Introducing Another Skunk
So you are a skunk owner and are wondering if it is time to add another skunk to your family? This may not be as simple as it sounds. In the wild, skunks are solitary creatures. They interact during mating seasons and in northern states, adults will den together for warmth. Some skunk owners mistakenly believe their skunk requires the company of another skunk only to find their beloved pet reacts with hostility or violence to the newcomer. An adult skunk can sleep at least 20 hours per day and they do NOT require companions other than their human family. If you are new to pet skunks, please do not make this mistake. Some things to consider if you are thinking of adding another skunk: 1) you have the time to properly introduce the new skunk to the household. 2) you can afford the additional medical care. If you have one skunk and struggle with the cost of Veterinary care, you will be doubling that cost by adding another skunk. 3) you can afford to properly feed the newcomer. 4) you have the space in your home to safely house both skunks. If the skunks do not get along, are you willing and able to keep them apart for their safety for as long as it takes? In some cases, this means permanently. In my house, the main exercise we get is by going over the baby gates that section off rooms. 5) you understand skunks are captive wildlife that […]
Obesity in Pet Skunks
Sadly, obesity is much too common in pet skunks and one of the leading causes for their current short lifespan. Obesity is completely the owner’s responsibility! It is difficult to help the skunk owner who doesn’t realize that they are the source of the problem. People are shocked when I ask if the skunk is calling Domino’s to order a pizza? The owner buys, prepares, and serves the skunk the food. Who else could be a fault? I get responses like the skunk gets into food for other pets; the bird feeds the skunk; the skunk is starving and gets mean if I don’t feed them; or my boyfriend, husband, roommate feeds the skunk junk food. All these are excuses that sounds as if the owner is aware of the problem but hasn’t done anything about it. Remove anything eatable out of reach of the skunk. Block access to rooms where other pets are fed. Feed skunk correctly so he/she is not starving and get boyfriend, husband, roommate on the same page regarding skunk’s diet. The skunk should NOT be running the household! If there is one thing we know about skunks, it is that they are opportunistic scavengers. They have an uncanny ability to figure out who will give them what they want and they will focus on that person. There are 4 reasons the skunk is obese: the wrong type of food is being fed (not species appropriate). the wrong portion is being fed (if the food […]
Is Your Skunk Ready to Show?
It is not too early to start preparing your skunk for the show. How is your skunk’s coat? Skunks 2 years and older, may shed in the spring, summer or fall. If your skunk does not have full regrowth of the coat or tail yet, you may want to add an omega 3 fatty acid supplement to their diet. Carlson for Kids Chewable DHA or Nordic Naturals Children’s DHA Strawberry are both great choices for pet skunks. Dosage is 1 of the Carlsons or 2 of the Nordic Naturals per day. Most skunks will eat them like they are a treat. If your skunk will eat fish, you will not need to supplement omega 3 fatty acids. Increase their servings of sardines or wild salmon and you should see a difference within weeks. Hopefully the white portion of your skunk’s fur is not yellowed as that can be a sign of poor health. The white will discolor when the skunk is fed processed foods like kibble or in cases where the skunk was not properly de-wormed. See de-worming instructions for an adult here, or de-worming instructions for a kit here. The yellow will start to slowly go away once the problem is corrected. PetSpan, a chlorella supplement will help speed up removal of the yellow fur. While you are waiting for the yellow fur to go away, try a shampoo for dogs that whitens fur. These shampoos are usually blue or purple colored and add optical enhancers to the coat […]