Skunks & the Ineffectiveness of Using Poison on Them

There are several problems associated with a skunk intrusion or invasion in and around your home. The most dominant one is the strong, unpleasant smell that they spray when threatened. Sometimes they even go around spraying one’s pets and other property. When they are not carefully controlled, they can come in large numbers and take up residence in or under a person’s home.



Problems Brought About by Skunk Invasion
Skunks are burrowing an animal, which means that they use their long and strong claws to dig up holes all over the yard; especially when they feel like a predator is coming. This can leave the resident’s yard with many surface holes, making it look untidy and unkempt. They also damage the fences around a home by making holes in them. Whatever damage they may cause, one predominant question lingers in the minds of everyone who is affected: “How do I get rid of skunks?”

Poison as One of the Techniques Used to Kill Skunks
There is a lot of debate and hullabaloo about the techniques used to get rid of skunks. One technique which has attracted a lot of debate is the use of poison to kill skunks.

Why Using Poison on Skunks is Not Advisable
Using poison to kill an animal is not exactly what you would describe as “humane killing”. Contrary to popular belief, most poisons do not result in a quick and painless death. In fact, if anything poison kills by gradually damaging the essential organs of the animal, bringing them to a state where they do not function at all, at which point the animal will be dead. This is a prolonged process of suffering experienced by the skunk.

Poison is not always as effective as people think. Some skunks have managed to survive poisoning. This accomplishes nothing much because skunks reproduce relatively fast; therefore, what’s the point if you leave a few to survive?

Using poison also poses a great danger to human health. Suppose poison was used on a skunk in the yard and later on a child goes out in the yard to play and their skin comes into contact with remnants of the poison. It may cause them to have an allergic reaction. In the worst case scenario, the child can get the poison in their mouth and the result can be unimaginable.

Using poison does not really solve the main problem. It is what a person would describe as a quick fix. It does not address the main issues, which are how the skunks got into the compound and what attracts them into homes.

Another disadvantage of using poison is that it leaves animal carcasses around the home. Since poison doesn’t kill instantly, the skunk may ingest it and then move somewhere else in the compound – perhaps even inside holes, yard corners and other areas difficult to access. When they die there, they begin to rot, causing an unpleasant smell for days.

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