SKUNK!! My adventures with Fifi

[lindamarie]

This skunk has hung around for so many years we named it FiFi.
I think I told you in another thread how one night I was out in front staring up at the sky and this HAIRY THING brushed my leg. I looked down and it was a SKUNK! I just stood there with my heart pounding until I could run for the door.
So, Fifi has been around and we often smell her presence between 10 and 1AM.

I've been taking Bogart out on a 30" leash at night because of Fifi. Also, our sensor lights are broke so the yard no longer lights up.

Well.....last night I go out with Bogart on leash at around midnight.
We had guests for dinner and our BBQ still had smoldering coals in it in the driveway inside the yard.
So, Bogart starts to slowly approach the BBQ with a cat-like walk ready to pounce. I'm looking at him like what the heck are you doing? I couldn't figure why he's approaching the BBQ like that.
THERE IT WAS! About 4 ft from me... It was dark where it normally would've been lit up like a baseball field if the lights worked.

I yanked Bogart back across the lawn and into the house!
If he had been off leash, both of us would still be soaking in peroxide, baking soda, detergent and water!!

My dad told me to get fox scent. I need to get some but can't find anywhere that has it with the potency required to keep the buggers away!
Bogart and I are lucky!! This could've been a mess!

[dgeggis]

Just what anyone needs at midnight. Go out for a potty break and come back skunky!
Glad you averted that mishap. Time to get the lights fixed too!

[blueteal]

Yeah we got one of those pesky critters
here daily too..........maybe I should give him a name?
Fortunatley he stays within the side yard where the garbage is
kept and not in Denver's part of the yard.

I haven't seen a skunk in NC. Maybe they don't live here.

[MaxandMe]

Linda....that skunk may be used to hearing your voice and know your smell meaning unless you corner it and/or make if feel in danger it will not spray.
NOW BOGIE may be another story

skunks also take the same path daily. makign sure there is NO FOOD whatsoever is key.

how do i know this? cause for 2years a family of skunks nested in my neighbor's yard. One skunk seemed to like my yard
and OMG walked over my feet more than once when sitting out
at night to relax.

next thing was this skunk got into our addition we were building at the time, of course i one night thought it was my cat and bent down ,
picked it up i screamed, dropped skunk-- he ran one way as I ran the other.

Finally he got in my house more than once and slept over night behind the couch and he LOVED cat kibble!!! took me 1.5hours to get rid of him by laying multiple cat kibble piles leading to the door.
It was a hansel and gretel re-enactment hahhaaaa as NO pest control would come out to help!

Zoo director i knew said he knew my smell, my voice etc and from then on no doors to addition nor house were ever left open
and it nightly this skunk sat at my door hahahaaaaaa took him several months to stop using my front door as a rest stop

my kids were tiny so i bought 2 skunk beanie babie and put them
by the doors so everyone rememberd CLOSE THE DOOR!
and garbage can lids were ON TIGHTLY!!

ps juvenile skunks can't spray but adult ones can, then again who's gonna stand there and find out hahahahhaaaaaaaaaaa

[Mud]

I can't imagine what a skunk smells like. Must be really, really awful from your comments. Perhaps that's not something I should try and find out about during my annual US visits.

[mtd885]

I had one of those on my boat this Tarpon season

[Raleighsmom]

Keep lots of vinegar and water handy Linda....just in case!!!!! And keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't happen!!!!