Advice on what to do about a skunk caught in a live trap

[Jaye]

I went out to open up the quail house this morning and saw that a skunk was caught in the live trap we had set to catch a persistent raccoon. We have no idea how to move him without getting sprayed. Would throwing a blanket over it help? The trap is 12 x 9 x 24 I think. I was told that if they can't raise their tail, they can't spray. Any truth to that? Even if it is true, I think 12" may be enough clearance for it to lift it's tail.

[Happy]

Oh geez. I've never dealt with this myself but I'm guessing throw a blanket over and move slowly. I don't think they spray as quickly as we tend to think. Hope so anyways! Good luck :)

[ross]

Yep slow moves & blanket .

[Jaye]

Thanks, Happy and Ross.

I went on the Havahart site and they had some useful info there. Here's the link.
https://www.havahart.com/how-to-trap-skunks

I had to leave for work, so hubby is the lucky one who has to deal with it. Our neighbour across the street had to deal with skunks under the last house he lived in, so hubby was hoping to talk to him before he left for work for some advice.
Hubby just texted to tell me that he has thrown a towel over the cage, but he thinks it's too small. Not sure why he didn't grab the biggest one he could find in the "old towels" drawer, because I'm pretty sure there's a bath sheet in there near the bottom of the pile, but anyway ...

[labradors]

Better pick up some tomato juice on your way home :)

Linda

[WLLady]

they can spray quite well without lifting their tails.....
good luck. get a pole, and put the blanket over the crate with the pole.....try to stay upwind and try to always face the HEAD of the animal, that way if it does spray you are furthest from it. then let it calm down for a while, then get in all your oldest dirtiest "happy to burn them later" clothes and move the crate, blanket and all. be prepared to throw out your blanket (or save it for the next skunk episode).

[Jaye]

Hubby just texted me to say "mission accomplished". No lingering odour, no damage to clothes or the towel apparently, and Pepe is no longer a problem.
I'm relieved that it all went well.
Also glad that we have all the ingredients for the skunk odour remover recipe at home, just in case (Dawn, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide).

[JimW]

Good to hear the mission was successful. I have caught 2 in the last 10 days plus a raccoon.

[Jaye]

Seems like this may have been a good year for raccoons and skunks. We've been visited by both. Last year was a skunk year, but this year the raccoons seem to be abundant as well.

[WLLady]

my hubby had an opossum staring in the window at him a couple nights ago......
never seen one up at the house here before. thinking about setting the traps once the wind stops. possums are awesome for relocating, they aren't quite smart enough to walk through the field quite the same direction as the first time LOL
too many skunks....7 already for us. thankfully no coons (yet) but it's a november thing for us.....