Beware of the stink during skunk mating season
- 17 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Love is always in the air, but at this time of the year the love in the air may smell a lot like skunk.
That's because we are right in the midst of mating season for striped skunks. And with mating season comes increased activity as male skunks search for female mates. That flurry of activity means may have more encounters with skunks than usual, which can result in them releasing their stinky stench.
Skunk mating season begins in February and continues until the end of March. Female skunks usually only have one litter each year, but male skunks can reproduce with more than one female during a breeding season. In some cases, skunks may mate again later in the year if the first litter is lost to predators or for other reasons.
Words to know
Flurry: To move quickly or in a busy way.
Gestation: The development of something over a period of time.
The gestation period for skunks is between 62 and 66 days, so we can expect a skunk baby boom sometime in May or early June. Each litter typically has between four and eight babies, called kits or kittens. The kits are born furless and helpless. They develop fur after about two weeks and can open their eyes at about 3 1/2 weeks old.
After about six or seven weeks, the kits start to take trips out of their dens with their mothers. The young male skunks become fully independent from their mothers in late summer. The females will stay with their mothers until the following spring.
While young skunks stay close to their mothers for awhile after they are born, they don’t need help with their stinky spray. They aren’t born with the ability to spray the stinky spray, but they are able to when they are as young as 8 days old!
If you find yourself on the receiving end of a skunk's stinky spray, skip the tomato juice. Instead, with an adult’s help, make a solution of 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap. Do not add water.
This odor-removal solution can be used on skin, pet fur and clothes, but do not to use it near your eyes or your pet's eyes. In addition, because it contains peroxide, it may discolor clothing and other fabrics and lighten your pet's fur.
