Wildlife, Rodent, & Pest Control Services

If you wake up one morning and the stench of rotten eggs is hanging over your yard, it can only mean one thing: a skunk has made itself at home on your property. Skunks are common in the Knoxville area but they’re nocturnal, so they’re rarely seen even when they’re smelled. You’d be wise to keep them out of sight; skunks are territorial and if they hit you with their infamous spray, you’ll be stricken with temporary blindness, severe nausea and a terrible smell that’s very difficult to wash off.

No one wants to live around skunks but, thanks to their spray, it’s dangerous to try to remove them. Your best option is to prevent skunks from settling under your deck or in your crawl space to begin with. Here are a few ways to keep skunks out of your yard in Knoxville.

4 Helpful Skunk Prevention Tips

1. Never Leave Food Out – Skunks are opportunistic omnivores that will happily scavenge any food left outside your Knoxville area home. If they find food they like in your yard, they’re more likely to move onto your property. Pet food tends to attract skunks, so make sure any pet food containers are brought inside at night. Never leave bags of pet food or bird food outside, either. Though not as aggressive in their trash-raiding tendencies as raccoons, skunks will also rifle through your garbage given the chance, which is why it’s important to always place a tight lid on outdoor trash cans.
2. Secure Your Crawl Space – Skunks are prodigious diggers that can easily excavate their way into your crawl space to make a cozy den. If there are any gaps around your house’s foundation that can serve as easy access points to your crawl space, make sure to seal them. To repel skunks, you’ll also need to install wire mesh barriers that extend at least 30 inches into the ground. Otherwise, skunks will be able to dig right under them! In the Knoxville area, skunk mating season begins in February, so this is a good time to inspect your foundation for signs of skunk intrusion.
3. Install Deterrents – Ironically, creating an unpleasant smell is one of the best ways to prevent skunks from making a home in your yard. Skunks are repelled by the strong smell of ammonia and mothballs. If you’re worried about skunks getting into your crawl space or nesting under your deck, try scattering mothballs or ammonia-soaked cloths around to deter them. As nocturnal animals, skunks are also wary of bright lights. Installing motion-activated lights around your home in Knoxville will help to scare away marauding skunks.
4. Hire the Pros – Taking certain preventative measures will reduce the risk of a skunk infestation on your property but these stinky critters can be surprisingly persistent. The only way to ensure you’ll never have an unpleasant encounter with a skunk on your own lawn is to get the help you need from a reliable wildlife control company in Knoxville. Experienced wildlife management technicians will be able to both safely remove skunks from your yard and install high-quality skunk prevention solutions to make sure they never get under your house again.

Skunk Control Specialists in Knoxville

Do you need the help of a wildlife management company to prevent skunk activity around your home? Call Critter Wranglers today for reliable skunk removal and prevention services in the Knoxville area!