Skunks typically only release their fragrant spray when startled or threatened but not in the course of their everyday actvities (unless you are laying in wait for them or a have a skunk hunting dog :-)). Most folks never know they have skunks in their neighborhood until they see them or any damage they might do to the garden........seldom if ever by smell.

Are you sure that's the problem? Various things can produce nasty odors outdoors - male cats, decaying vegetation (compost?), dead creatures, molds - even some plants.

We have skunks around here - they live in my neighbor's back yard - and they've never shown any interest in my compost, which is in a wire bin. The fights and smell occur when they bump heads with the raccoons and opossums over the water in the birdbath, and the dry food we leave out for the outside cat. Do you have anything outside that is likely to attract wildlife other than the compost bin? Do your neighbors?

We used to have a skunk family dig under our porch cement slab.. Cute babies. I would assume they would check out the compost for any fruit scrapes... But as garden gal posted.. The typically don't smell unless messed with. During the entire time the family lived under there... And still periodically seeing them in the yard nosing around ... The only thing i smell is when they leave little presents somewhere.

You mention though that the stink is getting in the house ... So It sounds like they are running into something out there and spraying. You could minimally still compost veggie scraps and just skip the fruit... To see if it's your compost or something else.

Good luck!!

Are you sure that's the problem? Various things can produce nasty odors outdoors - male cats, decaying vegetation (compost?), dead creatures, molds - even some plants.

Only the male cat explanation could possibly work since the smell only happens at night, and not every night. And the smell is too strong and foul to be a cat. Something is bringing an animal here, almost certainly a skunk, and I'm just trying to figure out if it's the compost.

Do you have anything outside that is likely to attract wildlife other than the compost bin? Do your neighbors?

Not that I know of. I've read many times that skunks are attracted to compost piles/bins . . . I just wasn't sure if they would keep coming back to a bin they weren't able to get to. Then again, it may not always be the same skunk.

I think I will try moving it from the front corner of the back yard to the back corner. That gets it away from our window and the A/C. If that doesn't fix the skunk problem I may have to eliminate composting entirely. Hopefully that would stop it completely.

Maggots, fly larva, are a favored food of skunks.

Maggots, fly larva, are a favored food of skunks.

Hmm . . . that may help explain the attraction then. I've noticed that whenever I add fresh scraps (from peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, apples, potatoes, etc.) to my bin, the next day those scraps are swimming with maggots. I don't add them every day-- maybe a few times a week-- and I wonder if that's when the skunks are coming. They smell those little buggers and think they're in for an easy meal.

We open our windows a lot in our suburban house, and once in awhile we smell skunk, so I know what you mean. They make their rounds looking for food. I think they stink pretty much all the time, because I never hear a commotion, barking dogs, etc. The smell just wafts in through the windows and you know you had a visitor!

So it seems you're on their 'route.' If you could deter them, even temporarily, they might permanently change their route. How about emptying the compost bin and forgoing kitchen scraps for a week or two? Or store them in the freezer if you have space. Bright lights, motion sensitive sprinkler (cheap to buy nowadays), rodent repellent products sprinkled around the perimeter...you get the idea.

Hope you find a solution or they move on soon.

Skunks do not emit that odor all the time, I have been within a couple of feet of skunks many times and have not smelled them. I also know people that have raised skunks as pets with no odor problems and they did not have them deododorized.

The others are right, skunks do NOT smell normally, only when they are threatened or when they're killed. A dead skunk releases stink after death.

We also get skunk stink every week or so with no particular commotion that I could notice. I think they'll spray at a passing car if it disturbs them.

I think skunks also mark their territory with scent... though when the family was nesting under the slab and for the ones that I still see nosing around the yard... and compost.. I have never had any "smell" that wasn't directly attributed to droppings that I would find in the yard. So when I remove the droppings.. then the smell goes with it.

well used coffee grounds might act as a deterrent. I picked some up at starbucks and spread a light layer over my fresh compost scrapes.. including a "unused" mini watermelon that i cracked up and face up to entice them a bit.

At dusk, I saw a skunk nosing around the yard and by the compost pile. This morning it looked disturbed.. but not eaten at all.

Skunks do leave some marking during mating season so another skunk known the are around, but they do not do that all year round.

david, that's exactly what I've experienced, glad to hear from you. The itinerant stink-bomb! Chances are he comes by every night, but I only smell him if he's recently sprayed AND the windows are open AND the wind is just right. Which makes it seem kinda random, but he's probably got a regular route.

I am a believer that compost draws skunks I have lived in my neighborhood for almost 5 years and the first time my neighbor started composting my dog got sprayed twice that is the worst he also killed both skunks this never happened before I feel they should make this illegal in a residential area this is not healthy for other animals liver and kidneys they need to ban this in a community I hope this helps