What do skunk eat? A perfectly valid question, and one you should know the answer to if you intend to have a skunk a a pet. The skunk is considered an omnivore. This means that they depend on both plant and animal life for survival.
When it comes to finding a source of food, skunks are not overly selective and tend to rely on small wildlife for size. Skunks have an active spray that is used to protect themselves, but they are not known for their ability to fight off other animals and kill. This means that skunks should keep things simple when looking for food and should look for animals that will pose a challenge. If they cannot find the small preys to feed on, they will result to foraging will eat non-animal materials to feed themselves.
This article will provide a detailed understanding what skunks eat and why:
Skunks eat small prey
Although people consider skunks to be a nuisance because of their unpleasant odor. However, they are beneficial in many ways.
These mammals are actually benefiting humans, this is because skunks feed on dangerous creatures. Many yard insects such as snakes, roaches, spiders and scorpions are on the skunk menu, as are small rodents, especially rats. According to previous research, skunk diets can be made from 70% of harmful insects.
Even if skunks can be seen and sound as a problem, they help to remove harmful insects around the home and yard instead.
What skunks eat includes:
- Snakes
- Cockroaches
- Locusts
- Cricket
- Beetles
- Beetle larvae
- Spiders
- Fish
- Scorpions
- Rabbits
- Mice
- Small reptiles
- Land and aquatic animals such as frogs, frogs, and lizards
- Water snakes
- Bees
- other small animals.
While these may sound like common prey of many animals, the interesting thing about the skunk diet is that the skunks are one of the major predators of bees. Of course, protection from bee stings is possible with their large, thick fur on their bodies.
How skunks attack beehives is also very interesting. First they scratch the beehives with their forefeet claws and long claws. This first will make the guard bees to come out to attack and is usually the first set that gets eaten up.
Some of the foods that skunks do prefer to eat often teach their children how to protect themselves. Especially when the skunks point out the most deceptive animals like snakes and the deceptive black widow spider.
In addition to being a nutritious food, they are animals that teach themselves natural ways to attack and defend themselves.
What do skunks eat in winter?
Skunks do not completely hibernate in winter, sometimes in winter when skunk wakes up from its torpor – usually, when temperatures are 30 ° Fahrenheit or higher. They may choose to leave the comforts of their cave at night to seek food.
Where possible, skunks will eat forage for:
- Insects
- Toads and frogs
- Birds and other eggs
- Worms
- Grubs
- Snakes
- Some small animals.
- Berries
- Edible leaves
- Nutritious grass
- Plant roots
- Nuts
Skunks eat plants
Plants are also eaten by skunks when they do not find their favorite food easily, especially in late fall and winter either because of a mild shortage of that year or because the cold weather is just at the beginning.
if available, skunks will choose food: –
- Wheat
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Berries
In winter, skunks can also seek and eat: –
- Seeds
- Peanuts
- Plant the parts down
- Plant roots
Roots and fruit of plants are one of the favorite parts of their plant-based diet as they are found at ground level.
What do skunk eat in urban environment
Most skunks, especially when food is not available, will also look at home invasions and eat rotting plants and other food sources around the buildings, which in particular skunks become a nuisance to humans. So, just like fox’s diet, skunks will eat garbage!
Skunks eat garbage
While this sounds unpleasant to us, skunks are omnivores so they are very versatile and flexible when it comes to food. They can feed on garbage and trash particularly when left unattended.
Skunks cunningly attack garbage in search of their favorite food, which can quickly create complete pollution in the yard and entrances.
When food is not found in the trash or garbage can, this can lead to many problems. This is because when skunks do not get what they want from the garbage they often target other food sources, such as: –
- Compost piles
- BBQ grills
- Bird feeders
This often exacerbates problems that can be caused by skunks to humans. But it is important to remember that skunks, like mice, are common animals. This means that when skunks find a constant source of food from the trash and garbage cans, they can make it a habit to visit your home often in search of the same source of food, especially in winter, when food is scarce. Unfortunately, without the spray, that’s why people don’t like skunks.
What fruits do pet skunks eat?
Having a skunk as a pet is not as surprising as you might think. These small, intelligent animals can provide friendship as well as a cat or dog. The musk glands or odors in pet skunks are surgically removed at an early stage so the smell will not be a problem, and they should also be vaccinated against common dog and cat diseases. To help maintain good health, your pet should eat a healthy combination of carbohydrates, proteins and fruits.
- Berries
With very little known about the nutritional requirements of skunk pets, many veterinarians will recommend following as much natural food as possible. Wild skunks will eat a variety of berries and your pet skunks can also enjoy this type of fruit. Things like black berries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries can all be purchased at your local grocery store or fruit shop.
- Apples
Apples can be found and grown in the wild and although the skunk cannot climb a tree, it can eat any fruit that falls to the ground. You can buy your pet’s work in the garden and at the grocery store. Cut them into pieces the size of a bite the same way you would use a small child.
- Grapes
Grapes are an excellent choice for your skunk pet fruit as they are small and easy to handle. Green, black and red grapes and seedless grapes are all good choices. Skunks have a ferocious appetite and can sometimes eat until they get sick, so it is important to look at the size of their portion of food. Feeding fruits such as grapes A light diet will help maintain a healthy weight.
- Watermelons
A slice of watermelon adds perfectly to your skunk’s diet. These can be watermelon, cantaloupe, crenshaw, casaba, Persian and honeydew. Skunks will also eat watermelon reeds.
What do skunks eat in captivity?
They are also known for making an interesting pet for others. There are 17 states in the United States that have authorized the act of ownership for these animals. But what exactly can a captive skunk eat, either at the zoo or in home?
People found in zoos are mainly fed a variety of plants and animals. These include earthworms, mice, eggs, berries, fruits and grass. They are also fed supplements to provide healthy food.
How And Why Skunks Change Their diet
Skunks like omnivores generally prefer animals rather than plants. But depending on the seasons and the availability of food, this may vary.
What do skunk eat in spring and summer
skunks feed on locusts, bees, beetles, beetle larvae, and crickets and others from our first list above. As winter approaches, when food availability is reduced, skunks will eat fresh food that also falls down and is easily accessible.
This includes fruits and vegetables that are left rotten or unharvested. And it is in winter that skunks will dig in through garbage and trash more.
In this cold season and as a last resort, skunks can occasionally kill chickens to eat their eggs. In fact, during this time skunks usually eat whatever food they encounter when it provides sufficient nourishment.
Skunks embrace this winter diet because as they do not fully hibernate they need to get food that will help them to stay active and warm and provide enough fat.
How do skunks get water
The most common issues having a skunk as a pet other than being sprayed is that they will have rabies which can be caused by hydrophobia or lack of water. Skunk don’t tend to drink water in large quantities instead they get it through the food they eat.
