What noise does a skunk make

Skunks make snuffling sounds when they’re actively searching for food and scratching or rustling noises when burrowing. 

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If you worry you might have a skunk infestation, chances are you’ve smelled one before you’ve seen or heard it. These animals do make noises, however, and when you hear them, you’ll know that it’s a skunk. Once you determine you have a problem, it’s important to contact the professionals for skunk removal Madison services, or you could have a bigger problem on your hands.

Noises Skunks Make While Mating, Fighting and in General

Skunks are fairly solitary and don’t make too many noises. If they are around each other, they do make sounds to communicate, like many other wild animals. During mating season, which is February through April, you’ll probably hear more skunk communication than at other times during the year, and that’s because the males are actively seeking out females. There are more skunks around each other, making noises. Aggressive males during mating season may hiss, squeal, whine, grumble or screech. They often chirp if they’re looking for attention, so you may hear more chirping during mating season. When a skunk is content, it will smack its lips. Another time a skunk is more vocal is when a mother is protecting her young. If a female is pregnant or lactating, it is likely to be aggressive toward any male skunk that approaches. A mother skunk might stomp her front feet, pounce, hiss, growl or screech. You might also hear cooing and chirping if there are young skunks in a nest or otherwise around. Other than during mating season, during a fight, or when a mother is pregnant or lactating, you may not hear too many noises from a skunk. The most common sounds are probably tearing, scratching and tapping when the skunks are using their sharp, strong claws to create a nest, dig for food or scare away predators.

How Understanding Skunk Behaviors Can Help Your Situation

By taking time to understand skunk behaviors and noises, you can avoid a serious infestation and damage to your home. A skunk’s smell isn’t the only thing you should be worried about. When skunks are around, they can dig into woodpiles or other piles of brush, hoping to hollow out the area for a den. They may damage areas around the base of your home, looking for a way into a crawl space or basement. A skunk could destroy a shed while making a nest, and could also dig holes in your yard when looking for grubs to eat. They are omnivorous scavengers, so they’ll often dig through garbage cans looking for eggs, insects, fruits, human waste and rodents. If you hear a skunk, it’s most likely at night, as these animals are more active during this time. That doesn’t mean you won’t ever see or hear a skunk during the day, so you should always be on the lookout if it’s something you suspect. Many females make nests under a porch or in a crawl space, so if you hear stomping, scratching or hissing late at night while you’re in bed, a mother skunk is most likely protecting her babies or fighting off an aggressive male. You can quickly assume there’s more than just one or two skunks living on your property. When the mother gives birth, you could have four to six more skunks to worry about. If this occurs, contact the professionals for skunk removal Madison services immediately.

Contacting Skunk Removal Madison Professionals

Skunks are adorable with their big tails, white stripes and cute little faces, but you should never approach one, even if it’s just a baby. Every wild animal should be handled by a professional for the safest removal for both you and the animal. If you have heard skunks in your home or somewhere on your property, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control today to schedule a safe removal service.

Skunks are solitary animals, except when they're breeding and when mothers are caring for their young. Normally gentle and quiet, skunks make a variety of sounds, but none that are specific to their breeding season. Because they only interact in May and June, more vocalization may occur during this time. Four skunk types inhabit North America -- striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), spotted skunks (Spilogale putorrius), hooded skunks (Mephitis macroura) and hog-nosed skunks (Conepatus mesoleucus).

Long, Sharp Claws are Used for Digging

A skunk has long black fur with distinctive white markings, either striped or spotted. His length is 22 to 31 inches, including his long, bushy tail, and he weighs up to 12 pounds. He has a small head, small ears and a stout body with short legs. Long, sharp claws on his front feet are designed for digging. Two glands, one on each side of his anus, contain a strong musk that he can fire at will.

They Make a Variety of Noises

Skunks are usually silent, but when they vocalize, a variety of sounds can be heard. Juveniles are often noisier than adults. Skunks will hiss, squeal, screech and whine when angry, whimper if frightened, grumble when upset, chirp for attention, smack their lips in contentment and stomp loudly to frighten away enemies. Skunks have poor eyesight, and use their sense of smell when searching for food, making an audible snuffling sound.

Males Live Alone

Skunks often take over abandoned fox, groundhog or rabbit dens. Up to six females may live together in a den, but males live alone. Breeding takes place in February and March. A single male may mate with several females. Kits are born 60 to 75 days later, usually in April and May, staying with their mothers until they reach sexual maturity at approximately 8 months old.

Kits Begin Scolding

When the kits are born they're almost hairless, but faint traces of their black and white markings can be seen on their pink skin. Born blind and helpless, their eyes will open when they're about 3 weeks old. At 1 month old, kits begin stomping their feet and scolding. They can produce musk at 8 days old, and are able to spray five or six weeks later.

References

  • The Humane Society of the United States: Ooooh, That Smell...Must Be Skunk
  • Animal Diversity Web: Mephitidae
  • Wildlife Rescue League: Gardener's Best Friend - Master of Pest Control: The Skunk!
  • Skunk Haven: An Introduction to Skunks
  • Florida State University: How Do Skunk Families Live?

Photo Credits

  • Comstock Images/Stockbyte/Getty Images

Writer Bio

Karen Mihaylo has been a writer since 2009. She has been a professional dog groomer since 1982 and is certified in canine massage therapy. Mihaylo holds an associate degree in human services from Delaware Technical and Community College.

How do you identify a skunk sound?

Types of Skunk Noises Though they're typically quiet animals, skunks use sounds to communicate. If angry, they may squeal, growl, coo, or hiss. Pregnant or lactating females are known to be aggressive toward males, vocalizing and stamping their front feet.

Do skunks make a chirping sound?

Noises Skunks Make While Mating, Fighting and in General There are more skunks around each other, making noises. Aggressive males during mating season may hiss, squeal, whine, grumble or screech. They often chirp if they're looking for attention, so you may hear more chirping during mating season.

Do skunks make noise when they spray?

Skunks don't really “want” to spray you since it can take up to a week for their bodies to restore their spray supply. They will stomp, hiss and “puff up” their fur, much like an angry cat to serve as a warning, and only unleash their smelly spray as a last resort.

What sound will scare skunks away?

Make Loud, Scary Noises Yell, clap your hands, bang pots and pans together, stomp, or even use an air horn to scare skunks away.