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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
One down. One to go?
We have a nice little office in our alpaca barn. It has a raised floor and a small heater in it; it works really well for storing the feed and supplies and is a good place to warm up when the barn temperature is below freezing. I guess, under the raised floor it is pretty nice too; at least that is what the skunks think.
For the third time, in so many years, we have had skunks take up residence under our barn office. The idea of having them there doesn’t bother me but when something agitates them and they spray …YUK! The whole office permeates of their deadly perfume. It takes days to air it out.
Last year we successfully live trapped a pair of skunks and relocated them to distant woods. I didn’t realize they stayed in pairs until last year. We thought we had blocked off their access to the office basement but we were mistaken. There was just enough space to create a nice little tunnel in this fall.
As it worked last year, we again set the trap to capture our new residents. Canned dog food works really well to lure them into the trap. Of course the first night was cold and they didn’t take the bait. Last night was warmer and we again successfully trapped one. It did rain all morning, so the skunk was not only unhappy about being trapped but soaked as well.
Now I have had people tell me lots of things about how a skunk won’t spray if … none have proven to be true. Not only will the skunk spray, and spray often, but the spray is oil based and seems to travel through the air and get into everything. Right now my nose is burning with that lovely perfume of theirs. Everything I am wearing will head to the washer and me to the shower to tone down the odor.
If the same is true as last year, I still have one more skunk to trap this week. Wish me luck!!
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