Skunks aren’t just adorable they’re important for a healthy balanced ecosystem
By Staci-lee Sherwood
Skunks are part of the Mephitidae family that includes Badgers. Palaeomephitis Steinheimensis first appeared on Earth about 11 million years ago as the ancestor of the modern Skunk. They’re found throughout North, Central and South America and comprise of 13 species. There are 4 species native to the United States; Striped, Spotted, Hooded and Hog-nosed. The Striped Skunk is the one most people visualize and was made famous as a character, Pepé Le Pew, on Warner Bros Looney Tunes which debuted in 1945. Many children who grew up watching this cartoon fell in love with Skunks, some went on to be pet owners of them.
Skunks in the wild are foragers who don’t have a declared home base. Some species might use dens year round but most of these crafty explorers prefer to roam wherever life takes them. Nocturnal by nature as the sun comes up they will find a quiet dark place to rest nearby until the night time returns and foraging begins again. While not listed as endangered many species have declined due to growth in agriculture and development. I remember seeing Skunks at night almost all the time in a very urban area of New York back in the 1980s. As time went on they became less noticeable. I have never seen one in the wild in Florida in twenty years.
Pepé Le Pew and his love interest Penelope Pussycat.
Wild Skunks play an important role
A healthy ecosystem requires a variety of both animal and plant life with sustainable populations. Plenty of food and potential shelter sites keeps nature in harmony. Loss of habitat from development, hunting and lack of food can cause a decline in wild populations. Their diets may vary depending on the species but they all consume insects and small mammals like rodents, helping to keep those species in check. Like Owls and Woodpeckers they too are part of nature’s natural cleanup crew of species most humans would prefer to not encounter. There is no need to use pesticides or mouse traps when these species live nearby. That’s their food source and using toxic chemicals and traps kills not only the insects and rodents but the Skunks, Owls and Woodpeckers who consume them.
Striped Skunks are the most common seen in the U.S. and live between Canada and northern Mexico and are found in all 48 contiguous states. Large in size they’re the most recognizable animal seen in urban areas. They’re opportunistic omnivores and their diet varies based on what is available. They consume insects, lizards, mice, small birds, fruit, frogs, fish and grubs to name a few things. They’re the only breed that can be bred by exotic breeders as pets. Only a few states allow them to be kept as pets: Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, W. Virginia and Wisconsin. Laws vary from local ordinances to requiring state permits. Their natural lifespan can be up to seven years, about fifteen years in captivity.
The classic Skunk pattern.
The Spotted Skunk is about the size of a Squirrel. Considered unique for their agility which allows them to climb trees and fences, other species can’t climb. They’re also known for doing handstands to appear twice their size when approached by a predator. There are three subspecies; the Western found from the western part of Canada down to Mexico, the Eastern which is found in the Midwest and parts of the Gulf Coast and the Southern found in Mexico and Central America. In Florida hunting them is prohibited since they’re considered a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). Population has declined in most states which have them listed as Threatened or as SGCN.
Their diet varies widely depending on food availability and season. The Western and Eastern subspecies varies based on local insects, fruit and small mammals. Typically they consume more fruit and insects in warmer months and small mammals like mice and bird sin cooler months. Their natural lifespan is about three years.
A lucky screen shot of the only Skunk I’ve seen in the wild, an Eastern Spotted Skunk.
The Hooded Skunk comprises of four subspecies and are smaller than then the Striped Skunk. They’re the most abundant species found in the southern parts of the U.S. like Arizona, New Mexico and Texas and in Central America. They make their dens in rock crevices and human structures when available. Unlike the Striped Skunk this species has a hood around their head, hence the name. While some are the classic white and black some are all black. Their diet is omnivorous consisting of insects, bird eggs with the occasional small vertebrates. Their natural lifespan is about three years.
The white ‘hood’ giving him his name.
The Hog-nosed Skunk is found throughout Mexico and into Central America but is a rare sighting in the U.S. where the population has drastically declined. This omnivore’s diet mainly consists of insects, lizards, seeds, nuts and fruit. They can grow to about two feet in length and get their name from their hog like snout which is usually pink. Their natural lifespan is about three years.
The pink hog type nose.
Skunks as pets
For centuries Native Americans kept them around as natural pest and rodent control. Around the beginning of the 20th century they started to become domesticated. Most people don’t think of a Skunk as a pet. The only species allowed to be sold in the U.S. are domesticated Stripped Skunks and only 14 states allow it.
I attended a meeting of pet owners and spoke to Judith Slade, who knows everything about these amazing animals. She got her first pet Skunk back in the 1970s, after that pet passed away it wasn’t until the early 2000’s when she got back into having them as pets. In 2004 a local humane society had rescued a Skunk, lacking the proper license they sent the him to an Ohio rescue. After learning about this, Slade then started a website for her new rescue and then formed the 501 (c) (3) nonprofit and rescue the Florida Skunk Rescue.
In 2004 there wasn’t any Skunk rescue in Florida. Seeing this problem she said “I got into it because there was a need.”
Since then more people have taken to being pet owners. She said they have no trouble finding homes for pet Skunks. I asked about adopting the babies “Skunk babies can be adopted at 8 weeks old. Domestic skunks leave Momma at 8 weeks. Wild skunks may hang around for up to a year. I asked if keeping young Skunks together was important Slade said “Not necessarily as you want the skunk to bond to you. “ If you know of a pet Skunk that’s being surrendered and want to release him back into the wild Slade cautions “Domestic skunks can never be released into the wild as they have been descented so they have no means of defense. Wild rehabbed skunks do well being released into the wild. Domestic skunks adapt very well to being surrendered and rehomed, as with any animal, there is always an adjustment period of one to two months.”
Her organization serves many purposes; she does events with Ambassador Skunks to help educate people, rescues abandoned or surrendered Skunks and does adoptions to those with proper permits. Before diving into having one as a pet reach out to Florida Skunk Rescue or the Indiana Skunk Rescue and make sure you know what you’re getting into. Like any animal they have to have a proper diet consistent with what they would forage on their own.
If you’re thinking of becoming a Skunk parent you would need the proper license, in Florida that comes from FWC as a Class 3 permit. Families with young children would not be a good fit, this is also true for Dogs and Cats, as they can be a bit nippy especially around young children that can play rough. While Skunk parents let their pets roam free they do not have a homing instinct. A lost Skunk will not find his way home so vigilance is required to prevent a lost pet. If a Skunk bites a person they’re killed and tested for Rabies by law. Domestic Skunks haven’t been a carrier of rabies for a century, another reason to be careful around strangers.
Florida Skunk Rescue has a list of approved veterinarians, those with experience with the species. Like any other pet a yearly exam is recommended. Domesticated pets should be descented and fixed. Anyone selling a Skunk must be USDA licensed. You can follow these steps below to verify active licenses. Breeder statuses change frequently, you can directly verify if a seller is legally active:
To download the public USDA Active Licensees and Registrants List provided by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
click here
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/awa/public-search
Filter or search the spreadsheet by the breeder’s legal business name or state to confirm they possess a valid, non-expired Class A (Breeder) or Class B (Dealer) license.
Some can be more white than black as this beauty is.
That adorable face.
Color variations include brown and white.
Some have the coloring of cinnamon and white.
Though rare sometimes there’s an albino, noted by the red eyes.
Skunk rescues
Two types of Skunks need rescue, those that are wild and orphaned or injured and those that are domestic and surrendered. For the wild Skunks contact a certified wildlife Skunk rehabber through your state wildlife agency. For a domestic rescue in Florida contact Florida Skunk Rescue and outside of Florida please contact the Indiana Skunk Rescue they also help educate people and do rescues throughout the US.
Click here to learn more about Florida Skunk Rescue
Click here to learn more Indiana Skunk rescue
How you can help Skunks
These beautiful animals have many threats from humans like development, being hit by cars and killed out of fear of disease, some are still killed for their fur and sent abroad. They’re important to the ecosystem and provide a valuable service to us by naturally keeping down insect populations. They’re also an important food source to larger mammals like Bobcat, Panther and Coyote all of whom are struggling to survive.
Never hunt or trap a Skunk
Don’t take one from the wild regardless of how cute as a pet
If you find an orphaned or injured one take them to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator
Only go to a reputable breeder if you want one as a pet and know ahead of time what’s involved.
Never sell/give your pet to a stranger or anyone selling their fur. The fur trade is a cruel unnecessary industry, you wouldn’t want to put any animal through that pain
If you have a pet Skunk do not give the drug Meloxicam for pain it can be fatal to them. It’s used for arthritis in humans. Always check with your vet or rehabber to ensure they get the proper medication and proper dosage.
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