What Do Skunks Eat?... And Other Questions

Did you know? There are 12 different species of skunk - 10 of which are native to the Americas (Sunda stink badger and Palawan stink badger are both native to Asia).  

When we think of skunks, the image that will often come to mind is the Striped skunk from Canada, the United States and Mexico.

We are here today to answer 10 commonly asked questions about skunks, including 'WHat do Skunks eat?'. 

What do skunks eat?... And other questions

What is a skunk?

Skunks are black and white mammals. Their claim to fame is their ability to unleash a horrible-smelling spray as a deterrent.

What do skunks look like?

Skunks are small mammals that are predominantly black with white markings. They have a long, black-and-white, bushy tail. If you were looking for their footprints, they have 5 toes and long claws, perfect for digging.

Each species looks slightly different and has adaptations apt for their environment. The Humboldt hog-nosed skunk has a flat, fleshy nose for searching the ground for food and two white stripes running down its back.  The pygmy spotted skunk from Mexico is tiny (11-34 cm) with multiple squiggly white lines.

Is a skunk a rodent?

No, they are part of the Mephitidae family.

Do skunks live underground?

Yes, skunks live underground in dens. 

Are skunks nocturnal?

Yes, a nocturnal schedule helps them avoid predators while increasing access to food. 

What do skunks eat?

Skunks are omnivores with a flexible diet. Depending on availability, they like insects, eggs, small animals, and will eat plants, carrion and even human rubbish.

What do skunks smell like?

They aren’t always smelly; however, skunks emit a horrible odour through their anal glands when threatened. It can linger for days and smells like ‘ rotten eggs, burnt rubber, and garlic’.

Are skunks dangerous?

Skunks are generally not aggressive and their spray, although vile, is not dangerous.  Skunks can be carriers of disease which can be an indirect risk to humans.

Can you have skunks as pets in the UK?

Yes, it's currently legal to keep a skunk as a pet in the UK, and no special licence is generally required for a captive-bred animal from a legitimate source. That said, it's not something we'd recommend. De-scenting is illegal here under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, so you'd be keeping an animal with its full spraying ability intact, and skunks have demanding care needs that aren't well suited to typical households. If you're considering it, research thoroughly first.

Are there skunks in the UK?

Skunks aren't native to the UK, and there's no established wild population. Occasional sightings do get reported, almost always traced back to escaped or abandoned pets, notably a small colony in the Forest of Dean first reported around 2009, plus scattered sightings elsewhere including London suburbs like Muswell Hill.

Have you enjoyed this blog? Learn more about top asked questions in the blogs below.