***Skunks In Our Yard!*** NEED HELP FOR A REAL PROBLEM!

[Radio_Lady]

Seriously, has anybody faced this problem with skunks (and/or raccoons)?

The little critters are nibbling under the grass to get at SOMETHING! This is NOCTURNAL feeding (we don't see them). We did catch one a few weeks ago in a humane trap and our lawn service man took him/her away to release in some far away location.

My husband is going nuts about this! He wants to rip up the grass and put in something else!

Any advice? PU--LEEZE???

[AutumnMist]

1. Here Ya Go

http://www.critter-repellent.com/skunk/skunk-repellant.php

It also explains why skunks dig in the yard and what they are looking for. I hope this helps.

[Radio_Lady]

4. Thanks -- have you used the stuff they recommend?

Made from fox urine... regrettably located in New York state while we are in Oregon ... with no distribution out here except via the web. But, whatever.

Husband is thinking about immediate things for tonight -- radio noise, lights, ANYTHING?

[AutumnMist]

5. I Have Used Something Similar and it does work

Lights can be somewhat effective. Noise can make them spray if they are startled. The radio is worth a try though. We have two small yipper dogs that keep almost everything at bay now in our backyard. Have any dogs that would make some noise? Do this from the inside of your house though. Sprayed dogs are not good. Go to your local store and buy some grub kill first and foremost. The skunks are attracted to any food source. The powder will maintain them later on. If there is one spot they like to dig in lay some chicken wire or screen down with tent stakes. It helps slow them down until the grub kill and other stuff takes effect. Once the grubs are gone they should leave. The fox urine stuff will keep them away because they smell that predators are in the area.

[Radio_Lady]

9. Thanks, Autumn Mist. You DUers have been very helpful.

[pscot]

35. Radio would be good

They love music. Soft rock. A low table with some beer and salted nuts might be useful. If they get a card game going they may forget all about the digging.

[Radio_Lady]

36. <<Rolling on the floor, laughing out loud!>> What kind of nuts?

Reminds me of this famous painting:



We'll have to add the skunks with Photoshop!

[matcom]

2. you have Grubs

they are digging and eating the grubs (little white maggot-looking things)

Grub-Ex is about the only way to get rid of them. Grubs feed on the roots of the grass and will DESTROY a lawn.

Skunks LOVE to dig and eat them

[Radio_Lady]

11. {{Husband's retort}} "Well, I guess that's better than crabs!"

ROFLOL....

[Gormy Cuss]

3. They're looking for grubs

Milky spore powder works although it takes a few weeks. The upside is it should protect the lawn for several seasons.

We had raccoons peeling back the sod one year. After the milky spore application took effect we had only a few test holes until the raccoons decided there were no more good eats in our lawn.

[Radio_Lady]

12. Have you heard of Critter Ridder? Maybe you can see this image and

description.



http://www.havahart.com/

[Gormy Cuss]

19. Yes, but we've had mixed results with urine repellents.

Gophers and raccoons around here don't seem to be bothered by coyote or bobcat urine even though both are native predators here.

Squirrels and skunks seemed to steer clear of it.

[bridgit]

6. i'll lend the advise xemasab might lend = call a professional...

:thumbsup:

[Radio_Lady]

13. Our lawn maintenance people KNEW NOTHING ABOUT LAWN GRUBS!

They suggested only trapping and releasing the animal. My husband will call them in the morning -- we're paying $145 a month for lawn maintenance and NO ONE ever suggested grub control as a possible cause of the brown spots that appear periodically. We might kill two birds with one stone here (well, you know what I mean...)!

I found out that Oregon Fish and Wildlife in Salem, Oregon, requires a letter of authorization from the state (which we got when we thought we had a raccoon), and allows release in accepted areas only; someone told me about a $1,000 fine if we did not follow those precautions.

[bridgit]

15. well yes dear, that was the part i was referring to professionally...

speaking, the 'trapping & releasing' part :thumbsup: what do gardeners know from grubs anyhow, maybe a little trim, some aeration, fertilizer, a decorative rock here or there, a little run of bender board round some flower bed, high dollar redwood chip bark, oh and a billing statement; but GRUBS!?!?

"Sorry, Radio_Lady, it's just gotta be beer-30 somewhere on this planet see'ya..." x(

[Radio_Lady]

29. Much later... hope you had that beer for BOTH of us, Bridgit!

Thanks for your post.

[cabbage08]

7. Yup, grubex will get rid of thier food source... no more skunks

[Radio_Lady]

8. UPDATE: Husband just got a bag of Grub-Ex at Home Depot.

He also bought something called Critter Ridder (he read me the ingredients, but I forgot them). We'll be working on our lawn tonight -- hope it stays light long enough.

Thank you so much, folks.

[Radio_Lady]

10. Just want you to know, I donated today based on having a GREAT day

here on the DU!

Really... appreciate your help, so very much.

This is the only skunk I want in my life:::: Pepe Le Pew!

[Xipe Totec]

14. Not to be ornery or anything,

but what is the problem again?

You have some skunks in your yard eating june bug grubs.

When the grubs are gone, so will the skunks.

I know it might look like the skunks are damaging your grass, but the actual culprits are the grubs that are eating the roots of the grass and killing it.

I say let the skunks do their job and move on. Don't put poison on the grass to kill the grubs, especially if you have kids. That solution is worse than the problem.

PS: I like skunks.

[Radio_Lady]

16. That's OK! You say these are JUNE bug grubs -- in AUGUST?

Not being well-schooled in grub biology, I have no idea what the grub's life cycle is. Also, I have no problem with skunks. I don't particularly like their odor, that's all.

Right now, the skunk(s) are destroying our two small lawns at night. We would like to keep the lawns if possible. We only have a small area of grass in the front yard, and the same in the back yard. We are not looking to hurt either the skunk or our grandkids.

I will have to look all of this up. I'm working with only the information I have received from inquiring here.

Hope you understand. Do you know anything about the two products we are discussing?

On edit: Here is information on June bugs from a Texas source. However, it is odd that I have never seen an adult of this species in the eight years I've been in Oregon.

http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/bimg139.html

[Radio_Lady]

17. Anyone who wants to chime in on this! Why would the seasons be

different here in Oregon? More moderate weather?

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/lawnchallenge/lesson7.html

[Katina]

20. those are the type of grubs we get here

in NJ. I can't believe your lawn guys didn't know about them. That was one of the first things we found out about. Skunks love the grubs. As long as the grubs are there, the skunks will be too. And for the record, we seem to have grubs all summer long, but our lawn guys use grubex to keep them under control. We used to get skunks before that, now, there aren't enough grubs so the skunks move on. Oh, and if you don't get rid of the grubs, then you have japanese beetles that will destroy your flowers and veggie patch.

[Radio_Lady]

21. Well, you can be sure our "expensive" lawn people are going to

hear about this really soon -- say at 7 AM tomorrw? This is our first full day back from vacation, and they were just here on Tuesday (yesterday) to cut the grass before we arrived home. I can't believe they didn't know about this either. Just glad they're our lawn maintenance guys and not our SURGICAL TEAM, or they might have removed the WRONG KIDNEY... sheesh! Perhaps we can get just a little COMPETENCE ONCE IN A WHILE from the people we hire, or is that TOO MUCH TO ASK for a company that makes over $1,000 every year from us????

Thanks for your post.

[Xipe Totec]

37. The adult stage is around June

Then they lay eggs, grubs hatch, munch on grass roots, go dormant during the Winter, emerge the next Summer.

I hate to say this but by the time the skunks arrive, the damage to the grass is already done. Don't know what type of grass is used in Oregon, but you'll probably need to reseed.

There are chemical controls for these grubs, I just prefer no to use them; just reseed every year.

[Radio_Lady]

38. These skunks (or raccoons) are rather dainty. They just pluck here

and there. The grass seems to grow back quickly. I think this is some kind of rye grass mixed with blue grass. My husband thought we were being fastidious by having a lawn service take care of the two little patches.

But we're resigned to trying Critter Ridder at the perimeter and probably Grub-Ex in the next few days. Maybe we'll investigate another way to go next year.

Thanks for your post.

PS. I know more about grubs than I did last week. In fact, you could say that I feel positively grubby!

[pitohui]

18. no advice, just a sympathy kick

if enough people see it, someone will have a suggestion that works

for all our problems, in our area we seem to have sufficient great-horned owls to keep down the skunks -- they are the only predator of skunk i know of, they apparently have no sense of smell

knock on wood, we still have them, because the areas where i used to see their nests were very hard hit by katrina but i imagine they're still around since i've heard of no skunk population explosion around here

[Radio_Lady]

23. Thanks for that, Pitohui. The balance of nature is disturbed by

our home building projects here. We think we own this land, but we don't. The deer and the red-tailed hawks own it --we saw them here the first few years, but now they are gone. We guess they have adjusted by moving farther west towards the Coast Range. But we have so many other little critters that we actively feed (chipmunks, squirrels, etc.) and we'd like to co-exist, but it doesn't seem possible.

I think we'll try the newer pesticide (supposed to be less toxic) and perhaps get a handle on this. It's really tough to see a beautiful manicured lawn get punched through overnight. It's not like we have a golf course here, but WOW!

In any event, the adult of the beetles eventually emerge from the grubs anytime now. I just don't know what kind of beetles they will be.

In peace,

Radio_Lady listening and learning in Oregon

[DemoTex]

22. If you decide to use fox urine, wear latex gloves!

It is concentrated. It is effective (I've used it in Dallas and in the NC mountains with great results). But you do not want to wear it to work!!

[Radio_Lady]

25. Well, we're retired, so we wouldn't have that worry!

Urine smell, eh? Like a subway station or a toilet that you forgot to flush before you went on vacation?

Pungent.

[DemoTex]

26. Extremely strong. Trust me.

Wear the gloves. You will thank me.

[Radio_Lady]

28. Yum. I hope my Playtex gloves fit my husband's hands. Thanks.

[DemoTex]

30. Nope. Splurge on throw-away latex gloves.

They are great for other projects, too (painting comes to mind).

[Radio_Lady]

31. Good idea! Critter Ridder isn't urine based, but still it sounds peppery.

We'll get those gloves for sure.

Ingredients:
Oil of Black Pepper, Piperin, Capsaincin and Related Capsaicinoids

http://www.havahart.com/nuisance/critter_ridder.asp

[GOPBasher]

24. You should call some wildlife control people, if you can afford the

fee. When we used them to get a squirrel that got in our house, it cost us about $170. No idea how much getting rid of skunks would cost.

[Radio_Lady]

27. We were quoted $150.00 for a month's coverage, and $50 to drive

EACH raccoon/skunk to its "new home." Another company I called today wanted $175 a month and $100 for each animal!

For squirrels in the house, I'd gladly pay anything. But these animals are still outside, at least for now.

We had raccoons in our chimney and they were mating (VERY NOISY!!!) and bearing young in our old home. We had to disclose that to the new owner and we took $500 less for our home because he had to assume that burden.

[GOPBasher]

33. Wow! That is some crazy money! I wouldn't pay that at all. n/t

[Radio_Lady]

40. Right. We got a humane trap at United Rental for $22.00 a week.

Thought we got the problem solved in early August with one skunk caught and transported to a new locale.

Seems as if we didn't.

[Radio_Lady]

32. Maybe we should wear MASKS, too! This whole thing is creeping me

out -- just as the sun sets here in the Western states. My husband is at a political meeting and I'm sure he will be applying this stuff in the dark tonight.

Or sitting up with a BB gun waiting to sock the little critters! (Naw, we don't own a BB gun... I'm just pulling your proverbial leg.)

[Renew Deal]

34. Mother f***ckin skunks in your mother f***ing yard.

[idgiehkt]

39. LOL n/t

[Radio_Lady]

41. Yep, you got it. This is NOT.. repeat NOT... a film script!

[Broken_Hero]

42. Not to sound, mean

but we got raccoon/possum/armadillo issues out here. Same thing, digging mini sprain my ankle holes all over my yard. I am not kidding, the holes reminded me of that scene in Stand By Me...

12 gauge, is what I use...but if you are in the city, I recommend some sort of BAR bait(aka poison), but again, you got to watch out for other domesticated animals, if you are experiencing these issues in town/city.

[Radio_Lady]

43. Suggestion taken, petersond, but we don't do firearms in this city

environment. We have all kinds of kids and dogs around on small lots.

Also, I have no idea what BAR bait is... some young girl under 18 sitting in the lounge?? ... naw, that can't be right...

Thanks anyway.

[Broken_Hero]

44. I can understand that

bar bait--->http://www.petvetsupply.com/rodmsal001.html

but with kids, and other animals around...I don't think a poison will work, cause the other animals will eat it also...

Maybe some live traps? At least if you catch a dog/cat it isnt' dead, and you can let them go...but i'm not a big fan of handling live skunks, in a cage either!...:P

[Radio_Lady]

45. I've been told that skunks can find their way back "home" even when

released at great distances. However, they might have a chance of being "road kill" because this part of Oregon is pretty well populated and there are lots of busy roads.

We do have one big "greenway" in back of our house. I assume that's where they live.

[Radio_Lady]

46. UPDATE: We used the Critter Ridder product at the grass periphery.

Seems to have done the job.

Thanks again for your inputs. They were very helpful.

In peace,

Radio_Lady

[Broken_Hero]

47. Critter Ridder?

Poison, or some smelly substance, they keeps them away?

[Broken_Hero]

49. never mind, found it...

http://www.havahart.com/

good choice...:)

[Radio_Lady]

50. The product is made from peppers. It sounded like a good idea.

Husband bought the pellets with a shaker top, and did wear a painter's mask and gloves.

[Broken_Hero]

51. sounds like a winner

I hope it works, and I hope somebodies dog/cat doesn't eat any....:P Who knows what animals will eat...:)

[Radio_Lady]

52. Well, seems as if it would like be like eating habaneros/Mexican chiles...

They'd need a LOT of BEER...

[Shakespeare]

48. Now that your problem is solved, here's a relevant poem:

And a rather famous (and wonderful) one, too:

Skunk Hour
For Elizabeth Bishop

Nautilus Island's hermit
heiress still lives through winter in her Spartan cottage;
her sheep still graze above the sea.
Her son's a bishop. Her farmer
is first selectman in our village,
she's in her dotage.

Thirsting for
the hierarchic privacy
of Queen Victoria's century,
she buys up all
the eyesores facing her shore,
and lets them fall.

The season's ill --
we've lost our summer millionaire,
who seemed to leap from an L. L. Bean
catalogue. His nine-knot yawl
was auctioned off to lobstermen.
A red fox stain covers Blue Hill.

And now our fairy
decorator brightens his shop for fall,
his fishnet's filled with orange cork,
orange, his cobbler's bench and awl,
there is no money in his work,
he'd rather marry.

One dark night,
my Tudor Ford climbed the hill's skull,
I watched for love-cars. Lights turned down,
they lay together, hull to hull,
where the graveyard shelves on the town. . . .
My mind's not right.

A car radio bleats,
'Love, O careless Love . . . .' I hear
my ill-spirit sob in each blood cell,
as if my hand were at its throat . . . .
I myself am hell,
nobody's here --

only skunks, that search
in the moonlight for a bite to eat.
They march on their soles up Main Street:
white stripes, moonstruck eyes' red fire
under the chalk-dry and spar spire
of the Trinitarian Church.

I stand on top
of our back steps and breathe the rich air --
a mother skunk with her column of kittens swills the garbage pail
She jabs her wedge-head in a cup
of sour cream, drops her ostrich tail,
and will not scare.

-- Robert Lowell