Always ready for the Auburn Black and White Ball, our dainty striped skunk.  He would be one of the sweetest cocktail guests with vivid coloration and a tail held like a soft duster.

We’ve had quite a slew of these creatures over summer.  A litter of babies were collected earlier this year when an Auburn homeowner trapped and killed their nursing mother.  Fortunately a kind neighbor called Gold Country Wildlife Rescue after she heard the babies crying in the yard.  GCWR volunteer Kari Freidig rounded them all up and took them home.  Our President Sherry Bast took over their care and now, three months later; these kits are back in the wild doing all the things skunks do.  Which is what?

Many times when you see a skunk, they are simply looking for something good to eat.  A skunk’s main food is insects.  They use their front paws to dig up worms and bugs.  They also like small rodents and as omnivores will eat fruits and vegetables.  Or, they may be attracted by the food you leave out for Rover or Fluffy.  Sometimes they are looking for dens, but almost always, they are seen at night because skunks are nocturnal creatures.

Don’t be frightened if you see one.  These are non-aggressive animals.  They will be more afraid of you.  When frightened, a skunk will stomp the ground with his front feet.  If the danger persists, the skunk will walk sideways back and forth, so at a moments notice it can turn its’ tail towards the attacker to spray from its two musk glands on either side of the anus.

Skunks use their spray as a last resort.  They only have about six sprays (about 15 cc) before they have to recharge for24 hours to spray again.

If you do have a skunk problem, call a licensed professional.  Please do not kill a skunk on your own and especially not in the spring or summer.  Odds are it is a nursing mother with a litter of kits to feed.
These photos are of one of our injured animals.  He was found near an AC unit outside a home in Auburn.  This skunk was taken to a veterinarian for treatment of a broken humerus.  Dr. Mira Sanchez, a staff veterinarian at the Roseville Bird and Pet Clinic, did the surgery for free at Folsom Zoo where she is also the veterinarian.  Jill Geil, the Senior Supervisor at the Zoo and a volunteer for GCWR assisted in the surgery.  Look closely at the picture to see the cast on the left foot.  This skunk would not have survived in the wild.  Skunks need their front feet for digging.