Beesource Beekeeping Forums banner

My goldens got skunked!

6K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  Drifter 
#1 ·
Our 7 7 hives attracted a skunk, and we found out this morning at 4:30 AM when our goldens went in that direction for their morning constitutional. That smell is just dang powerful! The good side is now I know there is a skunk problem and promptly placed a live animal trap near the hives. The down side is we need to clean up both dogs. Does anybody know of a really good antidote besides tomato juice? Just curious what others have found to work.
Thanks again, I love this site!

Signed, Stinky in Cornwall
 
#2 ·
When my dog recently got sprayed I used a product that pet groomers sell. I don't recall the name. If you search on the internet there is a remedy using 1 quart hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda, and a teaspoon of liquid detergent.Use right after mixing and DO NOT cover the container. Whatever you do, don't let the dog back into the house or it will smell too! I found out the hard way.
Even after using the stuff I bought, tomato juice, and vineger the dog still smelled. I did not try the above mixture. I let the professionals do it! The dog still smelled a little for a while afterwards, especially when she got wet.
 
#3 ·
Got a question, What are you going to do with the skunk once you get it in a live trap? The spraying is going to be, shall we say, exciting. Even if you throw a blanket on top of the trap. What I have done in my apiary is place the hives on cinder blocks plus place the bottom boards on a stand. The total height of the hives is about 16 inches off the ground. If a skunk comes around (I do have lots of them) then he (she) has to get up on her hind legs to scape the hive. By doing that he exposes his under belly and the bees can sting him there. Hence I have no skunk problems.
Now I also have 20 Siberian huskies. I can sympathize with you on the smell!
I go to a dog groomer (petco) and get their decedenter. Tomato juice does work. Good luck. And by all means keep the dogs outside. It will take a few days not to smell. You have to get the oil from the skunk out of the fur. It looks like little bubbles. When they start to dry they pop and you get that WONDERFUL smell.

Dan
 
#7 ·
My dogs have been skunked twice in the last 6 months. The recipe of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and detergent works pretty well (I don't measure the baking soda or detergent - I just use lots). Foam it all over the dog and try to leave it on for 5-10 minutes before rinsing off. Repeating it will help diminish some of the residual smell. Since the dog usually gets sprayed in the face, make sure to cover that area well, but keep it out of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
-Lee
 
#9 ·
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Now I also have 20 Siberian huskies.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

We have one of those. Worst Dog Ever for a housepet. She's kind, loving, etc. But hardheaded as any I've ever owned. She dens, and she can't bark, only a weird howl. Virtually un-walkable. Once on a leash, all she wants to do is pull. (my son puts a harness on her and flies behind her on a skateboard or scooter) When she breaks free, she runs full tilt in a straight line. I TOLD my wife Huskies were working dogs but nooooooo. The puppies were soooo cute.
 
#11 ·
coyote, I sent you an e-mail with pics of my dogs. They definitely are not for everyone. I think you'll like the pic. Oh by the way one of my ladies will be having puppies this weekend. Please let your wife know. I can send baby pictures if you want
. The fathers siblings ran in the Iditarod.
Dan
 
#13 ·
At 5:30 this morning we tried the baking soda peroxide detergent thing, and added some vinegar to the mix just for fun. Wonderful result. 95% of the smell is gone. Dog is in our bed as usual this evening as I type, no stink evident. But the kitchen still stinks a bit because he made a beeline to the kitchen just after the "event". I placed a chicken leg and some nice smoked salmon in the trap. Right in front of the hive with the most bees out front. Coincidentally my hives are 18" off the ground on a steel platform I made just for this possible reason, but the skunk was found by the dogs right in front of the hives, so we must do what we must do. If it gets trapped, I will make use of the 9 power scope on the semi-automatic nickel barrelled, 50 round clip Ruger .22

I like the egg idea, but my dogs love eggs too, and the eggs wouldn't last long. They spent a half hour as it is this afternoon trying to ge the bait out of the live trap. I find it hard to believe aspirin is toxic to skunks, must do some research on that one, sounds like urban legend but who knows?

Anyway thanks for all the tips you guys and gals are great. The baking soda recipe worked great!

Signed,
Not so stinky anymore in Cornwall
 
#14 ·
I got to wondering too, so I've been reading skunk care websites, they seem to be okay with up to 1/2 BABY aspirin a day, but no acetaminophen(Tylenol). So maybe two adult aspirin will do the trick, or I might need to re-bait with Tylenol. I'll keep everybody posted.
 
#17 ·
Bill_newbee Down side to your dispatch method of backing off and blasting away is that can about gurantee that it will spray that way . Another thing that will probably happen is the bullet can and will cut wire of the trap fence material .

If it is an adult skunk and you can keep the dogs away you can walk up to them very slowly and slowly cover the trap with an old blanket or rug . Young skunks think it is neat to spray .If they start to get riled stop and slowly back away a little . After you have them covered they calm down a bit . Take them for a dip in the deep spot of a creek . Slowly letting them into the water . If they do spray leave the trap in the water until the oily film is gone . This is the stinky stuff . Slow deliberate movements along with talking to them in a low calm voice is the key .The peroxide and baking soda with detergent trick works on skunks even for selling the fur . It also works on me when I make a mistake .

Drifter
 
#18 ·
Drifter
Do you have any info. on selling hides from varmets?

I remember my Dad skining and selling them, but that was a looooong time ago, I have looked on the net for info. but no luck so far.
Ed
 
#19 ·
Aspire is not bad for dogs. I give my arthritis dogs aspirin, one a day. Works wonders for them. It's a little like Novocaine for us.
I like the 22 idea the best. I do that too! I use my 22 target pistol.
but I have a bigger problem porcupine. They leave a very bad mess with me and the dogs, usually about 2 AM. Just what I need, pull out the quills and blood all over the place plus do something with the body of the porcupine. At least the skunk I can leave the dogs out side till I get back from work. Usually I leave 2 dogs free in my 2.5 acre enclosure that surrounds my garden. So it's not just one dog that gets it. Usually this happens once every other year but boy even that is to much!
Dan
 
#20 ·
Here is a link to the Indiana trappers assoc site . http://www.indianatrappers.org./index1.html

There are a lot of conventions and things you can go check em out . To sell hides you need a license to harvest the animals . They must be skinned right as well .Usually I sell thru a local buyer but if prices are high enough the big buyers run truck routes .

Drifter
 
#22 ·
Might as well put in my 2 cents...lol..My father in law told me years ago that if you were quick enough to get ahold of the skunks tail and get his hind feet off the ground he couldnt spray ...Let me know if ya try this ... I`d like to video it ...Rick
 
#23 ·
My wife caught a skunk in her live trap yesterday which was meant for the ***** that have been doing damage to her bird feeders.
If you have an old blanket,slowly walk up to the side of the trap and lower the blanket over the trap. Don't throw the blanket from 5 feet away and expect the skunk not to spray! I'd spray too if that happened!
Now walk around to the otherside and pull the blanket over the rest of the way. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. In my case, I cleaned the back of the truck out and picked up the trap,blanket and all,carried it over to the truck and slid it in. A two mile ride down the road and he was let go. No problems and no spray! A 22 would have been the preferred method, but since he was so close to the house I didn't want all the spray. A 22 shot to the lungs usually prevents spraying.
The blanket method works great,slow and easy.
It really takes a lot to get a skunk to spray!
 
#24 ·
RAlex ,We had a guy when I was a kid that tried that in his Dads milk parlor . He tried riding thru on his motorcycle and grabbing it by the tail LOL . After his Dad severly abused him he got to wash the place down several times .

Ricko, best check on your wildlife laws as it is illegal to release a skunk in most states due to health issues . A dunk in the creek will have same reults , just like with the blanket slow and easy .

Drifter
 
#25 ·
"newbee; what do you meam by "7 7 hive"?"

Just a typo, there are 7 hives here at the house and 2 at the family farm. No luck the past 2 days, my goldens learned to flip the trap and eat the bait, which was three day old chicken leg and smoked salmon. They spent the next 6 hours off and on seeing the food again the hard way. Dogs never learn, just like most of us men. If it smells good, we go for it

Gotta move the trap to outside the invisible fencing, that'll fix 'em.
 
#26 ·
>but I have a bigger problem porcupine. They leave a very bad mess with me and the dogs, usually about 2 AM. Just what I need, pull out the quills and blood all over the place

That is always a mess.

>plus do something with the body of the porcupine.

I never had trouble getting rid of a procupine.
The quills and the gaurd hair are both very popular with my friends and family.

But then I've never shot one. I've also never passed a freshly dead one up on the side of the road.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top