Not in my Yard » Julie Fryer

Skunk Relocation

Julie Fryer — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:04:33 +0000

I grew up in the Midwest with a lot of land and space around me.I remember sitting outside on summer evenings with my Grandparents as we watched a Momma skunk walk along the edge of pond in the field nearby. She walked grandly with her nose in the air and her striped tail pointing to the sky. Behind her walked several baby skunks following in a straight line.We didn’t bother the skunks and they stayed away from us as there was plenty of space for us all.

Space is an issue if you live in a subdivision bordered by a stretch of woods or if the pond is a shallow pool right off your back deck.Up close, skunks aren’t much fun.Thanks to environmentally friendly companies like Havahart there is no need to harm wildlife in order to reclaim your space.

If a skunk has been coming too close for comfort, it’s possible to relocate them in a way that will prevent an accidental encounter that will frighten the skunk and leave you with burning eyes and an odor even a Mother couldn’t love.

Skunks are nocturnal and emerge from their dens at dusk. They do travel as much as a mile a night but seldom venture more than four miles from their den.Relocating a problem skunk is quite easy as these are not territorial creatures.The Havahart Feral Cat Rescue Kit is perfect for skunk trapping because it has a cover that will keep any spray released by an angry skunk from spreading too far.

The trap is made with a spring loaded door and the rear door can be opened for release.This is a sturdy trap designed to last for years with smooth edges that avoid harming any animal in the trap.Tips on bait to use for various species of wildlife help you find the right treat to lure your skunk into the trap.

After trapping the skunk (and keeping the cover on, of course) you can transport the animal to a wooded area that is farther removed from homes, pets and playing children.When you trap and move a skunk you need to know a little about breeding habits.Skunks breed in February (striped) or April (spotted) and have a gestation period of about 60 days.Until babies are about six weeks old they are left in the den while adult skunks search for food.

For striped skunks it’s best not to place traps from March till July and for spotted skunks avoid May through mid-August if possible.This avoids the problem of trapping a Mother skunk while babies are left to starve in a den. If the problem is a solitary skunk nosing around in late winter or very early spring, chances are the culprit is a male who may have traveled quite distance just looking for love.Use Havahart traps as a humane way to protect your family and pets from noxious skunk spray without harming wildlife.

You Don’t Have to Put Up With Rabbit Damage

Julie Fryer — Fri, 28 May 2010 20:14:58 +0000

I’ve decided that rabbits are nature’s most damaging force of all! Worse than frost or strong winds, those “cute” bunnies can mow down an entire row of beans in one night. And they just keep coming back!

Like me, you’ve probably tried lots of crazy rabbit-proof gardening methods. Planting marigolds near the veggies? Sprinkling baby powder around the perimeter? Nothing really works! A couple years ago, I even put a four-foot high wire fence around my whole garden. That did work but not the most attractive addition to my backyard. Plus it was a hassle to put up, mow around and store all winter.

But things have changed around here thanks to DeFence! This wonder spray has rid my garden of rabbits! Its made from all-natural ingredients; completely organic and safe for all my veggies and flowers; and one application lasts for almost three months. Best of all, the critters hate it. So no more weird remedies or ugly fences for me. I just spray and they stay away!

No More Garbage Can Raids in Our Neighborhood

Julie Fryer — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:51:26 +0000

This past fall our neighborhood developed quite a raccoon problem. Especially around our garbage cans and our neighbor’s corn stand. In one night those critters ate nearly half the rows of sweet corn and stomped all over the rest of the garden! So, we went to work to get rid of them but tried to do it as humanely as possible. After all, these little guys were just looking for food and didn’t really mean to wreck the garden.

My neighbor and I went down to the hardware store and bought a cage trap designed to catch the critter without harming him. That night we baited it with a nice big blob of peanut butter. Then we waited. Sure enough, before I even went to bed that night, we’d caught a raccoon! He was not happy about being stuck in the trap but he was also super-feisty and unharmed. I was so glad all I had to do was pick up the cage, put it in the back of the pickup and take him for a drive. Once we got to the country, we set the cage on the edge of the road and opened the door. He took off for the woods and hopefully won’t come back to the city for awhile. I can’t imagine if we’d killed him or hurt him – that would have been awful to see and deal with.

Over the next few weeks we kept the trap set and caught two more raccoons – and released them in the same area as the first one. Since then, we haven’t had any problems but I’m keeping the trap ready just in case.

Squirrels and Bird Feeders, The Fight Begins

Julie Fryer — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:49:07 +0000

Now, I am a true nature lover and watching the animals that visit my yard has delighted my whole family this winter. But those darn squirrels!! I put out corn for them – separate and far away from my bird feeders. And guess where they end up? Trying to get into my bird feeders! You know how it goes – last year we tried greasing the pole holding the feeder, putting an upside down bucket so they couldn’t get at the feeder and putting a cone over the top. And you probably can guess that none of it worked.

Well, I think I’ve finally found the solution! Last Mother’s Day, I got my Mom a bird feeder with the cage around it designed to keep squirrels out. And it worked – she’s still using it and the squirrels have pretty much given up even trying to get at it. Now I’m going to have find a different Mother’s Day present because we’ve always bought her a new feeder each year (because the previous one had been destroyed by squirrels!) She’s also told me it seems to keep the bigger birds like starlings and grackles away so the little ones can have full access.

I even decided to buy myself one – and I’ve seen the success in my own yard. At first the squirrels were happy to see me hang another feeder. They couldn’t wait to get at it. But after a few, very valiant attempts, even our pesky little red squirrel couldn’t get a seed out.

I’ve also sprinkled some of that handy Critter Ridder around the base of my trees and birdfeeder poles – and the squirrels do not like it at all. It contains the natural oils of black pepper, piperine and capsaicin (found in chili peppers.) I just spread it around areas I don’t want squirrels (or other animals) and they turn tail once they come upon it. One application can last for up to 30 days (depending on the rain or snow conditions.) Best of all, I know it’s completely organic, OMRI listed and safe for my yard (and the birds that feed on the ground.) So I think I can say for now that we’ve beaten the squirrels – at least a small victory in the big battle!