In cribbage, if you lose by 30 points, it’s
called getting skunked. If you lose by 60 points, you got double skunked, which is very embarrassing. This means means you sucked really bad and/or had crap
for cards. Either way, it stings. But literally getting skunked is far
worse, I can tell you.
By the time you read this hopefully my problem will be
resolved but as of this writing (July 3), there is a young skunk whose taken up
residence beneath my house and decided that spraying his lovely scent
throughout the night is the thing to do. I can’t begin to tell you how horrific
the smell of concentrated skunk spray is. It’s pretty awful just passing a dead
one in the road but a live one under your house…well, let’s just say I am not a
happy camper and neither my house or yard are pleasant places to be. I just never know where he might be lurking...
I know, skunks are cute (especially baby ones like the one above - couldn't you just kiss him? - assuming he'd been de-scented, of course!), but even if I did want him he should be living in a den like he's supposed to, away from people, especially the kind who might shoot him (like one of my brothers offered to do). Which is why tomorrow a guy is coming to trap the skunk and take him somewhere else to live happily ever after.
Have you ever had a skunk problem? Did you
resolve it peacefully?
Addendum: as of Sunday night that effing skunk is still around and any thought of a peaceful resolution is fading fast. I'm seriously thinking of calling my brother, the one who deals with pest problems with a .22. Believe me, this isn't what I want, but I can't even sit on my porch because of the smell and it isn't much better inside my house. If you have any suggestions I'd really love to hear them.
Addendum: as of Sunday night that effing skunk is still around and any thought of a peaceful resolution is fading fast. I'm seriously thinking of calling my brother, the one who deals with pest problems with a .22. Believe me, this isn't what I want, but I can't even sit on my porch because of the smell and it isn't much better inside my house. If you have any suggestions I'd really love to hear them.
Pest control couldn't catch him? Yeah, I'd hate to kill him as well, but he also poses a health risk hanging around your house. Too bad you couldn't smoke him out, but you probably don't want that smell in your house either.
ReplyDeletePest control costs money and I'm unemployed so that option doesn't work - unfortunately.
DeleteOne evening where I work, we had the doors opened because it was so nice outside and a skunk walked right on it and decided to take a nap in our display windows. I honestly can't remember how they got rid of it—I think it involved a coat and running really fast (not recommended)—but it was a peaceful resolution.
ReplyDeleteHe must've been a very relaxed skunk!
Deleteoh, he is so cute! Skunks only spray their stench when they're scared, so the poor soul must be scared without his mom and family :(
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked that anybody suggests killing him. You should try to trap him somehow, with food put in a box or something. Just don't kill him.
I don't want to kill him but if he doesn't get in that trap soon I'm not sure how much longer I can live with the smell. I can barely eat for it. Ugh!
DeleteSo sorry. Hope pest control comes out again and helps. On occasion we've had a skunk visit the yard but never stay. Good luck getting rid of your unwelcome visitor.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could hire pest control :(
DeleteOh, he is adorable, though, isn't he?
ReplyDeleteBut, truly, I would think Animal Control would have a solution for this. Lure it out with dog food or something and then trap it? What a situation. I hope you get it resolved soon. Wow.
Yeah, the one pictured is very cute but mine is actually a little bigger. I hope I get it resolved soon too *sigh*
DeleteMaybe it's just because I come from the state that (according to a recent map passed around on Facebook) has more hunters than any other, but your brother's option is sounding good to me. If this skunk is behaving abnormally (such as living under a person's house and spraying its scent repeatedly) it may be diseased. A wild animal with rabies is NOT cute.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a young skunk that doesn't know anything. Or, as was suggested to me by the guy who loaned me the trap, it might actually be 2 male skunks hence the spraying. I don't want him dead but...I don't want him living under my house either. He needs to find his own damn house!
DeleteI just think the little thing is utterly terrified - hence the spaying? I hope you find a humane solution asap - I'd like to think killing an animal is no solution at all - sorry - that's just me being all wimpy. Take care
ReplyDeletex
killing him is A solution but not a good one imo. I'd really rather relocate him but he isn't being very cooperative!
DeleteI'm sorry he's being a bugger. Hope he gets in the trap before he get the bullet. This is a tough one, Marcy. Wishing you a speedy resolution.
DeleteI agree there is something wrong with it to be hanging around and spraying like that. I don't think it's normal at all. Anyways, I hope you're able to get him removed, and soon.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it would be normal for a grown skunk but this guy is young and maybe not too smart.
DeleteAt the farm when I was a kid, we had a skunk stuck in an irrigation pipe. It was hell getting that bugger out of there.
ReplyDeleteyeah it's pretty hellish here right now.
DeleteI'm so sorry. Skunk smell is awful when it's strong, and I can imagine that under your house and in your yard is way to strong.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can resolve it peacefully, but if you can't, well, you can't.
Maybe a bb gun to startle it out from it's residence, or is that likely to just start the spraying . . . I don't know.
I had one get in the engine compartment of my old car once, and well . . . neither the skunk nor I had a pleasant experience when I started the car in the morning.
Ha! Funny you should say that about the BB gun. I saw him on the stone wall the other night and had my son come out and shoot at him (not directly at him but in his general direction) in the hopes of scaring him away from our yard. No luck.
DeleteI've never experienced the smell but people have talked about it's legendary stink, hope he's safely trapped but I understand the other option.
ReplyDeleteI'm still hoping for a happy ending...
DeleteWe once had a skunk under our house. What follows is what we were told to do, and it worked. Oh, and we were told ours was likely a female who found a safe place to raise her litter, so we wanted her gone before she gave birth.
ReplyDeleteWhen the skunk is out from under the house, rig up an extension cord and plug in a radio and a light under there. They hate them both. And put the volume as loud as possible. Just don't plug it in while he's away. Then dust the area around all possible places where his "door" may be.
They are nocturnal, so night is when they hunt. The next morning, you should see his tracks going in. Place some more flour over his tracks. Plug in the extension cord.
When you see he's gone, secure his door so he can't enter there again, but leave the light and radio underneath. The reason is he may be back. He only knows one way in and one way out. It's possible while looking for a new home, he will find yours again and think it's new. So until you can get every possible entrance sealed or blocked, you need to keep the light and noise available.
Good luck!
Oh, forgot...
DeleteAlso keep fresh flour outside each possible entrance/exit, too, until all are sealed.
I think that's all - LOL.
I think I may have sealed them out but we'll see...crossing fingers! And I've heard other people say that playing a radio loud can help drive them away.
DeleteThis sounds terrible, Marcy. I hope things are on their way to being resolved. We once had a dead skunk in our driveway. I swear, it wasn't there because I ran over it :-)
ReplyDeletelol
DeleteSkunk is terrible. We had one in our garage a few years ago and the awful odor seeped into the house. It's not that uncommon for skunks to find their way into basements. Best of luck and I would call the brother with the 22.
ReplyDeletewell, they almost got it tonight I can tell you but they managed to get a reprieve by making themselves scarce. I just hope I've blocked all the entry points.
DeleteHope you figure it out. That would be terrible.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I hope they stay away and find some other place to live.
DeleteYikes. I've had a few close calls with skunks, but none living under the house. I hope you find a solution soon.
ReplyDeleteme too!
Deleteupdate: this evening my brother came over to help me seal up the skirting where the skunks are getting in. And yes, I said skunks. We spotted the little buggers. Two of them, under my house, males no doubt, spraying like tom cats. If my brother hadn't left his .22 at home those guys would be on to their next life. But by the time he came back with it they were gone and we sealed the skirting up where they were getting in (I hope). Time will tell if we were successful...for their sakes I hope so otherwise...well lets just say that this yard isn't big enough for all of us.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed!
Deleteoh, blessed them! I hope they will be smart enough not to return to the crime scene :)
DeleteI hope so too, Dez, I don't want them dead I just want them to move!
Deletethat SUCKS really bad! i love how u prefaced it with cards. the reality is way worse! my neighbors cat had a skunk encounter and it took more than a week of treatment to get the smell gone. we wouldve called an exterminator at the first inkling of a smell! i dont care how cute it is! they gotta go!
ReplyDeletehope you resolve it quick & have fresh air soon!!!
I've heard that motion detected lights can encourage them to move on. That and eliminating food sources. I hope you get rid of them! We've had them here occasionally and I always know because the stench is there the second I open the back door. The dog hates going out after the skunks have been nosing around! :)
ReplyDeleteGosh. I hope you fix the problem soon. NEver seen a skunk live before, but I have smelled them around :)D
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
What about scattering human hair clippings around your place?
ReplyDeleteHugs and chocolate,
Shelly
Thanks all for your sympathy and suggestions, the bad skunks are still here but I also found another spot where they get; it was hidden beneath plastic! Tonight after they've left I'll be taking care of that.
ReplyDeleteMan has this been the biggest drag.
Marcy, I hope everything is okay! I can't even imagine what that must be like. I slept one night last summer with all of the windows open and a skunk must have been passing through because the smell actually woke me up and lingered for days. I hope you get rid of your little unwelcome visitor(s) very soon! Has animal control been there to help out at all? I imagine it's up their alley?
ReplyDeleteSadly Animal Control only handles domestic animals, not wild. That's pest control and costs $$.
DeleteI hope your skunk problem is gone and resolved as peacefully as possible :).
ReplyDeleteOh gosh. I'm seventeen again. Visiting my friend at the inn her parents own, and a skunk has taken up residence. Oh Marcy, I can still remember my eyes stinging from the smell. So sorry for you!
ReplyDeleteI certainly wouldn't want him at my house, but he is cute:)
ReplyDelete