the case findin out for me. the inspector didnt say what animals require a zoo license to board them apart from skunks so id need to find that out


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## Dirtydozen (Feb 7, 2007)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> If we want to take in animals that require a zoo license then yeah accordin to the rspca, i dont know how much truth is in that nor do i know anymore details about it. ive got people on the case findin out for me. the inspector didnt say what animals require a zoo license to board them apart from skunks so id need to find that out


tbh i bet the inspector didnt know what he was going on about, i dont understand why they or u would need a zoo liecnce to board these animals if u dont need one to keep them?

so does this mean they only rehome exotics to people that have a zoo lience also??, when the rspca inspector came round to ours she didnt know what anythin was, she werent coming round to do an inspection she was just a friend and i called her out about the dogs across the road, and she came in to let me know about the dogs n i made her a brew lol


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

Dirtydozen said:


> tbh i bet the inspector didnt know what he was going on about, i dont understand why they or u would need a zoo liecnce to board these animals if u dont need one to keep them?
> 
> *so does this mean they only rehome exotics to people that have a zoo lience also??,* when the rspca inspector came round to ours she didnt know what anythin was, she werent coming round to do an inspection she was just a friend and i called her out about the dogs across the road, and she came in to let me know about the dogs n i made her a brew lol


 
basically if a skunk is found, and i assume it applies to other exotics too though i dont know which ones, then yeah, they only place them with zoo's or approved rescues with the appropriate license. if they cannot find a place like this then they have to pts, though they say its a last resort, i know it is totally bizarre n makes no sense at all, im with you on that one johnny, but it is exactly what i was told. i said to them how can you justify puttin something to sleep just cos someone said you cant keep it overnight, its silly, dont think i got a response on that one 

and Nerys, maybe we could team up yeah to make sure these abandoned ones get to where they want to be. We'll see what jan brings too with regards to the boardin issue


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## Mrs dirtydozen (Sep 5, 2008)

i know its a bit off topic but we caught a black lab when i was preg it was running in n out the cinema n all the other shop n nearly getting run over with a gsd i made jonny go n catch it. he couldnt get the gsd as it kept attacking him, we got the lab home n coz it was a boy n i was preg jake was having none of it he kept going for it. 

i phoned the dog warden it was 5 to 5 n she had gone early so couldnt do out coz she had gone home, we phoned everywhere police, rspca, council, everywhere n no one could take it, it was pathetic, so i phone everyone back coz was in a really bad mood at this time, n i said what do u want me to do with it my dog doesnt like it n im heavily preg they said i would have to keep it, so i said i was just going to let it back out on the street, which obvioulsy i wouldnt but they just said well if thats what u have to do then do it. 

in the end i phoned the pdsa n they were the only people that could take it but i had to have an arguement with the woman on the phone b4 she would take it.

then there are people out there that are willing to help free of charge n it gets ignored. 

makes me so mad :devil:

oh cat it was me in the other post jonny snuck on n logged me out n i didnt realise lol


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> i have ummd and arrrrd about postin about this as i know i will probably get some people givin me jip about it but i feel that it may help other skunk owners so im goin to post about it anyway
> 
> as some will know we have had a lot of housing issues with Domino lately, he managed to get out his cage and get out the cat flap in the early hours of the morning but luckily we caught him in next doors garden. We then made a temporary pen for him and double baby gated the door, locked the cat flap and put a guard over it to ensure he couldnt mess with the lock. 2 nights went by with him not escaping the pen and we thought we had cracked it but then he figured out how to get over and managed to get into the hall way. So we put a number of pieces of wood between the gates and wedged it so that he couldnt get through the gate. This worked for one night then when i came downstairs this morning i found the back door open but the wood still where i put it last night, i thought ditta had been down to let the dogs out. When i got into the kitchen i found Dom was nowhere to be found. Upon lookin at the wood he had chewed the whole corner off and got out through that. I asked ditta if she had been down n opened the back door she said no......so i started to panick then thinkin we had been burgled, but the back door is broken and cannot be opened from the outside only the inside, so it looks like Dom has climbed up the guard and opened, yes OPENED the back door!!!! i was mortified that he was gone, we searched the garden and surrounding areas and a neighbour said he had seen him about 6 am in his garden. I was absolutely adament he was gone but we went upstairs to get dressed to go out and look and Ditta had a voicemail.....it was the rspca askin to ring them. i rung and they had found him on the estate near the school. Now although i dont have the best opinion of the rspca they have been brilliant about it. They did ask if i had a license to keep him to which i had to explain i didnt need one. Anyway they brought him back, came and had a look round and as all was well gave him back.
> 
> ...


 well it's obvious what is happening here. Apparently he should be in your bedroom or even in your bed with you, then he's be safe. He is wandering off because he is lonely.

Someone we both know who has skunks, apparently has them in bed with her.Perhaps this is what is required?
Thank gawd for microchips eh?


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> If we want to take in animals that require a zoo license then yeah accordin to the rspca, i dont know how much truth is in that nor do i know anymore details about it. ive got people on the case findin out for me. the inspector didnt say what animals require a zoo license to board them apart from skunks so id need to find that out


Since the same inspector thought you needed a DWA to keep skunks, I don't think I'd put too much faith in him being correct on this one either.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

I think skunks should come with a Free prescription for Valium.:lol2:The more I hear the more I know I couldnt cope.:blush: So glad you got him back and yep Im sure kids are less stressful. Maybe you should change his name to David Blane or Houdini:whistling2:


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> Since the same inspector thought you needed a DWA to keep skunks, I don't think I'd put too much faith in him being correct on this one either.


he never said we needed a dwa, im assumin thats what he meant when he asked do we have the license for him..

as for the bedroom idea it isnt feesable, i think the best idea to cure his boredom is get him another playmate :lol2:


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

xXFooFooLaFluffXx said:


> basically if a skunk is found, and i assume it applies to other exotics too though i dont know which ones, then yeah, they only place them with zoo's or approved rescues with the appropriate license. if they cannot find a place like this then they have to pts, though they say its a last resort, i know it is totally bizarre n makes no sense at all, im with you on that one johnny, but it is exactly what i was told. i said to them how can you justify puttin something to sleep just cos someone said you cant keep it overnight, its silly, dont think i got a response on that one


The license bit is BS, we were never asked if we had a zoo license when we took Pepe off of the RSPCA.


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## fuzzielady (May 19, 2008)

Poor you. I remember when I ferret proofed my garden, it took weeks before they stopped showing me new bits. They were ever so helpful:lol2:


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

Fixx said:


> The license bit is BS, we were never asked if we had a zoo license when we took Pepe off of the RSPCA.


 
as i said i am contintuin to find out what he is on about n in january i will know more


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## Lucy_ (Jul 9, 2008)

lol bless him! what a nightmare for u both! glad hes back with his loving mummies  who in the meantime were more than likely pulling their hair out... lil dom needs a ball and chain attached to him!:devil:

also, I dont know if its different in different areas, but the local rspca here found a skunk feral in a local park... they rescued it and treated it etc and had him for about 6months until they re-homed him... to someone i beleive on here, and as far as i know they had no zoo licence or anything similar, and just housed him and looked after him as they do with any dogs or cats they get in that are feral...

But like i said it may be diff in diff areas....

and again, i am glad he is back in his own home and not wandering the streets of manchester hehe:flrt:


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

Me thinks you need to rename Dom to Houdini :lol2::lol2:

Glad he is home safe & sound though :2thumb:

BTW he was kept "indoors" with an outdoor enclosure attached so they all had free roam between the 2. Not sure if the indoors area was part of a house, a barn or something else though.


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