Should You Ever Poison A Skunk?

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It is mostly for fear of being sprayed or getting ‘skunked’ that some individuals resort to poisoning their nuisance skunks. With their digging activities and annoying smell, it is understandable that anybody would want to be rid of them but NO, do not ever poison a skunk because poisoning is a very cruel and unnecessary way to get rid of an animal.



For one, laying out poison for a pest can often be trailed by unforeseen consequences, where household pets get killed after getting to the poison first. Even young children are not exempted from this risk. It is also largely ineffective as it may result in bigger issues for the homeowner and a lot of suffering for the animal.

The poison used in some cases only makes the animal sick and suffer greatly before recovering again. In the instance that the poison does work, chances are high that the skunk will crawl into a dark, tight corner on your property to die. When this happens, you wake up in a couple of weeks to a horrible stench that will stick around for a long time.

Some of the poisonous substances used on skunks include Anticoagulants like warfarin, Antifreeze (Ethylene glycol) Bromethalin (rat poison), Cholecalciferol, and Strychnine.

In most areas, it is illegal and downright inhumane to poison skunks, there are better ways to dispose of them and these should be explored instead. Its albeit destructive activities on your property are random acts of survival and taking them personal would be comical, to say the least.

There is also the unpleasant task of disposing of the carcass. This has to be undertaken in a wholesome and proper manner, plastic bags and all. The spot where it lay must be thoroughly decontaminated and sanitized. Remember always to wear protective gear while dealing with a sick animal or its carcass. The potential infections are real.

Isn’t it so much simpler to deter or remove a nuisance animal alive?

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