Skunks...?

[Jade01]

I know nothing about keeping them so im sorry if this is a stupid question to those who do keep them

but ive always wondered if cabtive bred skunks kept as pets use the smell thing often?

sorry about the wording aswel lol, didnt know what else 2 say!

[Fixx]

We have three intact skunks, none have ever done a full spray in the house, though both myself and Loulou have been sprayed. We have had 'minor' leaks occasionally when they have squabbled over food but the smell soon disperses.
Pepe, an RSPCA rescue who lives with us was caught after living at least 6 months in the 'wilds' of Todmorden on Yorkshire, he sprayed (and bit) me when I caught him up at the RSPCA's Blackberry farm but has not sprayed since. He's not the friendliest of skunks but he is slowly getting used to us, but does not have full roaming priviledges like the other 5 who run around the house and tolerate and are tolerated by the cat, dog and iguanas that run around the house as well.

[Emmaj]

i have 2 fully loadeds................i have been sprayed an house in total 11 times

and its an aqquired taste you either can tolerate it or you cant an fortunatley i can lol

but it aint a nice sweet smell it is rank

[Fixx]

Originally Posted by Emmaj

i have 2 fully loadeds................i have been sprayed an house in total 11 times

and its an aqquired taste you either can tolerate it or you cant an fortunatley i can lol

but it aint a nice sweet smell it is rank

How come you are getting sprayed so much Emma?

[Pouchie]

Yeah Em, do you think the dogs are an added stress that cause your pair to spray more? Or is it each other?

To the OP, I have the brother of one of Emma's skunks and he has never sprayed although he has done the 'minor leak' thing that Fixx mentioned.

That said, mine does live with a female and Fixx's males probably get on better than Em's two?

[Fixx]

Originally Posted by Pouchie

That said, mine does live with a female and Fixx's males probably get on better than Em's two?

Fred and George don't get on Pouchie, George is going through puberty we think and picks on Fred, because of this he has been restricted to upstairs only. We are hoping that as George matures more he may stop picking on Fred but we'll still keep them seperated during breeding season.
We have also noticed that the girls have their preferred 'boyfriends' too, Maple, it seems has taken a shine to Pepe, and is now co-habiting with him in his room.

[Pouchie]

Originally Posted by Fixx

Fred and George don't get on Pouchie, George is going through puberty we think and picks on Fred, because of this he has been restricted to upstairs only. We are hoping that as George matures more he may stop picking on Fred but we'll still keep them seperated during breeding season.
We have also noticed that the girls have their preferred 'boyfriends' too, Maple, it seems has taken a shine to Pepe, and is now co-habiting with him in his room.

oooo how interesting. I am bracing myself to split our two during breeding season but it is so lovely to see them getting on and enjoying each other's company.

That's lovely that Maple has taken to Pepe. he deserves a girl to keep him company

[Fixx]

Originally Posted by Pouchie

oooo how interesting. I am bracing myself to split our two during breeding season but it is so lovely to see them getting on and enjoying each other's company.

That's lovely that Maple has taken to Pepe. he deserves a girl to keep him company

Yeah it seems to be helping him come out of his shell more too, he's more active when we're in there now than before Maple took up residence with him. He's still quite stompy, and will show you his backside if you approach to close, or move too suddenly, but he's happy to wander up close to you and sniff a foot occasionally, and if you offer a hand slowly he will reach forward to have a sniff of it, but I don't think he'll ever be coming to our exotic animal society meetings for talks and cuddles like the others.
We need to clip his nails soon so I'll have to invest in a decent pair of gloves as it's the getting bitten part that I don't like compared to the spraying though I'll have a chat with our vet and see if we can't slip him a Mickey Fynn in his food to make him a bit more tractable.

[Pouchie]

Originally Posted by Fixx

Yeah it seems to be helping him come out of his shell more too, he's more active when we're in there now than before Maple took up residence with him. He's still quite stompy, and will show you his backside if you approach to close, or move too suddenly, but he's happy to wander up close to you and sniff a foot occasionally, and if you offer a hand slowly he will reach forward to have a sniff of it, but I don't think he'll ever be coming to our exotic animal society meetings for talks and cuddles like the others.
We need to clip his nails soon so I'll have to invest in a decent pair of gloves as it's the getting bitten part that I don't like compared to the spraying though I'll have a chat with our vet and see if we can't slip him a Mickey Fynn in his food to make him a bit more tractable.

slipping a mickey eh? tut tut

[Lucy_]

well 2 of the times emma got sprayed was by bam when she was ill... along with one of these time havoc joined in, he scared bam when she was poorly so bam sprayed and hav sprayed back.. so this is 3.. i know that another few times was havoc scaring himself lol he kept charging at a mirror and spraying thinking a skunk was running at him and another one i know of is when em tried introducing hav and siku and hav tried mating him and siku wasnt too pleased lol

so i dont think its anything to do with the dogs, as they are more than happy, the skunks rule the roost lol they walk all over them, sleep on their heads lol (bam did) and they dont flinch, if it was a factor of whos more scared it would have to be the dogs lol

Hope u dont mind me putting this em...

x