Skunks can live anywhere, as long as there is food, water, and shelter, so they’re naturally not picky about food. They’re known to be very adaptable to their environment and survive and thrive in most places, may it be rural or urban. Different skunk species also have different preferences on where they live, but some of the most frequent places that they like are woodlands, forests, scrublands, and even agricultural and urban areas.
In terms of finding food, skunks will often rely on smaller creatures to prey on. This is because they aren’t known as fighter animals, they don’t bite nor chase animals away, and their spray can only do so much. However, they still have the ability to bite and kill, but they don’t use it often when catching prey. If they can’t find any smaller creatures that they can easily get to, they will result to foraging and looking for other sources of food, that’s why we can find them rummaging through garbage bins and plastic bags for food.
While most of us think that skunks are a nuisance, they’re actually very beneficial to us humans since they like eating pests that are harmful to us. Based on research, skunks eat harmful pests making it as much as 70% of their diet. Some common harmful creatures that skunks like eating include snakes, spiders, and cockroaches. Some more animals that skunks eat include:
Mice
Grasshoppers
Crickets
Spiders (Yes, even the black widow spider!)
Fish
Scorpions
Voles and Moles
Birds
Reptiles smaller than them
Rabbits
Frogs, toads, and newts
Water snakes
Bees
Beetles
Beetle larvae
Skunks prefer eating a meat-based diet, and they like oily foods the best. However, during the colder seasons, it is especially hard for skunks to find food, as most helpless creatures are also more aware of the dangers around them. Since they’re not so picky, they will also resort to eating plants and vegetables. Weirdly enough, most skunks prefer those that have gone rotten, or about to rot, so it’s also kind of a good thing for humans. Skunks can and will eat anything edible to them during these seasons because they don’t fully hibernate, unlike most animals, so they have to find food themselves.
Skunks can also be seen rummaging through garbage bins in search of food. Our trash cans are the perfect source of food for them as they can contain harmful insects, near spoiled or spoiled food, and other kinds of grub. They might also try to dig holes in your lawn or garden in search of earthworms and grub that they can eat. Your bird feeders can also be a feeding place for them, so be sure to clean up after them and try to pick up seeds fallen on the ground. Don’t think that your poultry is safe either, as there have been cases of skunks completely obliterating a chicken coop during winter seasons, as they are hungry and desperate for food.
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