Wildlife rehabilitators work at animal care centers. They are certified by the government to handle issues related to wild animals that may wander into urban areas and trouble humans. They study wild animals, their behaviors, and diseases, they take control of epidemics spread by these animals, and they control cases of overpopulation and most of all they take care of the survival of endangered species. Occasionally they take in orphaned babies of wild animals and look after them till they can be reintroduced into the wild.
You should contact a wildlife rehabilitator if you have found an orphaned baby skunk.
If you've found an orphaned baby skunk, the wildlife professional will take care of the baby for around a month, until it can take care of itself and then reintroduce it into the wild. Baby skunks need specialized care, and you should NOT try to feed it anything. Milk especially is harmful to skunks and can kill them. Skunks are omnivorous and eat a variety of grasses, grubs, and insects. Babies are fed these along with nutritious pills designed for babies that mimic the ingredients of mother's milk. Therefore you should try to hand it to the nearest wild animal center as soon as possible.
If you want advice on how to deter skunks
If you manage to trap a skunk and leave it outside of your property, it will simply sneak right back in. Wildlife rehabilitators will assess your home to see what is bringing skunks there. They will be able to give you practical tips on how you can block their entry points and make the place safe for your pets and children
If your skunk problem can't be solved
If skunks are coming into your garden at night and are burrowing in your grass, or are spilling your garbage everywhere, then you can call a wildlife rehabilitator as a last resort. Try using many methods to deter skunks from your garden first. Try securely tightening the lid of your dustbin so they cannot get inside to burrow through your rubbish.
If you leave pet food lying around, then bring that in and secure any holes in your gate. If the problem persists, then call a professional. They will use a variety of traps to catch the animals alive. Usually, the trap used is a one-way exclusion funnel which will trap the animal inside without harming it. It will then be taken away to its natural habitat where it can roam freely.
Wildlife rehabilitators are committed to solving conflicts between humans and wild animals. They never kill skunks and do their best to ensure the maintenance of all species of wildlife.
Go back to the Moreno Valley wildlife removal home page.