Professional Skunk Removal From Under Home

Animal Capture Wildlife Control : Skunk Removal Los Angeles

We specialize in skunk removal in towns throughout California! We are experts when it comes to skunk problems in Los Angeles. Most of the calls we get are for skunks living under homes, skunk burrows, skunks living in the garage, skunk mothers with babies, and skunks ripping vents off the home. We also get many calls from people who are having a major flea problem due to skunks living on the property.

Skunks are known to carry a lot of fleas. Skunks are like salmon. When a skunk is born under your home, she will come back to where she was born to have her babies. That’s why it is very important to remove skunks in your Los Angeles home before you have generations of them breeding under your home. Skunks are also attracted by other skunks spraying. During mating season, skunks will spray to attract a mate. Most of these problems are solved by trapping and removing the skunks.

We have seen cases across Los Angeles where skunks rip off a vent to the under floor of a home and live under the home. When the skunk is under the home they will dig burrows and live in them. Many times when we go under a home we find more than one burrow. We also find skunks will tear down the insulation that is tacked up underneath the home and use it for their nesting material. In many cases when we go under the home, we find the skunk. We then give the homeowner the option to pull it out now or trap it. The problem with physically removing the skunk is that it will spray like crazy, leaving the home smelling of skunk for weeks to months. The good thing is the problem is solved within minutes.

We have no problem going under a home and physically removing a skunk. We have been sprayed almost every day for over 20 years. The other option is trapping the skunk. That is done by putting the trap by the entry point, and when the skunk leaves the hole he goes in the trap. When the skunk sprays outside, the smell dissipates quickly. After we trap the skunk, we leave the traps for 3-5 days just to make sure there are no more skunks under the home.

When Animal Capture is done with a job, our goal is for your home to be sealed properly. Whether we can seal it or not, we always recommend it be done right. If you have any questions about skunk removal and trapping in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Malibu, Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Sherman Oaks, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, San Pedro, La Canada, Pasadena, Monrovia, Hidden Hills, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Pacific Palisades, Van Nuys, Santa Clarita, Canyon Country, Valencia, Encino, Northridge, Topanga, Toluca Lake, Glendale, Burbank, and all other local cities, please call us at (310) 551-0901

About Skunks in California

Here’s a brief overview of skunks as well as the wildlife control practices commonly used to manage them."

BIOLOGY

The most common skunk species seen in the Los Angeles area is the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), while the smaller spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) is often spotted as well around these parts, particularly around dwellings. The striped skunk is roughly the size of a house-cat (4-10 lbs.) and sports long black fur with two distinctive broad white stripes down the back. It has a triangular head and a large, bushy tail. The strong musk stench associated with skunks is expelled from a pair of scent glands located close to their anus.

BEHAVIOR

A lot of people think of skunks as nothing but foul-smelling pests that should be carefully avoided. These little striped creatures do provide some useful benefits, however. They kill rodents and insects for us, which helps reduce the huge population of those critters.

Skunks are nocturnal animals, which means that they go hunting during the nighttime, where they search for insects, poultry, small rodents, fruit, carrion, eggs, pet food, nestling birds, and garbage. Because these animals appear mainly at night, many people do not even realize that they live in a region with a large population of skunks.

Skunks are fond of seeking out areas suitable as dens, such as wood piles, culverts, animal burrows, decks, sheds, and underneath houses. Breeding usually happens during the months of February and March, although it sometimes occurs in January. Male skunks often attack each other during their search for a mate, and female skunks frequently attack frisky males, often spraying them in the process.

Litters are born nine weeks after conception, generally resulting in four to eight young skunks. They stay with the female for a period of several months before beginning to leave home by mid-late summer.

DAMAGE

Skunks can become a serious nuisance when they decide to take shelter under houses or decks, or inside garages. They’re notorious for their ability to spray a nauseating musk from their anal glands, and they can hit a target with accuracy at a range of about ten feet. Confrontations with household dogs and cats usually result in the pet getting bitten or sprayed.

Additionally, skunks can wreak havoc on gardens by digging through them while trying to find grubs and insects to feast on. Sometimes they even displace large sections of sod. They can also inflict major damage on ground-nesting wild bird populations and endangered small mammals in the area. Poultry raisers can experience substantially losses as a result of these creatures.

DISEASE

Most Californians are unaware that skunks are the primary carriers of rabies in this state. Over the last five years, around 65% of all skunks checked for rabies tested positive as carriers. This is a very dangerous disease that is fatal to both animals and human beings. It spreads via the bite of a rabies-infected animal. Though there is a vaccine available, it must be administered prior to the onset of symptoms. This is one reason why there is such demand for wildlife control experts who are well versed with skunk removal in Los Angeles and other major communities throughout the state.

Aside from rabies, skunks can also carry listeriosis, leptospirosis, canine hepatitis, canine distemper, tularemia, Q fever, and Trypanosoma. In addition, they tend to carry various fleas, ticks, and mites that can themselves transmit disease.

ODOR

Reactions to skunk musk vary widely, from slight irritation on one end to severe nausea, headaches, vomiting, and a burning sensation in the eyes on the other. Fortunately, there are no known diseases spread by skunk musk.

If skunk musk gets on your clothing or furniture, you can neutralize it by washing the object with detergent, then using vinegar or ammonia before giving it a rinse. If possible, air out the object under the sun on a hot day.

If it seems that your pet was bitten, get them to a vet right away.

LAWS AND REGULATIONS

Under the laws of the state of California, skunks are not considered endangered or threatened animals, nor are they classified as furbearers or game animals. They cannot be kept as pets. Only authorized wildlife control experts are allowed to keep injured or orphaned wildlife (skunks included) and then only for a limited time period. In addition, there is no season or bag limit on these animals.