[OldTinGrl]

So, I went out to water our chickens this evening. DS ran to play on the swingset, and DD was out walking around with babyDS. I'm walking back from watering the chickens and checking our peach tree and see something out past our swingset. At first I thought it was a cat, but NO it's Pepe Le Pue. He waddled up, bold as you please. Of course I hollered at the kids and said it's time to go in. I guess when you are Pepe Le Pue you go where you please, regardless of who is around.
Pepe wandered around the yard for a bit, thankfully our dog avoided him, and then he wandered off toward a clump of trees further out back. Probably has set up house out there.
Anyway, any ideas on how to keep Pepe from paying us another visit? Ugh...you know something always pops up when DH is out of town.

[NoahsMomma]

I have no idea of how to get rid of skunks....Glad you didn't get sprayed today though.

[Susuz]

My grandpa always said to stay away from skunks that you see during the day, they are nocturnal and if out during the day may be ill/rabid. Do you have dog food or other animal feed out at night? That may be what is attracting him/her. this from google search:

Skunks are nocturnal and reclusive. Use extra caution if you encounter a skunk during the day or one that is extremely aggressive. This abnormal behavior may indicate that the animal is rabid. The occurrence of rabid skunks appears highest from February to May, when they breed and give birth to their young.

Coping With Skunks

[OldTinGrl]

Originally Posted by Susuz

My grandpa always said to stay away from skunks that you see during the day, they are nocturnal and if out during the day may be ill/rabid. Do you have dog food or other animal feed out at night? That may be what is attracting him/her. this from google search:

Skunks are nocturnal and reclusive. Use extra caution if you encounter a skunk during the day or one that is extremely aggressive. This abnormal behavior may indicate that the animal is rabid. The occurrence of rabid skunks appears highest from February to May, when they breed and give birth to their young.

Coping With Skunks

Lovely.

[mrslukebrown]

OH gosh, no I have had no encounters with a Pepe Le Pue, but I loved his character on TV!!! Definitely keep the kiddos away and dog if you can, if last resort, try and call your local humane society, they should be able to direct you in a place to go... <3

[mjluna]

We had problems with skunks for a while at an old house we lived in. They return to the same place every year to have their babies and they were getting under the house in a hole in the foundation beneath the fuel oil tank! We also found out they were living in an old cellar. We got rid of them...the hard way. I put out a plug in pest offense thing to get rid of spiders (bought off of the tv) and within 24hrs the skunk sprayed under our house. I am guessing it drove him crazy with the humanly inaudible sound. We didn't even know we had them until then. When we found were they were getting under the house we set a live trap and caught one. Long story short...be sure to have a very long rope tied to the cage so you can pull it away without getting sprayed!!! The next one we set we tied to an old jeep across the yard and were prepared but that one was scared off by the dog. We put down cat food as bait and left flour near the hole to make sure they were all out (footprints) before sealing the entry in the foundation. They took up house in the cellar and our dog must have deterred them until they finally left for good. Until the next spring of course when I noticed tracks near the fuel oil tank but since they couldn't get in they moved on to a more desireable location. We ended up having the house sprayed from beneath our bathroom/laundry room and both times I had that blasted pest offense thing plugged in. So don't use one of those but do use a live trap with a long long rope. (YOu can drive off with the cage and drag it into a field where you can shoot the skunk and let it decay until it is safe to get your trap back.) Sound gross but after having been "sprayed" I don't feel so bad about doing what has to be done.) As for the smell...nothing truly works but time and lots of fresh air. I canned pickeled beets later that week and the vinegar smell is suppose to neutralize the funk and it did very short term. The skunk smell is really very oily and alkaline so acidity is suppose to help hence the tomato juice concept. A bathtub full of Baking soda didn't even help. I think I even tried Fels Naptha soap. Just a few ideas if and when something gets sprayed!!!! Good luck!

[TigerGirl1226]

Ewww, hope you can get rid of them soon. I hit one with my old car on a country road once, thankfully it didn't spray my car!

[MaxxMe]

My sister had a dog that used to 'find' skunks at night out in the woods behind her home. If you think they smell bad at a distance just wait until you get a whiff of it up close. I want to say it's like rubber burning? Anyway her dog never learned his lesson and there were quite a few tomato juice baths going on for him over the years. That's the only thing she found that worked.

I'd worry too about the skunk being that brazen during the day - Susuz is right stating they are nocturnal. I'd have the dog on a leash to do it's business outside until you know the skunk isn't around anymore. Definitely don't let the kids play out there alone until you're positive it's gone.

[OldTinGrl]

I believe they've either set up house in a stand of trees, further out back, or their living in the field next to our place. Our neighbors have let the Cedar trees grow up and the grass, so it' a perfect home for critters.
I'd prefer it not become a friendly neighbor and try to visit again. Our chickens haven't started laying yet, but now I'm worried Pepe will want omlete's when they do start laying.
DH built a great chicken coop ( all day long: Final Construction of Chicken Coop) and hopefully Pepe and other critters can not get to them.

I'm just hoping he doesn't visit again until DH is home. If I see him again I'll call our neighbor to come take care of him.
i definitely do not need a rabid skunk around.

[lhart24]

I actually bought my first brand new car a few years back ... within 2 weeks it was sprayed by a skunk. Apparently there was one outside the apt, and some chased it and it went under my car and sprayed. I could park my car in any parking lot, and be able to sniff out where I was parked. I washed that car soooo many times it was ridiculous... tried febreeze, the local car cleaning shop, etc.... It just had to air out...

So be thankful for those who got a dog sprayed... at least you can just dunk him in the tub and try to get him clean.. I had to ride in the stink-mobile fora few weeks before it was aired out.. LMAO

[nursemom]

I would set a humane trap near the backyard where you saw it go then I would relocate it if you know what I mean. I would be suspicious if it was out during the day.
Years ago when we first moved into our house they set up keep under our home. someone told us they do not like lights so we got yard spot lights and dh spiked them in the ground under the house and turned on the lights and they left out quick.

[4my5kds]

When we go camping I buy several bottles of cheap cayenne pepper and I sprinkle it around the parameter of the campsite-I was told that They do not like the smell and it gets on their feet and they lick them to get it off and they don't like it. Well we haven't had a skunk problem and we camped over 20 times last summer at a state park that has lots of skunks.

[stormymom]

Just last week I open the door to go to work and there was a skunk standing there. Of course my dog went after him and got sprayed. Dog came back in the house. The house smelled for a few days. But I did get some stuff at walmart and vet off to help with the smell. Also I put moth balls out. They said it helps. We will see. I haven't seen a skunk since then either.