Skunk Removal

Signs a skunk is living under your house, deck or porch

A skunk under the house usually announces itself with smell, but there are other signs too:

• A strong skunk odor around the house, especially at night
• Burrows or holes under decks, sheds or porches
• Small holes dug in the lawn where skunks hunt for grubs
• Skunks seen around the yard at dusk or night

Skunk removal: humane trapping and removal

We handle skunk removal with humane skunk trapping, done under our CA Trapper License TP-10631 and California rules for wildlife. Traps are placed and handled carefully to keep the risk of spray low.

Our methods are kid- and pet-safe, and we never use poison.

Making sure the den is empty before sealing it

We only seal a den once we're sure it's empty. Sealing too early can trap a skunk, or its young, under the house.

Once it's clear, we close the opening and screen it so no other animal moves in.

Keeping skunks out

Skunks are kept out by screening the spaces they like to den in:

• Screen under decks, porches and sheds with hardware cloth, buried at the base so they can't dig under.
• Keep crawl space covers and vent screens in good repair.
• Secure trash cans and bring pet food in at night.

What to do if your pet gets sprayed

If your pet gets sprayed, stay calm and keep the pet outside while you deal with it:

• Check the eyes; if they look red or irritated, rinse gently with water and call your veterinarian.
• Wash the coat with a pet-safe shampoo, keeping it away from the eyes.
• Call your veterinarian if your pet seems unwell or was bitten or scratched.