Pet Skunks

It is strange sometimes the things that people will turn into a pet…there are some people that like snakes and lizards, there are others that like to have pet cockroaches, and then there are those that enjoy having a skunk around…it might seem strange to us, but to others it is perfectly normal to have a skunk sharing the house. Let’s take a look at the world of owning and caring for a skunk!

If you are in the United States you can get a skunk from animal shelters, non-profit skunk organizations, or from breeders (that have a permit). The best time to go skunk hunting is in the spring when all the babies are born. As we all know, the first thing that comes to mind when we think of a skunk is the terrible smell that they can spray around, in the wild this is used as defense and when domesticated, those glands are usually removed at a couple weeks of age. This makes the difference, I mean, THE difference!

Skunks are one of the native animals to North America and it is even believed that Indians kept them at times as pets because of their ability to kill pests such as rats and other rodents. In the United States it is illegal to own a skunk in many of the states, but there is the occasional state that has no laws against it…so before you go skunk hunting, find out if it is even legal where you live.

Skunk are sensitive animals that are really quite intelligent, their temperament can vary from animal to animal but the general temperament is one of curiosity, checking out cupboards and other things…they are playful, friendly and loving; they can give you loads of entertainment, the only thing is they can be stubborn and independent. They are much like ferrets when it comes to getting in to stuff and getting into trouble. It takes a lot of care to keep one of these animals and that along with the negative foul smelling image of them, many people do not keep them as pets. When you first bring a new skunk home, hold it as much as possible to help it settle down…the more you hold it and cuddle it, the more loving it will become. If they are ignored as babies, they will grow up to be shy around humans. Try not to play rough with the skunks when they are babies because this can cause them to grow up and become aggressive adults, if you really want to play a little rough, use a stuffed animal.

Disciplining a skunk is best to do only with your voice, if you hit him or spank him he will get his revenge on you and it will not be pleasant, just use your voice and a water bottle, more should not be needed.

To train your skunk concerning "bathroom manners", you will first have to let him choose a corner, then place a litter pan there with unscented litter. If you want to move the littler pan, do so by about four inches a day, if the skunk stops going in the litter pan and goes back to doing his business on the floor in his corner, then just give up and hide the place with a chair or something to block the view. It is necessary to keep the litter nice and clean because the skunk will not go to the bathroom in a dirty place.

Skunks need to have a widely varied diet, unlike most pets…it is recommended that your skunk get lots of vegetables, and a certain thing called Skunkie Delight. You can feed them fruits, yogurt, fiber, eggs, there are a lot of opinions out there as to what you should feed your skunk, I personally like what the veterinarians say; they recommend a ferret diet with plenty of vegetables added every day…try to provide good clean water every day for the skunk.

Not much is known about skunks and because of this, everybody has a different story to tell when it comes to skunk care, if you really want to know then find a lot of different sources and do not rely on an unique source .