3 Nostril-Friendly Strategies To Keep Skunks Out Of Your Yard

Few people cherish the moment they see a skunk digging around in their yard. And who could blame them? Skunks calmly drench objects 15 feet away with their sulfuric spray. But there's no need to create a stink (literally) over skunks. Why? Because the three safe strategies below will persuade skunks to leave your yard without scaring them into spraying you.

1. Turn Your Yard Into A No-Food Zone

Skunks thrive on a wide variety of foods—fruit, dog food, even week-old garbage. You'd be surprised at what skunks will eat when they're hungry. Consequently, one of the keys to removing skunks from your yard is getting rid of as many food sources as possible. That means removing seeds and fruits from the ground, keeping trash sealed and out of reach, and having your yard sprayed to keep insects away.

By taking these simple precautions, you are turning your yard into a no-food zone, which is a harsh environment for skunks to live and breed—exactly what you want.

2. Make Your Yard Inhospitable

If removing food sources isn't enough, you'll want to make your yard even less hospitable by using skunk repellents.

There are quite a few repellents you can use to keep skunks away. Conveniently, cat litter is one such repellent. So if you have cat litter on hand, use it to your advantage. Once a skunk has gone out looking for food, place the litter in and around the skunk's shelter.

If cat litter isn't a strong enough deterrent to keep skunks out of your yard, consider using a commercial skunk repellent, such as capsaicin spray or predator urine.

3. Keep Your Yard Bright at Night

With nocturnal habits, skunks prefer to do their foraging at night. How can you use this to your advantage? Use artificial light to make it seem like daytime when it's dark outside. Use multiple spotlights to light your yard up like a Christmas tree, or have lights installed throughout your yard.

To reduce your utility expenses (and be more environmentally friendly) use solar lights. You can also have motion sensors installed, which will alert you when skunks are entering your yard and scare the skunks away.

Getting rid of skunks doesn't have to cause a stink. Always keep your distance when dealing with skunks, and follow the above strategies to safely dissuade the pests from entering your yard. And if you come across stubborn skunks that refuse to leave your yard, call a pest control representative for help. For more information, consider contacting companies like Ram Pest Management, LLC.