Skunk!! Do they bother turtles & tortoises??

[TigsMom]

What do I do to discourage them from hanging out here? I sure don't want a family of skunk making a home here. YIKES!!!! Do they bother tortoises and turtles? I don't think he can get in the boxie enclosure, but the DT's are in the burrows asleep and I'm pretty sure they don't want a skunk for a roommate. Help!!! Never had a skunk on the property before. Hubby thought he saw a black cat, that ain't NO CAT!!! LOL

 

[TommyZ]

I'd say you definitely don't want a skunk near your torts. Skunks like places to hide so I'd go chase them away from your torts burrows. My dog has been sprayed several times over the years taking out the skunks. My neighbor told me to set up a big spot light in the yard that is motion sensored, we did it and haven't had a skunk spray the dog since.

 

[TigsMom]

I just sprayed vinegar around (read that it deters skunks) hopefully, he's moved on. Checked the turtles and tortoises and nothing looks disturbed, but I'd rather not stick anything down the burrows to see if a skunk is in there. Something tells me I won't sleep well tonight. I will deal with more preventive measures in the morning. Neighbors dogs are all inside sleeping, sure hope they don't find the skunk tonight. Wonder where this Skunk came from, we've never had them around here before. Also read they will eat turtle eggs, I don't think there are any eggs in the boxie pen, but I might have missed some.

We do have several outside lights on motion sensor here, that didn't seem to phase him, he just sauntered slowly off into the dark side of our garage. Hopefully, the light will come on if he tries to get in the pens, and that might scare him away.

 

[Tom]

Skunks can eat smaller turtles and tortoises. Like boxies.

 

[TigsMom]

UGH! Security Lights were going on and off all night. I'm thinking he's probably still here somewhere. Skunks eat mice, rats, crickets, grasshoppers and yes Turtles and small Tortoises. ACK! I've got some Skunk proofing work to do here. I really need a "rent a dog". Thinking if I could find him I could shoot him with a Leaf Blower (hopefully not get sprayed) and run him off, but I don't think I'm brave enough for that. LOL Anyone got any idea of how I get him to just go away?????

 

[Moozillion]

A veterinarian friend told me about a product called "Predator Pee." The company SOMEHOW collects urine from various predator animals (maybe through zoos?) and sells it in granular form and I think in a form kind of like those car air fresheners that you hang from you rear view mirror. The idea is that you put the product around the area you want to keep safe, the problem animal smells the urine of the animal that preys on it, so it runs for its life. Their website, predatorpee.com, gives you an easy list where you just look up your problem animal and it matches it up with the known predator. I have never used the product, so I can't comment otherwise. Just a thought.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Concerning skunks preying on eggs and young torts/turtles, yes they will happily enjoy the easy meal. They also, like any small opportunistic predator, chew on exposed tortoise body parts, legs, tail, you get the picture.
Maybe not popular, but my job is to protect my critters, regardless if it's Ava my dog from cougars, or my house cats from bob cats. My tortoises protection I take very seriously. I have a hot line set about 3-4" above the containment walls to discourage possums, skunks, raccoons from preying on my slumbering tortoises. Last year, though, when Ava developed an unhealthy relationship with a skunk, when, in the middle of the day the skunk was out, actively open mouth lunging at her, I felt compelled to shoot the skunk. It was clean and no suffering.

---

I realize this is not always an option for people, but at least try the hot line. Keep it low. The idea with a hot line is, if it hits below the eyes,( snout) the animal backs up. If it hits above the eyes,(towards ears) it lunges forward.

 

[Tom]

A veterinarian friend told me about a product called "Predator Pee." The company SOMEHOW collects urine from various predator animals (maybe through zoos?) and sells it in granular form and I think in a form kind of like those car air fresheners that you hang from you rear view mirror. The idea is that you put the product around the area you want to keep safe, the problem animal smells the urine of the animal that preys on it, so it runs for its life. Their website, predatorpee.com, gives you an easy list where you just look up your problem animal and it matches it up with the known predator. I have never used the product, so I can't comment otherwise. Just a thought.

I have used this product before. It did seem to work for a few days, but the local animals quickly desensitized to it.

On a related note, many of my friends and coworkers have exotic animal compounds with plenty of urine and feces. They still have rodent and pest animal problems and have to be ever vigilant to keep the local wild critters out of their compounds.

 

[TigsMom]

Thank you Moozillion. I really appreciate the info. Fox and Coyote urine was recommended. Wonderful (said sarcastically) next I'll have fox and our local coyotes showing up in my yard. My yard is becoming a nature center that I am not enjoying. The cottontails and quail were cute, but now their predators are showing up and I'm really not liking their predators. We live less than 2 miles from open desert, so we've always known the wildlife were close by. We see coyotes all the time, they are all over the city and run the streets and washes, they've been in our front yard more than a couple of times. I am a little worried that spreading those granules would signal the coyotes to come on over to find a new friend. This is becoming quite the challenge. I've called my pest control guy and left a message, maybe he can help. He uses all natural products and we have had his monthly service for years, he also cares for a tortoise so he knows his stuff when it comes to getting rid of bugs without poisoning or affecting my turtles and tortoises. We'll see if he's got any ideas or will capture this skunk and relocate (far, far, far away).

 

[TommyZ]

Re: RE: Skunk!! Do they bother turtles & tortoises??

Concerning skunks preying on eggs and young torts/turtles, yes they will happily enjoy the easy meal. They also, like any small opportunistic predator, chew on exposed tortoise body parts, legs, tail, you get the picture.
Maybe not popular, but my job is to protect my critters, regardless if it's Ava my dog from cougars, or my house cats from bob cats. My tortoises protection I take very seriously. I have a hot line set about 3-4" above the containment walls to discourage possums, skunks, raccoons from preying on my slumbering tortoises. Last year, though, when Ava developed an unhealthy relationship with a skunk, when, in the middle of the day the skunk was out, actively open mouth lunging at her, I felt compelled to shoot the skunk. It was clean and no suffering.

---

I realize this is not always an option for people, but at least try the hot line. Keep it low. The idea with a hot line is, if it hits below the eyes,( snout) the animal backs up. If it hits above the eyes,(towards ears) it lunges forward.

---

You said what I didn't want to Ken. Based on safety, I'd take the skunk out. But, that kind of action is subjective, I wouldn't hold it against someone for not wanting to shoot a skunk. I am lucky that my pitbull is 90 pounds and hates all little critters so he takes them out, so over the years I've only had to handle a couple of them myself.

Piggybacking off of what moozillion said, I found this stuff on the internet called coyote urine, that apparently repels skunks.

 

[TigsMom]

It's illegal to fire a gun in city limits, or that skunk wouldn't have lasted the night. (sorry, I'm cranky when I don't get my sleep and my Momma Bear syndrome flairs when I worry about my family (including animals)). Good news is my pest control guy has a Wildlife license and will trap the skunk and relocate it for me. In the meantime, the sleeping DT's are going into the Brumation boxes in my safe garage today (which I was going to do anyway so I can extensively remodel their enclosures). And the Boxies enclosure will be inspected to make sure the dang skunk can't get in there as well.

 

[AZtortMom]

Concerning skunks preying on eggs and young torts/turtles, yes they will happily enjoy the easy meal. They also, like any small opportunistic predator, chew on exposed tortoise body parts, legs, tail, you get the picture.
Maybe not popular, but my job is to protect my critters, regardless if it's Ava my dog from cougars, or my house cats from bob cats. My tortoises protection I take very seriously. I have a hot line set about 3-4" above the containment walls to discourage possums, skunks, raccoons from preying on my slumbering tortoises. Last year, though, when Ava developed an unhealthy relationship with a skunk, when, in the middle of the day the skunk was out, actively open mouth lunging at her, I felt compelled to shoot the skunk. It was clean and no suffering.

---

I realize this is not always an option for people, but at least try the hot line. Keep it low. The idea with a hot line is, if it hits below the eyes,( snout) the animal backs up. If it hits above the eyes,(towards ears) it lunges forward.

---

I agree with Ken on this even though it's illegal to discharge firearms in the city. They are on my property...end of story. But I am glad also that you found a solution that worked for you [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

 

[mike taylor]

I have chickens,snakes ,tortoises,and birds in enclosures in the back yard . All I do is clean up after the animals and never leave food out over night . But I have a trick an old man told me to keep coons and other smaller animals out . You ready it's your pee yup! Your pee . Have your kids if you have boys pee in the yard by your enclosures and the smaller animals will not come around . I know its gross but it works I have yet to have a chicken taken by any animal but me . Every predator loves chicken . Like you said if you put animal pee it will bring in other animals. Your pee is the key . Ha ha ha .

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

To expand on Mikes statement, large amounts of beer will reward you with large amounts of urine. Also, take a sustained release B complex to help with the “odor" strength. Just trying to help here.
(Typed with a grin on my face!)

 

[TigsMom]

Thank you Cowboy Ken, Tommyz, Tom and Moozillion. Good thing about my crankiness, is that it gets my tail moving. I got both DT's burrows dug up and the Tortoises are fine (Thank GOD!). They gave me a look that was not their happy face. They are already boxed up and safe in my Garage. I figured it would take several hours of digging, but both are done in about 30 minutes. I think I may have found a skunk poo in one of the enclosures, it sure didn't look like any of my tortoise poo and looked relatively fresh. I think that skunk may have been in there checking things out.

I placed a plastic Bread tray (like you see when bread is delivered to stores) mounded with about 8 inches or more of dirt. over 2x8 inch boards covering each of the tops burrows and filled them with dirt. AMAZINGLY they worked great and made uncovering the burrows easy, plus helped keep the dirt from shifting. Probably not necessary as the boards are still in great shape, but I thought it might help reinforce the roof in case a board rotted (the boards are the type used on floors of trailers, the heavy duty tempered stuff).

Back to work. Just wanted to quickly update you with my marathon speed of getting my Tortoises out of their Burrows. I surprised myself. (patting self on back now)

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

This may sound wrong, but a good way to id skunk crap is to smell it. Just smell, it may be tempting to taste, but don't do it. This is starting to play out like a Cheech and Chong skit.

 

[mike taylor]

Re: RE: Skunk!! Do they bother turtles & tortoises??

To expand on Mikes statement, large amounts of beer will reward you with large amounts of urine. Also, take a sustained release B complex to help with the “odor" strength. Just trying to help here.
(Typed with a grin on my face!)

That's funny!!! But it works . Ha ha . Its better than scaring the poo out of your neighbors with the bang of your shot gun . But you can use cb caps in a 22 and they sound like a bb gun . or use rat shot in your 22 . It works for night time spot lighting smaller animals on the hunt .

 

[Moozillion]

YAYYYY TigsMom!!!! Your torts are VERY lucky to have you for a mom!!!

Cowboy_Ken and Mike Taylor: (roll eyes). What IS IT with guys and peeing outdoors??? My brother in law has a friend and 2 young sons who prefer to only pee outside. If the friend or either boy wakes up during the night needing to pee, they'll walk down the hall PAST 2 PERFECTLY GOOD BATHROOMS to go pee off the back porch! Better hope there aren't many mosquitoes out!!!

 

[TigsMom]

OMG! Thank you for the laughs! I sooooooo needed that! I had to pee, and thought I should pee in the yard, but that's just sooooo not me. With my luck the neighbors would see me out there and want to hold a conversation at that moment. Hubby, his buddies and our Son have used the back yard a ton (obtw, usually involved copious amounts of beer) and it has not once deterred the wildlife at all (perhaps they enjoy the smell of processed Bud Light, and other beverages). We have His and Hers Garages. Hubby's garage is the Man Cave so to speak, and it's at the back of our property. The guys all get together talk car talk and guy talk, they've got a table and bar stools made from wheels, a beverage stocked refrigerator, air conditioning and a 32 inch TV.

Hubby is now out shopping for a Flatless Wheel Barrel wheel for me. The wheel barrel had it's last blow out and my back can't take it anymore. I love my 70 year old hubby, he may not jump as fast as he used to, but he still jumps. It took about an hour for my request to him moving this time. I think he's as concerned about the Skunk and my Turtles and Tortoises as I am.

I'm thinking of throwing a Skunk Party. If I get enough people over here, turn up the music, feed them lots of beer and have them do as you all recommend, then maybe the skunk will relocate himself. At least it would be fun trying.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Sign me up! I'll bring my own Coors. Not Coors lite.