Contrary to popular opinion, skunks are not solely looking for grubs. They will eat bascially anything, and I have had damage in the past from them digging up any source of food. I don't have grubs, but I do have a good amount of earthworms, and that's what they were digging up in my yard. I put a motion activated spot light outside to scare them off, but sometimes they don't leave right away. For 50 bucks you can get a motion activated sprinkler that will go on for five minutes when it detects motion in your yard. The noise of a sprinkler going off will certainly scare them off, and I can't imagine they like getting hit with water either.

Went the same place Keith and I got skunked last night and saw: 5 Eastern Yellowbelly Races 2 Intergrade Eastern/Red-Sided Garter Snakes 1 Prairie Ringneck Snake 1 adult Osage Copperhead migrating on the crawl 1 Western Ribbon Snake 5 Fence Lizards 1 Three-Toed Box Turtles All herps were in the open except the ringneck which was under a rock.

We have been battling a skunk smell for over a week now as we try to humanely catch the skunk who apparently has gone under our deck and we think then rooted under our sunporch and made a nest. It was unbearable for 1 day, almost literally burning your nose as you breathed. Unfortunately, time is really the only way to make the smell go away. I boiled vinegar, per the suggestion of the skunk catcher, but my husband and kids think that was almost worse than the skunk smell. We burned scented candles non-stop during the worst part of it and sprayed febreeze. On one of the warmest days last weekend (50 degrees!), we opened all the windows and doors in the house. my kids have gone to school literally smelling like skunks - fortunately they are confident, well-liked kids so they weren't too traumatized although my 14 YO daughter camped out in her bedroom for 2 days and "de-toxed" anyone who walked in the room by spraying them with body sprays. Her room seemed to not get any of the smell because it is furtherest away from the deck. It has almost completely gone away except for one part of the basement near where I think it is nesting. Anyway, we called a guy who set 2 humane traps (not really humane because by law he has to exterminate them after he catches them, but at least it isn't at my house). We caught our cat, but no skunk yet. If you are smelling it that strongly in your house, you probably have one nesting nearby. We walked the exterior of our house and quickly found the hole where the rascal went under the deck to nest. It is mating season and so if they have a nest near your house and you don't find it...you may have a whole family of skunks in 8 weeks. one of the things the guy told me that he suggests to anyone with a deck is to dig down a foot and bury wire and bring up and overlap the facia board of your deck to keep skunks out from under your deck. I think it could easily be concealed with plantings. We are going to do this in the spring once the ground thaws. You have to dig deep because skunks are persistent and will dig and dig to get to where they want to go. I have learned more than I care to know about skunks, their mating habits and rituals and their ability to outwit even the most persistent skunk catcher. I will be SO glad when we catch ours - if we ever do! Good luck.

Thanks Caroline. I will have to make up a kit just in case there is a next time which I hope there won't be. LOL I had everything but the Hydrogen Peroxide last night. I usually keep it on hand because if Loki eats something he shouldn't I give him some of that to make him throw up whatever he ate. I need to replace the empty bottle. After talking to Heather on the phone I called my vet and he said not to worry about Loki's eyes and I did the right thing by rinsing them with cool water. He said the skunk spray may irritate his eyes but won't make him go blind. I was outside brushing Loki to remove any dead fur and Paul showed up after his Dr's appointment. LOL He asked if I had my shower yet and I told him I had 5 showers since this happened. I wanted him to take me to Pet Smart way across town but he took me to the Pet store a few streets over instead where I buy my dog food. I asked if they had Nature's Miracle and they told me to try this other stuff instead because they feel it works better. This product is called Nok Out and can be used on every type of odour to remove it. I had never heard of either product so I decided to try the knock out and if it doesn't work will go back for Nature's Miracle like PK suggested. I sprayed Loki down and massaged it onto his skin, I sprayed his bed, furniture and curtains and the throw rugs and then I sprayed all the rooms in the house. I The label said ot take odours out of a room to put some in a cool vaporizer or humidifier with some water and keep it going for 4 hours. I just put some in a bowl and put it on the mantle to see if it works. LOL I noticed when I was in the pet store I could smell the skunk especially when I opened my purse. I sprayed that too when I got home. My eyes are stinging a bit but I can live with it. Raining now and I don't want to close my windows. LOL I also bought Loki a new collar since his took a direct hit and a new lead that matches. I like it because it is reflective and we do a lot of walking at night. I am going to relax a bit and make myself a pot of coffee and have my breakfast/lunch and then maybe take a nap. I am exhausted. LOL Thanks everyone for your help. I was in a panic mode last night not knowing what to do. I just remember Flamey using something other than tomato juice when her dog got skunked. Anne