# Help! Need experienced skunk owners help.



## Natas Blackmane (Sep 29, 2015)

Hi everyone I'm writing this post to see if anyone out there can help me situation I am in. I live in Northern Ireland and recently a friend of mine found a baby skunk for sale. I have been searching for one for well over five years.

Anyway here's situation I cant for the life of me train him in anyway. No matter what I do he does not seem to even notice or react to my training. I tried to do handling training where he would sit on my leg and I could pet him and it seemed he would react well to that even falling asleep tucked in to my arm. This training was going very well until all of a sudden with no warning he just bit through my finger leaving quite a deep puncture wound. From that point on I have been very nervous/scared about handling him. On top of that every time he goes near my dog or cat he leaps and attempts to bite them to. I've gotten to the point that I have no ideas what to do. I love the animal and I have waited so long to get him and willing to try anything to train him to be a good pet. Any advice you can give me from handling to training him get along with my dog would be greatly appreciated. Sorry about the long post.

thank you

P.S.
The shop where I got from lied about his age so I think is nearly a year old now.

P.S.S 
Is there any such thing as handling gloves for early training I only ask as a website I was getting some information from said there were but I have not been able to find any.


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

This is why it's so important (particularly with mustelids I find), to thoroughly vet an animal before buying and ensure that it's well socialised with humans and other pets as a youngster before it's weaned. Sounds like it may have had minimal contact with anything other than mum. :/ 

Possibly just persevere with gentle but firm discipline? Although in the case of my skunk, she'll just do whatever she wants anyway....just lucky that she's soft as baby poo I guess.


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## Natas Blackmane (Sep 29, 2015)

"thoroughly vet an animal before buying and ensure that it's well socialised with humans" 

I went to the owner over a month and they seemed to be socialised with humans. I was able to pick them up they came over to me when I went in to the room. Any time they did seem aggressive the woman told me they just got that way before they where fed. I should have spent more time you are right. . . But to tell the truth I was just so excited after thinking there was no way I would ever find them for sale over hear. TBH when he first came he walked around with my dog and cat with out any problems and I have no idea why he attacks them now. 


"Possibly just persevere with gentle but firm discipline? " 

What do you mean by this ? I have been looking and every website I go on to tells me for discipline you should say no and put him back in his house is this the right way to go about things.


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## GitaBooks (Sep 1, 2015)

Congrats on finding a skunk!

I haven't kept skunks, but I've done a lot of research on them and I have kept ferrets which are relatives. Biting is pretty common with mustelids, particularly wild ones. 
Sitting with your skunk is a great way to tame them. Sit on the floor and let the skunk do what it wants in the room. Provide it with a feeling of safety but try not to have distractions so that it will pay attention to you. Read out loud so it gets use to your voice and put some food near you. Teach it to come to food and let it know you won't grab it or hurt it. 
Let him have his own spot for now, but let him sleep on a bed that smells like the dog or cat, let him see them through wire or a glass door but don't let them interact. 

Handling gloves are a smart idea, just make sure he isn't afraid of them. Use them gently and don't grab at him or try to hold him still or he will learn to dislike the gloves. Instead, use them to hand out treats.

Is he neutered?

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any other questions. 
Best of luck! : )


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

I suggest joining the facebook group Pet Skunks UK where there are lots of people to help you. You mentioned that the skunk was ok with your other pets at first. I'm wondering if he has hit puberty - getting a male skunk neutered (4-6 months old is usual neutering age) can vastly improve their temperament. Skunks do go through a bitey stage, but entire males can be more likely to bite and be dominant/aggressive.


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## alisonj42 (Mar 20, 2014)

we went through a similar phase with our skunk. It was just as the previous post said, he went through a bitey stage like puberty. He only bit my husband but it was a nasty bite and he wouldn't handle him again but he never bit me and I have always been able to pick him up. I can understand that you are nervous now handling him. They can cause serious damage when they bite. We put ours in his own area outdoors as he was attacking the dog and cats. He seems very happy and he does seem to have grown out of biting.


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## Briangroves (Oct 18, 2015)

ok, i work in a zoo and an animal park (with a zoo licence) and im at uni studying animal science........i have a skunk, skunks can bite without warning.....you cannot discipline them it makes them worse, skunks do what they want to do, not the other way around, however......if you get at a young age you can modify their behaviour...as with all animals.....it looks like your one is past this stage.....but persevere.........he/she will learn that you are the one that feeds/cleans.....dont expect to "train" it......within a time limit.....neautering them will calm them down.......do what i do and respect the fact that a skunks bite can be bad.....they have a large biteforce, but it doesnt mean it was being nasty to you.....as with all animals they test with teeth. if it wanted to be nasty it has the capability to take your finger off....so it was just probly testing?..........handle it, but never put your fingers near its head.......skunks u.k. on facebook is a great site......with loads of experts on the site that can help you through this......patience is the key.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Oh dear - I've got a bad case of spots in front of me eyes! :lol2:


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## Briangroves (Oct 18, 2015)

i only mentioned my history so you know i know what im talkin about, i dont get the spots before my eyes comment?


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## GitaBooks (Sep 1, 2015)

Briangroves said:


> i only mentioned my history so you know i know what im talkin about, i dont get the spots before my eyes comment?



The information is very helpful. Thank you. : ) I plan on working with rehomed skunks in the future so it helps a lot.

I think the comment was meant because of the ........


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## Briangroves (Oct 18, 2015)

no prob.....happy to help...im not an expert but i have knowledge and experience.....good luck with the venture..p.s. my skunk is the largest of the species, thats why im very adamant at being careful with fingers/head.......


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## Briangroves (Oct 18, 2015)

ive just realised the "spots before my eyes, i get it now, sorry, i had a stroke 2 yrs ago and it left me with a few weird habbits when i write.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Briangroves said:


> i only mentioned my history so you know i know what im talkin about, i dont get the spots before my eyes comment?


Sorry about the stroke and I understand now, but couldn't help commenting about all the full stops! Just a bit of fun though! :lol:


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## Briangroves (Oct 18, 2015)

hey, its fine, dont even worry bout it, im cool with it. it can be quite funny at times when i dont recognise people ive known for years


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