To all of those who have grown up watching cartoons might have an idea that whenever a skunk walks around a distinct color green follows it which depicts how disgusting it smells and the smell follows it wherever it goes. Skunks are usually found in North and South America and are related to the family of mammals.
Skunks are extremely adaptable mammals and are usually found in dens in a region with water around. So if for some reason you're looking for one you can find it in a radius of 2 miles from a water source. They usually don't travel that much they travel only about two miles from their dens. Dens are usually made up of hollowed logs, bush piles and abandoned animal burrows.
What do skunks eat?
They usually feast on small insects, bird eggs, and worms. Skunks are nocturnal, which means they are up all night. They do not hibernate but become lazy and inactive during winters. Skunks are excellent natural diggers since they have been gifted with strong forefeet and long sharp nails. They may even be found underneath buildings and structures.
Skunks have a pungent smell
Skunks are known to release strong smell through anal glands when they feel threatened or are in danger. They cause a lot of damage to property and crops. They can are a major reason for rabies in the states along with diseases such as leprosy. A skunk can spray up to 10 feet, and the foul odor can be smelt from 1.5 miles which shows how strong the odor is!
How to remove the carcass?
Now the question is what to do remove the carcass of a dead skunk since its smells as bad as it smells when it is alive. The first thing is to locate the carcass first. Follow your instinct that is following the odor. Go in the direction with the strongest smell. Now that you've found the carcass remember to put on thick gloves, never touch the carcass with bare hands. Skunks carry rabies, and the person can get easily infected if it gets in contact with bare skin.
Use a shovel even though you're wearing a glove, now that you have scooped up the carcass seal it up tightly. Do not dump the carcass in your trash since it smells awful, take the bag to a dumpster or a dump site or in extreme cases incinerate it. Quite often maggots sprung up at the location of the dead carcass because of its bodily fluids. Carefully use a disinfectant to take care of this problem.
The best solution to get rid of a dead skunk is to call animal control and get rid of all the fuss and the smell since if the smell gets attached to you, it might not go away for a long time.
Go back to the Cayuga County wildlife removal home page.