Skunk Removal

Skunks are one of the most common animal pests found in suburban areas across the United States, these animals tend to seek out shelter wherever they please, you can find them huddled together under a porch, shed, or deck. They can also dig holes around the lawn and burrow underground in search of insects and grubs to snack on.

When skunks are living on your property, one of the first signs is usually the awful smelling liquid they emit. This oily liquid contains sulfur compounds, when sprayed on animals or people it has the ability to temporarily blind them, both humans and animals find this substance repulsive and will back off when sprayed. Skunks have the ability to accurately spray to a distance of 15 to 20 feet, and they sometimes randomly spray it in their environment.

In search of conducive living and breeding places, skunks will often take shelter in both residential and commercial buildings where they will proceed to cause some of the damages below;

• Skunks dig up holes around the lawn and ruin the beautiful landscape.
• They raid gardens for succulent fruits and vegetables.
• They raid trash cans in search of leftover food.
• If you have a chicken coop or poultry house, skunks will raid them to steal eggs.
• Skunks carry the rabies virus and pose a health risk to humans and pets.
• They leave lots of unpleasant and disease-laden excrement.
• They can dig holes along the edges of buildings to live beneath foundations and this can compromise the integrity of the structure.

If you have a skunk problem, we can help you get rid of them fast and easy. Skunk removal is better done by experts; you get the best results when Norcal Wildlife Removal handles your animal removal.

Here are a few tips on how to discourage these smelly animals from taking shelter in your home.

1. Make sure there is no shed for shelter or food source around your home that can attract hungry animals.
2. Clean up your lawn and always ensure there are no fallen fruits, seeds, berries and anything else lying around that may attract skunks
3. Keep your trash can properly covered with a tight-fitted lid at all times to deter animals like raccoons, skunks, opossums, etc. Remove garbage regularly.
4. Remove log pile, leave piles, junk piles, and any clutter in your yard that can act as a shelter for wildlife
5. Fill up land burrows, and properly repair any damages from previous wildlife infestations.

Skunk Removal and Control

Excluding skunks usually involves live trapping and relocation, however, trapping these animals is subject to state laws. Also, trapping skunks is no cakewalk because they tend to spray their awful liquid with very little provocation, and successful trapping requires skill, knowledge of their habits and behavior, and experience with trapping skunks.

To remove skunks;

• We carefully inspect your property in search of their den, the location of their den in your building will help us determine the safest and most effective removal method. Our methods are safe for both humans, animals, and the environment
• We proceed with the best exclusion strategies; our exclusions are 100% effective with guaranteed success.
• Finally, we clean up the site of infestation, disinfect, sanitize, and deodorize the entire place. When we exclude animals, we ensure that no traces of the animal are left behind.

At Norcal Wildlife Removal, you get guaranteed and lasting solutions to your wildlife problems. Call us today at (650)477-9070.

How to Prevent Skunks from Entering Your Home

Widely known for their ability to spray their foul scent at a distance, skunks are a common nuisance animal in many parts of the United States. If these critters get into your home, or even onto your property, they can create a variety of serious problems. This is why it is so important to prevent this from occurring. Continue reading to learn more about the different ways you can prevent skunks from entering your home.

Seal Your Home

If you are truly worried about skunks getting into your home, there are some important steps you can take to prevent this from occurring. First, the best move is to inspect your home from top to bottom, both inside and out. Keep your eye out for any large problem areas that skunks could use to enter your home. Pay very close attention to the foundation of your home, looking for any cracks or burrows underneath. If you find any problem areas, fix them with brick, stone, mortar, aluminum sheeting, all-weather sealant, or whatever other material you think would work best for each situation. Now that you have sealed off your home to skunks, you can turn your focus outwards. 

Keep Your Eyes Open

An excellent prevention step that is skunk-specific is to keep your eyes out for any holes, burrows, or other disturbances along the foundation of your home or any other structure. Since skunks make dens, they often love to make them alongside structures. This can cause structures to collapse and create cracks throughout your home’s foundation. If you see a hole, you will want to have the skunk removed as soon as possible.

Fence It Out

One of the only sure ways to keep skunks out of your yard is to install a fence that is both above ground and goes a few feet below the ground. Not only will this keep out the wandering skunk, but it will also keep out a skunk that is determined to dig below the fence for access to your yard. Another benefit of a fence is that it will also go a long way in keeping many other common nuisance wildlife species away from your home and property. 

Clean Your Yard

While it might seem obvious, keeping your yard less appealing to skunks is an excellent way to keep them out of your yard, which will keep them out of your home. Always look to remove easy food sources skunks might have. Since skunks subsist primarily on insects and grubs, as well as food scraps, keeping your garbage secured and out of the reach of nuisance wildlife is always a good move. 

In addition to food sources, clean your yard up to prevent any easy shelter areas. This means cleaning up any wood piles or piles of stone, bricks, or other landscaping materials. All grass and weeds should be kept short to discourage insect populations. All of these yard prevention tricks should be combined to be effective.

Hire Professionals

If you truly want a skunk-free home and yard, hiring a professional wildlife removal service might be a great idea. These professionals have seen hundreds, if not thousands of different situations, and they have much experience in preventing nuisance wildlife for each unique situation.

Why hire Norcal Wildlife Removal?

At Norcal Wildlife Removal, we have been helping clients prevent skunks and other critters from coming onto their yards or into their homes for years. We use entirely humane prevention and removal methods, and we pride ourselves on ensuring customer satisfaction throughout the process. Norcal Wildlife Removal is proud to serve San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco Counties. If you are dealing with any nuisance animal-related problems, give us a call today at Norcal Wildlife Removal, as we would love to help you out!

Cities we serve include;

Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Woodside, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Campbell, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Francisco, etc.

How to Get Rid of Skunks Under House

Although skunks are generally harmless creatures, it’s never a good idea to get too close to them. If you’ve ever gotten “skunked”, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The noxious spray from a skunk can last up to a month, causing great discomfort. 

Now you probably see why having a skunk under your shed, deck, or porch can be problematic. To bear it out fully, just a single spray from a skunk will permeate through your house and infiltrate the rug, carpets, and even cushion. Not to mention the diseases (like rabies) spread by skunks.

Over the years, we at Norcal Wildlife Removal have handled a plethora of skunk infestation problems. Here are some of the effective ways we’ve learned for getting rid of skunks. 

But first, why are skunks under your house in the first place?

The primary reason skunks stay under houses is for shelter. As winter sets in, skunks actively look for places to pass the cold. They also take up residence under houses during the mating season. Under decks, porches, and sheds provide the perfect warmth and safety required to raise their young ones. 

Skunks are also attracted by the availability of food. If there’s easy access to food on your property, a skunk might reside under your house to stay in proximity to food sources. 

Getting Rid of Skunks

Some people think that if you allow skunks to stay under your house, it will leave once it has its babies. This is not necessarily true. To get rid of these burdensome critters now, here’s what you can do:

• Exclusion

This is one of the most effective ways of driving a skunk from under your house. It involves locating all potential holes leading up under your house and sealing them up (except one). An exclusion device is then installed in the last one. 

An exclusion device is a one-way door that allows the skunk to leave under your house but prevents it from getting back in. After all the skunks are gone, the exclusion device can then be removed and the hole sealed. 

The main issue with this approach is if there are baby skunks under your house. Exclusion can separate a mother from her babies. The orphaned babies will eventually die and become an even bigger problem. 

That’s why you need to be certain there are no babies under your house before you exclude a skunk. Thankfully, a thorough inspection can help with that. 

• Trapping and Relocation

First off, note that trapping and relocation are subject to state laws. So, make sure to check with your local wildlife authority before you proceed. 

Trapping a skunk requires a good grasp of skunk behavior. That’s why involving professionals like Norcal Wildlife Removal is prudent. But here’s how you can do it.

Set a live trap at a position frequented by the skunk, such as close to the entry hole. Good bait for skunks include molasses, peanut butter, bread, fish eggs, and honey. If there are baby skunks under the house, you can pick them up and use them to lure their mother into the cage.

Check the trap daily until it catches the skunk. When it does, take a large towel and use it to cover the cage. Why? Because once you get close, the skunk may spray, so the towel serves as a shield. You can then pick up the cage and relocate it to at least 10 miles away from the pickup spot. 

• Eliminate Food Sources

Getting rid of easy access to food will make your property less attractive to skunks. 

Clean up edible items around your yard. Ensure that you clean up seed crumbs from underneath the bird feeder. Take the pet food indoors. Ensure that your trash can is properly secured to prevent access to leftovers. 

Skunks also feed on insects and grubs. That’s why it helps to keep grass and vegetation short to lower the insect population. Also, do not over-water your lawn to reduce grub presence.

Hire An Animal Control Professional

Having a skunk residing under your house puts you and your family at risk of noisome odor and certain diseases. Thankfully, implementing the tips we’ve explored is a great starting point for handling the problem. 

But if you would require professionals to help you with your skunk infestation problem, do well to reach out to us at Norcal Wildlife Removal.

How to Get Skunks Out Of The Garden

One of the most popular wild animal intruders across US properties is the infamous black and white skunk, complete with furry tail, and of course, its characteristic stench. Visit wildliferemovalusa.com to learn more about skunk removal and prevention.

So in this article, we thought we’d explore some methods to get rid of skunks on your property safely and humanely.

First of all, the problem with skunks…

The notion that skunks will spray everything that moves is a little overdone, unfortunately, and largely untrue. The truth is, skunks have a limited supply of that well-known repelling scent. While it’s very effective, it’s limited, so skunks know to use it wisely, or else be left exposed to potentially life-threatening predators.

Still, if your pet, for example, discovers a skunk on your property and decides to give chase, they may well get sprayed, and you surely don’t want that.

On top of that, skunks can be vicious and are carriers of a wide array of unpleasant diseases. So you’ll want to keep them away from you and your loved ones. But how?

How can you get rid of skunks on your property?

There are several ways to rid your property of skunks, first and foremost among which, calling a wildlife pro. Wildlife pro services like Norcal Wildlife Removal will get rid of the offensive animal humanely, removing it to a location where it can’t bother anyone. Not only that, they’ll help assess and repair the damage done by the wild animal, as well as advise you on how you can protect your property from wild animal invasions in the future. This is why you may want to consider calling a wildlife removal professional as soon as you discover a wild animal on your property, as this is the quickest, most efficient method of removal.

But there are other methods to try, as well.

You can try keeping skunks away using strong scents. Yes, we know how ironic this sounds, but skunks, like most wild animals, for that matter, are repelled by strong scents, among which citrus or ammonia. This is why a well-known skunk prevention method is scattering orange or lemon peels or placing ammonia-filled rags of cotton balls in your yard. Unfortunately, the smell of these wears off quickly, and you’ll have to replace these frequently if you want this to be an efficient method.

Alternatively, you could try keeping skunks away by using soap. This method works similarly, using the skunk’s natural aversion to strong scents. Some experts recommend placing bars of strong-scented soap near your garden patch to deter skunks from approaching, while others recommend a castor oil/dishwasher liquid mixture, sprayed near and around your garden patch. As above, these may be effective methods, but they expire quickly.

You could also attempt trapping the skunks by using a baited live trap. Similar to a traditional trap, the cage will close itself once the skunk has been lured inside, but without killing the animal. Live trapping allows you to remove the skunk to a safe location where it won’t be able to bother anyone, including yourself. 

Skunks may also be threatened and repelled by the presence of a predator, like a cat, a dog, or a coyote. Naturally, we’re not suggesting you get a pet coyote, but there are numerous specialty stores selling coyote urine (and other types of predator urine) which, when scattered around your property, suggests the presence of a predator. It’s a fairly logical process – if the skunk thinks there’s danger on your property, it will be far less likely to bother you. Or alternatively, you could always get a pet dog or cat!