[sheltered1]

Is there anything we can put around the house to keep skunks away? We have been woken up in the middle of the night by sickening skunk smell and it takes forever to go away.

[Kstar4u]

When it comes to skunks... if you want to try discouraging them from coming around your home you need to eliminate the reason(s) they do. The basic philosophy for controlling pests (almost any type) is:

1. Eliminate the critter's harborage (a place to live/nest/sleep/have babies).
2. Eliminate their forage opportunity (food to eat and a convenient source of water to drink)

If you have any wood piles or areas that have potential hiding places (including any access to the area under the house) seal 'em up, stack 'em tight or open up the space to prevent nesting. Every animal (including us humans) will choose the "way of least resistance" or most convenient location to get our needs met. As an example... a place to sleep that's close to food and water. If you make your property less appealing than your neighbor's... your skunks will move over there.

However... the most common method for the control of skunks is trapping and removing them. You can purchase "live catch trap" for $20-$30 at many large home improvement stores or you may be able to borrow one from your local animal control agency.

Good luck. I would've suggested a big dog in the yard but you would probably end up with one stinkin' mutt and skunks ready to spray their "stuff" at the drop of a hat.

[ballengerb1]

Are the skunks making small plowlike holes in your grass? They are eating grubs, get rid of the grubs and they might move on to your neighbors house. Don't tell your neighbor about GrubX.

[MOWERMAN2468]

Yes you could use grubx and not tell your neighbor, but the smell usually covers the whole neighborhood. But I know of some boys in AL that have some "coon hounds" that would rather run a skunk than a coon any night. So go to AL and purchase a cheap coon hound that is suppose to be a really good dog, really cheap, and you would probably get rid of your skunks. Then you have to teach the dog to bathe in mater juice before coming back home.

[J_9]

I used moth balls, kept them away for good!!

[MOWERMAN2468]

Hmm, moth balls, they smell too don't they, but I am sure they do not smell as bad as fresh skunk spray, ha ha.