They wander boldly through our backyards, rifle through our garbage and in the mistaken belief that cars are just another animal to be intimidated, stalk brazenly across roads and highways, where they frequently end up as smelly black and white striped pancakes. The skunk's scientific name, Mephitis mephitis, comes from a Latin word that means "poisonous vapor." It's not poisonous, but if you're the target, you may wonder about it!
Interesting and striking in appearance, striped skunks are plentiful throughout the United States where they roam largely unmolested, although Great Horned Owls apparently hunt them routinely, and foxes, hawks, coyotes and dogs occasionally eat them. Skunks are nocturnal carnivores, seen only rarely during the day. Seen in a flashlight beam or headlights, their eyes glow orange. They eat mostly insects, but spiders, snakes, small mammals, birds and their eggs, millipedes and vegetation are also consumed. Amazingly, skunks appear to be somewhat resistant to snake venom, able to survive up to ten times the amount that would kill other mammals of their same size.
Well adapted to living in and around communities, skunks supplement their diet with selections from garbage cans and it is there that homeowners sometimes meet them in all their fragrant glory. Given the opportunity, calm skunks will usually walk away from an encounter with any animal, including humans, but surprised ones are another matter. They may purr, growl, click their teeth, stamp their front feet and stand on their hind legs to let their adversary know it's time to back off. If these displays fail, they turn their rear end toward the attacker, raise their tail and become a little fuzzy, warm blooded, 4-footed Mace cannister, spraying a complex organic chemical mixture from special anal glands12 feet or more, with great accuracy. They can spray 7 or 8 times if necessary, although most animals get the message after the first dose. Not only does skunk musk smell terrible to most animals, it also burns like crazy, sometimes causing temporary blindness, when it gets in an animal's eyes. Contrary to popular belief, a skunk's musk is not in its urine and they do not fling it with their tail. Some people also are convinced that a skunk can't spray if you pick it up by its tail, but experts say that's only true sometimes! I wonder how you get to be an expert at picking up skunks by their tails and how many of the little critters would wait to spray until you run up and grabbed them by the tail?
What do you do if you or your dog gets sprayed? Leaving the county for a prolonged vacation is one approach, but most folks you encounter along the way will probably be somewhat stand offish! Bathing in tomato juice or paste seems to be a fairly effective method of deodorizing attack victims and it makes dogs and cats a pretty pink too. Some people follow the tomato juice soak by rubbing a vanilla moistened cloth on a sprayed dog or cat so they smell a little like a slightly skunky, pink sugar cookie! One recipe you might try is made by mixing a quart of hydrogen peroxide with 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap. There are also some commercial products designed to neutralize and deodorize the smell that you may find at pet stores.
Breeding in February and March, 3-7 young skunks are born about 63 days later. In our area, the first part of May is the most likely time to see them. They are born blind and cared for by Mom in a grassy nest under a rock, a bush or in a burrow until their eyes open and they are able to fend for themselves.
Skunks, like many other mammals, can carry rabies and one that appears disoriented or approaches you fearlessly ought to be suspect. A person bitten by a skunk should immediately wash the wound with soap and water and seek medical attention. If the culprit can't be found, which is usually the case, rabies injections are usually administered. It is vital to remember that a bite victim can not wait to see if they get sick before seeking medical aid, because by then it is too late and almost without exception, the victim will die.
Skunks are another part of the fascinating inter-related complex of plants and animals in the web of life in East Texas fields and forests. Observe them at a distance and if you can, avoid hitting them on the road. The collision will surely kill them, but they'll get the last laugh!