Pet skunk

A pet skunk is a skunk kept by humans for companionship and enjoyment. Although capable of living indoors with humans similarly to dogs or cats, pet skunks are relatively rare, partly due to restrictive laws and the complexity of their care. Pet skunks are mainly kept in the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy.

In the United States, pet skunks can be purchased from licensed animal shelters, non-profit skunk educational organizations such as the American Domestic Skunk Association, Inc., or breeders with a permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Baby skunk availability peaks during springtime, immediately following the skunk mating season. Some large fur farms sell surplus skunks to pet stores.

Skunks are probably best known for their ability to spray foul-smelling fluid as a defense against predators. Most wild skunks spray only when injured or attacked, as a defense mechanism. The mercaptan-emitting scent glands (commonly referred to as "the stinker") are usually removed in pet skunks at about four weeks of age.


History


Skunks are native to the Americas and are noted in historical accounts of Christopher Columbus. Skunks were reportedly kept as pets by some Native American nations. Farmers valued domesticated skunks for their ability to kill rodents and other pests. Skunk pelts were also used for coats and frequently passed off as marten fur. Before the 1950s, they were sold under ambiguous names such as "American sable" and "Alaskan sable". The courts finally ruled that the customer must be informed of any purchase that contained skunk parts. The skunk fur market subsequently collapsed. Since then, skunks have been mainly bred as pets.

In the 20th century, most U.S. states outlawed the keeping of wild animals as part of their efforts to stem the spread of rabies. Only about one-third of states continued to allow domestic skunks. In the 1990s, skunk enthusiasts began establishing mailing lists and organized for skunk law reform. In the 2000s, similar initiatives took place in Canada.


Temperament


Skunks are sensitive, intelligent animals,and like all intelligent animals, temperament varies for each animal. Skunks tend to be highly curious. Skunks will open cupboards that are left unlocked. Skunks also tend to be very friendly, loving, entertaining and playful. However, they can also be stubborn and headstrong. Some owners have noticed skunks smelling something that was spilled on the carpet long ago, and attempting to dig to find out what is buried there. Like ferrets, their curiosity can lead them into danger, especially if they crawl inside reclining chairs or other machinery.Due to the complexity of their care, and the negative image of skunks as foul-smelling animals, many people will not keep a skunk as a pet.

One of the things that you might keep in mind is that skunks are (naturally) nocturnal... sleeping during the day and prowling and foraging at night. It may be that, if raised domestically from a very young age, that instinct may not develop... but, unlikely if you've come by one that was raised in the wild. Those raised in the wild also make great pets but, can become a bit testy if you keep them up to play during the day and they don't develop the desire to sleep at night. So, take that into consideration. It's very hard to teach an old skunk new instincts.