Acrobatic Spotted Skunks: Known to Experts as the "Acrobats" of Their Species

These feisty little creatures do handstands as a unique warning to potential predators before releasing the foul-smelling spray skunks are known for

There's something special about spotted skunks — and it's not their smell.

Known to experts as the "acrobats" of their species, these cute little critters utilize a unique defense mechanism to protect themselves from suspected predators: a handstand.

"When they're stressed, they bounce up onto their forelimbs and then kick out their hind limbs, puff their tail up, and they actually can walk towards the predator, like basically making them look bigger and scarier," Adam Ferguson, the Negaunee Collections Manager of Mammals at the Field Museum in Chicago, told CNN.

Once locked on to their target, the skunks typically return to their normal stature before releasing their foul-smelling spray.

Spotted skunks are more carnivorous than their cousins, seeking prey like bird eggs, lizards, snakes, and rodents. They are solid climbers as well.

A new study published Wednesday in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution suggests that seven spotted skunk species currently roam the Earth. The most recent agreed-upon number, however, is four.

Ferguson, who authored the study, called the opportunity to "redraw" the skunk family tree "very exciting."

"Everyone thinks we know everything about mammalian carnivore systematics," said Ferguson.

In addition to skunks trapped in Mexico by Ferguson, researchers relied on specimens in museums to conduct the study. 

Fellow study author Molly McDonough, a biology professor at Chicago State University and research associate at the Field Museum, told CNN in a statement that she managed to extract DNA from museum samples from over 100 years ago.

"The study wouldn't have been possible without the museum specimens we had," Ferguson told the outlet. "The only reason we were able to get sequences from the Yucatan were museum specimens that were collected 60 or 70 years ago."

Next, researchers plan to look into spotted skunks' reproductive habits. Though they tend to breed in the fall, the mammals typically give birth in the spring.

"It just sits in suspension for a while," Ferguson said. "We want to know why some species have delayed implantation, and others don't, and figuring out how these different species of skunks evolved can help us do that."

See video below:

FOLLOW US!

Meet the Florida Couple Kicking Up a Stink with 14 Pet Skunks Under the Same Roof

Visitors to Don and Brenda Hoch's home need a simple piece of advice: bring a peg for your nose because with 14 pet skunks you're going to need it.

The proud owners of Spike, Inca, Sammy, Suna, Nutmeg, Chanel, Spencer, Theodore, Alvin, Simon, Frosty, Zipper, Napoleon and Da Vinci, Don and Brenda say the famously stinky animals are more affectionate than even cats.

The couple, from Hudson, Florida, have owned skunks since 2006 and have begun taking in unwanted ones too working in conjunction with Florida Skunk Rescue.

As Florida is one of only two states in the USA where skunks can be legally kept as pets, a large number of them are unfortunately left by the roadside or simply dumped.

To read more on this story, click here: Meet the Florida Couple Kicking Up a Stink with 14 Pet Skunks Under the Same Roof

FOLLOW US!

Albino Animals Are a Stunning Oddity of Nature

Albino animals are an odd freak of nature, appearing ghost-like in their all-white form contrary to the color of most of their fellow species. Yet, they can be quite beautiful in their plainness.

Some 300 species of animals in North America have these rare albino individuals that appear white because of a congenital absence of any pigmentation or coloration, resulting in white hair and pink or blue eyes in mammals.

In some cases, unusually white creatures are actually leucistic animals—those that feature a partial loss of pigmentation that doesn’t affect the eye color.

To read more on this story, click here: Albino Animals Are a Stunning Oddity of Nature


FOLLOW US!

Northern Virginia Family Terrorized by Skunks

Dumfries,Va. - A Northern Virginia woman said she and her family are being terrorized by skunks that have recently invaded their neighborhood.

Bobbi Dewitt said her family has been held hostage in their own home in Dumfries by a family of skunks for the past three days. Cell phone video they recorded shows the mother skunk and her babies hanging out near their front door, which has made it hard to avoid a whiff of their powerful stench.

“I don’t know if it’s the rain that is pushing them out, I don’t know if it’s their breeding season, but whatever it is, I am just ready to reclaim my house back,” said Dewitt.

She said she has lived in the Forest Park development in Dumfries for five years, but this is the first time she has noticed holes dug under her front stairs where she believes the family of skunks live during the daylight hours. But at night, they come out and wreak havoc – tearing up the trash, people’s plants and spraying anyone who dares come close.

“They are spraying up under the house so when the air conditioner system goes off, it travels through the whole entire home,” Dewitt said. "So now we have to change the filters, we have to wipe walls down, we have to shampoo carpet just to get the smell out.”

Meanwhile, Dewitt is taking steps to rid her home of these unwanted guests. However, she worries it will not be enough as many of her neighbors are dealing with the same nightmare.

“To eliminate it, everyone is going to have to do it collectively to seal up the steps so they won’t have anywhere to live,” she said. “All I want is to be able to come and go without having to watch my surroundings and hope and pray I don’t get sprayed.”

Dewitt said her homeowner’s association is still looking into the matter. In the meantime, she has contacted pest control and will spend hundreds of dollars out of her pocket to trap and remove the skunks.

FOLLOW US!

Here's an Effective Method for Removing the Skunk Smell from Your Pet

Sharing from, Dr. Karen Becker, DVM

Dr. Becker's Comments:

Today I want to give you my skunk rinse recipe, and here's hoping you never have to use it!

If, heaven forbid, your dog or cat is ever sprayed by a skunk, you should have this recipe on hand. The sooner you apply the solution to your pet's fur, the sooner he'll get relief and smell better.

Skunk Rinse Recipe

Tomato juice isn't nearly as effective as this recipe, and it's easy to follow.

In a pail mix:

1 quart hydrogen peroxide (the 3 percent hydrogen peroxide variety)
¼ cup baking soda
2 teaspoons dishwashing liquid
If you have a large breed dog, you may need to double, triple or even quadruple the mixture.

Wear dishwashing or other household gloves if you like during the whole de-skunking process.

Don't wet down your pet. Apply the mixture to your pet's dry coat from the collar back toward the tail. Don't pour it near the eyes because the hydrogen peroxide solution can burn them.

Lather the mixture into your pet's coat and skin. Rub the solution around for about five minutes or until the skunk smell starts to dissipate.

If the front of your pet is as stinky as the back, use a sponge to apply the solution to your pet's chin, cheeks, forehead and ears, being very careful not to go near the eyes. When you rinse the head area, tilt your pet's chin upward so the solution does not run down into the eyes, instead allow the water to run back off his neck.

Do a complete rinse once the smell starts to decrease, then repeat the entire process again.

You may need to repeat the lather and rinse process up to three times, but it's a very effective method for removing the skunk smell from your pet.

Make sure to completely rinse the solution off your pet. Your final rinse should be very thorough.

You can't prepare this solution ahead of time and store it – it won't be effective when you need it. It must be made fresh, right before you apply it to your pet. So it pays to make sure you have all the ingredients ahead of time!

Good luck … and I hope you never have to use my skunk rinse recipe!

In this short video, Dr. Karen Becker shares the very effective method she uses to get rid of skunk smell on pets.

FOLLOW US!

Skunk Lovers Unite: A Look at Pets and Their People

Having photographed for National Geographic for the last 20 years, you learn never to promise someone that they will “make it” into the magazine. After seeing the story about exotic pets in the April issue, some of the folks represented in this post were happy not to be included in our coverage, feeling that the tone of the story would have cast them in an unflattering light.

I spent the better part of 2013 photographing this world for the cover story that appears in the April edition of National Geographic magazine about Wild Pets.

Exotic pet ownership is a very complicated and often controversial relationship that is often portrayed and understood in a narrow and simplistic way. The animals photographed were far from wild. Captive-bred for many generations, these animals can commonly be found in the homes and backyards of places like Indiana, Ohio, Florida, and Texas.

I met committed and caring people who owned monkeys, chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cougar, venomous reptiles, bears, lemurs, kangaroos, bobcats, alligators, hedgehogs, and one with a capybara, a 130-pound rodent found commonly in Brazil.

Surprisingly to me, very few of the people I met were advocates for owning an exotic pet, in fact, most said their best advice would be to tell people not to get an exotic pet. This wasn’t based in regret but issued as a cautionary note for potential owners about the extraordinary responsibility and commitment required to care for these animals. Each of these people came to be with these animals in different ways, and their relationships to these animals are just as different.

Albert Killian, a gentle man fascinated by snakes, lives side by side with king cobras, Egyptian cobras and other extremely venomous snakes. His bedroom, where he keeps them, looks more like an exhibit in a zoo. He adores and respects an animal that doesn’t really give or receive affection. He has been bitten over 100 times.

Conversely, for the last 33 years, Alison Pascoe Freedman was rarely more than an arms-length away from Amelia, her precocious and affectionate capuchin monkey. Amelia was a small animal and a large part of Alison’s life. The two went everywhere together as Alison often carried Amelia around in her pocket.

I was really interested in the differences but also the similarities of these relationships. Were all monkey people like Alison? Was there such a thing as monkey person? I certainly knew that all monkeys were not Amelia.

Enter Skunk Fest, the labor-of-love brainchild of Deborah Cipriani who lives with and cares for more than 50 skunks at her Ohio home. For the past 12 years it’s been a community event that connects skunk owners with each other and a curious public.

To read more on this story, click here: Skunk Lovers Unite: A Look at Pets and Their People




FOLLOW US!

What To Do If Your Dog Gets Sprayed by a Skunk

Skunk. A single word that fills even the most intrepid dog owner with dread. The smell, the nightmare of getting it off, the waste of perfectly good tomato juice… Let’s face it, nothing about your dog getting sprayed by a skunk is pleasant. 

About skunks

Skunks are a member of their own unique animal family, but are believed to be related to the weasel family as well (ferrets, weasels, otters, badgers, stoats, and wolverines). They are omnivores, eating both meat and vegetation, and are crepuscular in nature, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. They live in dens that they dig in the ground, and go into semi-hibernation in the colder months. They are most active during the spring and summer, when the weather is warmest. This time of year is prime time for skunks.

Skunks are generally non-aggressive animals that prefer flight to fight; however, when threatened, they are capable of spraying an incredibly foul-smelling substance a distance of up to 16 feet. This stinky spray is a thick, yellow, oily compound that is degraded from urine and released from scent glands located on either side of their back end. The principle component of this stinky secretion is called mercaptan, and contains sulfur – hence the stench. In fact, mercaptan is added to odor-free natural gases to that we can tell if we’ve sprung gas leaks in our stoves or furnaces.

When a skunk is preparing to spray, it will arch its back, raise his tail high, and begin hissing and stomping his feet on the ground. He may even do headstands with his back and tail arched towards the intruder. When he actually sprays, he will bend into a U-shape, with his head and back end facing the intruder, and aim his spray primarily at the intruder’s face.

As a result, animals that get sprayed by skunks tend to take the brunt of it in their face. This should not cause permanent damage, but make sure to keep an eye on your pet’s eyes, nose, and mouth for a few days. If redness, irritation, and/or secretions occur, make sure to get your pet to a vet right away.

OK, but my dog already got skunked. Now what?

Your dog will not be happy about his skunk bath. If your dog found himself on the business end of a skunk, time is absolutely of the essence. The longer the spray sits, the more it sets and the harder it is to get out. If not properly treated, the odor can last for months (or longer!) If your groomer is open, give them a call and see if they can arrange an emergency appointment. If that’s not possible, then here’s a DIY solution for you.

First things first, change into some old clothes that you don’t mind getting rid of after, as they’re going to smell to high heavens. Washing the clothes will not remove all of the skunk oil and may leave a skunk oil residue in the washing machine. Yuck! Also, throw on a pair of rubber or latex dish gloves or something similar; you don’t want to get the skunk spray on your hands.

Despite what you’ve heard, save the tomato juice for a Bloody Mary; it’s ineffective at best, and can stain your pup’s coat at worst. There are several store-bought enzymatic sprays you can use to get rid of skunk spray on a dog. But of course, we rarely have something like this on hand when we need it, so just follow the steps below for a clean, fresh, stink- and discoloration-free dog.

1. Sequester your dog outside. The last thing you want is that stink getting in the house. The skunk oil can be transferred to rugs, upholstery, and other items in the house, and it can last for quite a while.

2. Put on clothes that you can throw away later and protective rubber or latex gloves.

3. Check your dog for cuts and scratches caused by the animal; if you find any, skip the rest of these steps and bring your dog to the vet ASAP.

4. Prepare for an outdoor bath. Get a tub if need be, towels you don’t mind throwing out after, the hose, and a helper if possible.

5. DON’T HOSE YOUR DOG DOWN RIGHT AWAY! This can make the stink worse and make it harder to get off. Also, if your dog has any cuts or cracks in his skin, this could rinse the skunk spray into them and cause pain, burning, and irritation and could lead to skin problems down the road.

6. Apply a bit of eye lubricant or 1-2 drops of mineral oil to your dog’s eyes. This will protect the eyes in case you get any water or other substances in them during the cleaning process.

7. Mix up the following in an OPEN container (as it creates a chemical reaction and could EXPLODE in a closed container):

– 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide (check the expiration date!)
– ¼ cup baking soda
– 1 teaspoon of strong liquid soap, such as Dawn dishwashing detergent

For larger dogs, you can also add some lukewarm water to the mixture. DO NOT use a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide; it can burn the dog’s skin. Also, make sure both the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda are as fresh as possible. If either has been sitting in the cabinet or fridge for months, it’s best to run out to the pharmacy and pick up some fresh supplies (as they can break down over time and lose their effectiveness).

8. Locate the area(s) where the dog got sprayed. Wet the area(s) with the solution and thoroughly massage the solution into the coat. An old sponge works well for this. Be careful not to spread it to other areas as you’re massaging, as the skunk spray is oily and spreads easily.  The oil is what makes it so difficult to remove.

9. If your dog got sprayed in the face, you can apply the mixture to a cloth and wash the dog’s face that way, being careful to avoid the eyes, nose, and mouth. See the video below for a how-to on getting skunk spray off your dog’s face and chest.

10. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, then thoroughly rinse the dog off with lukewarm water.

11. Repeat steps 7-10 until the stink is gone.

12. Dry your pup well and give him a treat – or several!

13. Run to the pet store and pick up some skunk odor removal spray to have on hand in case this happens again. Also, take a look around your yard and identify places skunks are likely to hide, so you know where to keep your dog away from in the future.

14. If you find a spot in the yard that has been saturated in skunk spray, it is probably a good idea to restrict your pet from that area until the odor is gone. The oiliness of the spray allows it to linger and it could end up on your pet again if he/she plays in that area. If you have a Hidden Fence system, your local Dealer can help you create a temporary ‘avoidance zone.’

15. Make sure to not leave trash out overnight when possible, as this can also attract skunks.

Important to note

Skunk spray has been linked to incidences of various anemias in dogs due to some of the compounds in it. Watch your dog carefully for 3-5 days after it was sprayed, looking for lethargy, weakness, and/or discolored urine. If you note any of the above, bring the dog to the vet ASAP.



FOLLOW US!

Florida Couple Has 15 Pet Skunks in Their Home

I guess I never thought of having a skunk as a pet. Apparently, this couple did. This couple likes skunks so much that they have adopted 15 of the stink-spraying animals, which share their home.

Don and Brenda Hoch, of Hudson, Fla., got their first skunk, named Spike, from a pet store. They liked him so much that they now take in foster skunks from Florida Skunk Rescue. They're up to 15 now.

"A lot of our rescues are skunks that needed someone to work with them because they were neglected in the home they came from and consequently became biters," Brenda Hoch said. "We've worked with them and have gotten them to become friendly again."

But the Hochs don't have to keep gallons of tomato juice handy: The skunks they've taken in have all had their stinkbags removed.

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.

                                         

A person should never try to rescue a skunk from the wild, mostly because it could have rabies, which can be fatal to humans. Harbor pet skunks much like other small pets are kept with information from a veterinarian in this free video on exotic pets and pet care.

Skunk Pet Rescue -- powered by ehow

FOLLOW US!