Corralitas Drive: Urban Skunk Kits Making Themselves At Home

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor #1, July 11, 2017. A neighbor, upon turning on the bathroom light at 3 AM, was surprised to find a young skunk asleep in the  bathtub.  The neighbor has no idea how it got into the tub.  It made it self quite at home on a washcloth and left its calling cards near its "bed."

The neighbor surmised the young skunk came in earlier in the evening, while the door was open and fan on.  It must have wandered in and seeking relief from the relentless heatwave, found its way into the cool bathtub.  "Actually, it seemed totally content and not at all agitated by my presence." 

As for removing the skunk, the neighbor continued, "I got two large old beach towels, put on my gardening gloves and dropped the towels over it and quickly wrapped them around and carried it out the back door and by that time there was definitely a skunk odor in the towels. I loosened the towels and came back inside. End of story. I now use my fire screen in the door when I leave it open." 

Photo: Corralitas Drive Neighbor #2, July 7, 2017.  At least one skunk kit has a taste for the plentiful rubber tree fruit around the yard.  

A Corralitas neighbor sees the baby skunks pass through the yard daily.  At least one skunk kit, or as the neighbor refers to them, "skitten" routinely pauses at the open door looking to be invited in (not going to happen).  The neighbor's cats are so complacent, "they don't even growl when the kits come by, let alone when the skunks try to come in the door!"

The other day, I got a text from Corralitas Neighbor #2, who was lying on the couch with the door open in the midday heat.  The neighbor "felt a very smooth little tongue licking her big toe."  Knowing it wasn't a cat or dog, she looked down and was surprised to see a skunk kit kissing her toe.  Unfortunately, the neighbor couldn't reach her cell phone to shoot a photo without standing up.  At which point the little skunk kit made a hasty retreat for the door.  The skitten was really sucking up in the hope of some relief from the heat.  

The same neighbor has told skunks trying to enter the house, in a calm voice, "No, no, no you can't come in.  Away with you."  The skunks go without argument. Sometimes you have to get up slowly and walk calmly toward the skunk while telling them, in a calm voice, to leave.  Skunks don't see well.  As long as you stay calm and make no sudden movements, they have no need to spray. 

No, neither neighbor feeds their pets outside.  Nor do they leave food around.  The rubber tree fruit attracts all types of urban wildlife.  It's hard to control the rubber tree fruit, even if you sweep daily.  If there is food a skunk wants, it will do almost anything to get to it.  I've seen skunks move rocks significantly larger than themselves, in broad daylight, to get into a yard.  I've also watched them squeeze through a single chain link in a fence (skunks are mostly fur).   

If wildlife wants to use your yard as a thoroughfare, it's not worth the trouble of trying to stop them.  Skunks and raccoons will move rocks and big pots, dig up plants, dig under fences to get back on their routine path.  It's better to find a way to coexist with them so you know where they come through the fence rather than be surprised in the middle of the night.  Jade plants are resilient enough to place near openings in the fence where urban wildlife insists on using a path. 

Don't feed your pets outside.  Keep your all your pets' vaccinations up to date.  Do not attempt to feed or pet wildlife.  Be sure you throw away any and all food trash (like from a BBQ or fruit fallen from trees) directly into a the large City trash bin and be sure the lid is tightly closed. 

Additionally, it is a myth that seeing a skunk in the daylight means it's sick or injured.  Corralitas skunks are out in the middle of the day.  We see them frequently, even when the dog is in the yard.  

Click here for all our skunk posts.

Corralitas Drive: Baby Skunk Season!

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, June 27, 2017.  Fartilda greeted a neighbor first thing this morning.  It's several months before baby skunks can project their spray, but they do fart skunk stink.

Fartilda appears to be the runt of the litter, but she is definitely capable of holding her own.  Last night, around 7 PM, the same neighbor saw the baby on the stairs.  By the time the phone was in hand to take photos, the skunk farted and the cats came running in and sat just inside the door, guarding the house from the tiny skunk.  The baby scampered off into the bushes.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 12, 2016. Last year ,The Little Skunk had a litter of six.  This was their first group outing in the yard. Tip for shooting skunk photos: they don't see well, stand still and use your zoom.  DO NOT attempt to feed or pet any wildlife.  I was crouched down, about 6 feet away.  They either saw or smelled me and charged me. I just sat still and shot photos until their mom called them and they joined her.

It's a myth that skunks are not active in the daylight.  We've always seen skunks in the daytime on Corralitas Drive.  Some yards are more conducive than others to skunk activity.  Presence of dogs does not deter them since skunks have the upper hand.  Usually, the mother comes through the yard first, spraying to keep predators and people away, then the kits come through.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, July 14, 2016.  For years we had a semi feral cat who would babysit litters for his buddy, The Little Skunk. 

Take precautions if you have dogs.  Keep your dogs on a leash.  We're often surprised by skunks, opossum and raccoons.  Wildlife keep a routine foraging schedule and they quickly learn what time you feed your animals.  If you must feed your pets outside, pick up the food bowls immediately after they eat.  

Click here for all our skunk posts.

Corralitas Drive: Little Skunk Has No Fear

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor May 2, 2017, 6:15 PM. The cats do not get to eat outside.  Why?

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, May 2, 2017, 6:30 PM.  The Little Skunk has long been a fixture in this yard.  She used to hang out with the semi-feral cat, even leaving her babies with him to babysit while she went on her foraging rounds.  

Skunks don't see well but they do have a nose for food.  It is not unusual to run into skunks on Corralitas in the daylight.  Don't panic, don't make big moves.  Talk to them in soothing tones and they go about their business.  If you want to take photos, use the zoom on your camera.  Never feed wildlife.

City of Los Angeles Animal Services has info on their website on living with skunks and other wildlife.

Click here for all our skunk posts.

Corralitas Drive: Skunk Tales

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 14, 2015.  Last night at dusk, my dog surprised a skunk in my yard.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

I know better than to let my dog run off leash in my yard in the waning light.  Luckily, we think it was the skunk that pals around with my neighbor's semi-feral cat.  The skunk puffed out its coat to look larger, but did not turn the business end toward my dog, who was barking really close to it - practically nose to nose.  When the skunk did finally fire a warning shot it was not pointed at the dog. 

I know skunks have really bad eyesight, but this one was just not right. It proceeded to hang around for the next hour, stamping around in the leaf litter.  Usually they take off once there has been a threat, especially if it's followed by a photo shoot.   Which is why we think it's the semi-feral cat's buddy.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 20, 2015.  Yup, that's the semi-feral cat's skunk buddy, "hiding" in the bushes waiting for dinner.  The neighbor does not leave cat food out for the cat, because she doesn't want to feed all the neighborhood wildlife.  But the skunk and the cat pal around together and apparently have quite a system to get food.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 20, 2015.  The semi-feral cat has questionable social skills - even his own brother, who is an indoor outdoor cat - hates him.  The cat will insist he's starving.  The neighbor puts a small amount of kibble out on the steps for him, pets the cat and goes inside for ten minutes and returns to pick up the food.  

The cat eats a few bites, then lies down on the stairs and the skunk, who's been "hiding" in the bushes nearby, comes out to eat the rest of the kibble.   (We think they do this routine at a few neighbors' houses, since we know the cat is fed by several.)  The neighbor chases the skunk off the food, who ambles up the stairs reluctantly.  The cat looks bored and sometimes follows the skunk up the stairs.  If the weather is too hot - the skunk just goes over and lies down in the damp dirt (photos above).  

Alternatively, the neighbor actually hangs out with the cat while he eats, so the skunk has no opportunity to get to the cat food.

The other night, the front door was wide open, the neighbor chased the skunk off the cat food.  The skunk, who never makes an attempt to spray the neighbor, reluctantly climbed up the stairs, but slipped off the top step, rolled down the stairs in slow motion and landed at the neighbor's feet.  The neighbor was too stunned to jump out of the way.  The skunk did not explode. It just moseyed off in a different direction.  The cat didn't move.

The cat is never phased by the skunk.  In fact they seem to travel together.  The cat usually tries to get a second meal later - and you always have to check to see if the skunk is lying in wait nearby.  There's always another wildlife adventure on Corralitas.

Click here for all our skunk posts.
 

Corralitas Drive: Skunktown

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 12, 2014.  The baby skunks are old enough now; they are one their own roaming the hill at night.  Thursday, around 8 PM, while walking the dog, I saw at least 3 pairs of baby skunks on different parts of the hill, foraging, frolicking & as in the case of this skunk, attempting to entice my dog to play.   I saw them romping and hopping around like puppies. 

Corralitas Drive: Baby Skunks Foraging For Rubber Tree Fruit

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 24, 2014.  This tiny baby skunk could not have been more than 6 inches long, but its tail was almost twice that.  

The young skunk showed no fear; it came right toward me, despite my camera flash firing, as I was standing near the bonanza of rubber tree fruit left on the ground after tree trimming this week. 

Corralitas Drive: Skunk-o-rama!

 

Photos: Corralitas Neighbor, May 17, 2014.  Corralitas Neighbor writes in an email, "The little skunk seems to have had a few babies."

"They keep nursing on her and she walks away from them and they swarm her again."

Corralitas neighbor thinks there are 4 babies, it looks more like a total of 6 skunks in this photo.  Considering there's a record drought, it's surprising to see so many babies.  They must have a steady supply of cat food in another yard.

I know the little skunk is a little skunk, but it appears there are 2 adults in this photo.

I count 6 skunk tails in this photo.

Don't leave food out for your pets.  Pick up the food bowls as soon as they are finished eating.  Your pets will learn to eat on a schedule after the bowls get picked up quickly. 

Red Car Canyon: 2013 Hangover, Critter Cam! Stuff You Missed Last Year

Photos: © Miguel Ordeñana, some rights reserved,  Los Angeles County Natural Museum camera trap, May 2013.  Coyote.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

For a week last May, Wildlife on the Red Car Property was documented with a remote critter camera on the LA Nature Map.  Ordeñana is a field biologist & lead gallery interpreter at the LA County Natural History Museum.
 
Jonathan Vandiveer, Red Car Property neighbor & blog contributor, commented (when I sent him the link last summer), "The timestamp on the coyote photo indicates I'd just jogged through the canyon.  I never saw him.  The close angle and expression on his face is one you'd only get with a remote camera."    

Striped Skunk

Raccoon

Virginia Opossum

Eastern Fox Squirrel

Domestic Cat.  From the size of his neck, I'd say it's an intact male.

Stuff you missed last year: we shoot & collect tons of photos.  So we try to wrap up the year with some interesting ones we never got a chance to run.

Corralitas Drive: Big Fat Skunk

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 3, 11:02 PM.  A big fat skunk was foraging for Rubber Tree fruit, which lately has been more irresistible than usual to all the wild creatures who come through the yard, as well as the dogs  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 3, 2013, 11:03 PM.  Yesterday, a neighbor just happened to mention, she'd seen a big fat skunk on her front path as she'd come home after 9 PM Tuesday. 

I think this skunk's found a good supply of cat food somewhere.  If you feed your animal outside, be sure to bring in the bowls as soon as they finish.  The skunks are the first to learn where the feeding stations are in the hood, and they'll return night after night at the same time looking for a free meal. 

Corralitas Drive: Sometimes They Just Don't Wake Up

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 10, 2013, 5:40 PM.  I came up from the backyard to find the dog barking at something under the outdoor bed.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

I got close, dropping to the ground to see which cat was teasing the dog.  That's no cat, it was a little skunk, way under the bed.  Luckily I happened to have a leash in hand, since we were heading out for a walk.  I leashed the dog and tried to get a better look.  I couldn't tell if the skunk was dead or sick.  There was no skunk smell. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 10, 2013.  I got my neighbor who grabbed a broom & gently nudged the skunk; no reaction. So she carefully swept the skunk out from under the bed.  We watched for a few minutes to ensure it was not breathing.  There was no odor, blood, bloating, nor obvious puncture wounds.  Rigormortis had not set in.  It must have gone under the bed to lie down that afternoon or the dogs would have found it in the morning.  It looked like it was sleeping.  So sad. 

I don't think it was the baby skunk we've seen in the yard most nights before dark.  This appeared to be the small adult I'd seen late the night before, foraging near the heirloom tomatoes, tormenting the dog (who watched from inside the house).

It was so unusual to see a skunk that had not met an violent death by car or by dog, as so often happens on the Red Car Property. Rest in peace little skunk. 

Click here for all our skunk related posts.

Corralitas Drive: Watch Your Step! It's Baby Skunk Season!

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 17, 2013, 7:59 PM.  It wasn't even dark yet.  I almost stepped in the 5" long baby skunk, as I walked down the stairs, laundry basket in hand, blocking my view.  He backed up in front of me (business end pointed away), tail up, sneezing at me to get my attention. 

This was the first encounter of the season (about a month late).  It was a really small skunk for mid-July.  The babies can't spray yet.  They just sort of fart skunk, which this one did in its first attempt at pointing the business end at me.  

So with laundry basket in one hand, cell phone in the other, I'm following the baby skunk around the yard to get a good photo.  This was the first and the best shot.  Hopefully, it will gain a fear of humans, not just ones with laundry baskets & cell phones.

Click here for all our skunk posts. 

LA City Elections: VOTE TODAY!

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 24, 2013.  With obscene amounts of special interest money pouring into certain candidates pockets, is there any wonder voters are feeling like they're facing the business end of the skunk? 

 

Don't let the special interests win.  Special interests win when people stay home and don't vote because they're so fed up with the system. 

 

Polls are open from 7 AM to 8 PM. 

 

Look up your polling place and just about anything else you want to know about voting on LA County on the Registrar of Voter's Website.

Red Car Canyon: Another Reason To Keep Your Dogs On A Leash!

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 24, 2013, 10AM.  As we walked through Red Car Canyon, a neighbor warned us there was a skunk digging around in the grass in the wooded canyon.  We both remarked at how unusual it was to see skunks in the daylight. (Click on photos to enlarge) 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 24, 2013.  At first the little skunk hightailed it under a fence into a Lake View Ave backyard.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 24, 2013.  A moment later the skunk popped back out from under the fence.   Since you don't often see skunks in the daytime, I shot a lot of photos from a safe distance.  The skunk appeared healthy & alert.  It showed little fear of us once it realized the dogs were on leashes.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 24, 2013.  The skunk was just really focused on digging up some tasty treat from the grassy area in the canyon between Lake View Ave, Riverside Place & Corralitas Drive.

Skunks are omnivorous and will dig up grubs, garbage, moles and bulbs just to name a few things.  If you feed your pets outside, pick up the food bowls as soon as they finish eating.  Learn more tips on living with skunks and other urban wildlife on the City's Animal Services website.

Click here for all our skunk posts.

Corralitas Drive: Another Reason To Keep Your Dogs On A Leash

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 30, 2012, 11:18PM.  I'd heard a lot of stamping around the bushes, outside the front door.  Looks like Little Stampy returned and is still unclear on which end to point at threats..  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

Click here for all our skunk posts.

Corralitas Drive: Business End

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 18, 2012, 10:01 PM.  The baby skunks only pointed the business end at me after much discussion amongst themselves.  Luckily, they still can't produce a spray yet.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 18, 2012.  The baby skunk looking at the camera in both photos, is the one we rescued from the trashcan last week. 

See the City's Animal Services website for information on living with urban wildlife, including useful advice on skunks.

Corralitas Drive: Little Stinky Has A Harrowing Friday The 13th

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 13, 2012, 9:04 AM.  "Quick get your camera!"  How many times have I heard this?  It usually involves wildlife in my yard.  (Click on photos to enlarge.) 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 13, 2012.  Overnight, Little Stinky, the smaller of the 2 skunk babies, managed to climb into the 18" tall trashcan containing only few discarded napkins and paper.  It was enough of an irresistible scent to attract the omnivorous creature.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 13, 2012.  When I arrived with camera, it acted like a puppy, giving me the look of "Come on, get me out of here!"  It looked really tired and acted like it wanted to be picked up.  Knowing better than to pick up a wild animal, we took the trashcan down into the yard, where the skunks crawl through the fence. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 13, 2012.  Despite tipping the trashcan on its side, Little Stinky did not want to leave the trashcan.  It took some shaking and lifting to get the skunk out. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 13, 2012.  Once out of the trashcan, Little Stinky raced for the small gap in the fence behind the potted cactus.  It never moved so fast as it ran into the dense brush in the neighbor's yard.  It made no attempt to even fart skunk at us.  It isn't able to project its skunk spray yet.  We're grateful for that! 

Click here for all our skunk posts. 

Corralitas Drive: Little Stinky

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 10, 2012, 8:58 PM.  Actually this is Little Stampy, but Little Stinky is more appropriate since this one at least attempts to fart skunk at me, its  larger sibling just ignores me.  They can't project their stink yet.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Click here for all our skunk posts.

Corralitas Drive: Rubber Tree Fruit

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 4, 2012.  Fruit from Rubber Trees (Ficus elastica) turns brown on the outside when ripe.  It smells a bit like Kiwi fruit.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Apparently, fruit of the Rubber Trees in my yard is like crack to animals.  After watching skunks, opossum, raccoons, rats, parrots, birds, squirrels and dogs obsessively eating the tiny fruit, I had to look investigate further.  (I had been calling them beans, because that's what they looked like.)  

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July , 2012.  The Rubber Trees in my yard bear fruit year-round. However right now, it must be extra tasty due to the warm weather because the dogs have never been so interested in it.

It is a non-native species that grows 98 - 130' tall.  It is a drought tolerant species, but it will knock a house off its foundation to get to water; its roots will break into water and sewer lines.  They are very hard to completely remove once established.  In this neighborhood, they must have been a landscape trend because so many neighbors have these large mature trees near planted too close to their houses (built in 1910 - 1960). 

Disclaimer: The Corralitas Red Car Property Blog prefers to quote reliable sources, such as CalFlora and California Poison Control, on the issue of toxicity. We often get email suggesting some plants are edible. If you are eating your way through the Red Car Property, we DO NOT recommend you eat any plant you find in the Red Car Property neighborhood without first doing your own research.



Corralitas Drive: Little Stampy

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 30, 8:15 PM.  The tiniest skunk baby is as noisy as Stampy, stamping about in the crunchy leaves, jumping at me (shooting photos from 20' away) trying to sound like a bigger animal.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

For the past few nights, in different parts of the yard, at different times, I've encountered Little Stampy.  The baby skunk is 5 or 6" long with a tail twice that size.  When threatened, Little Stampy puffs out his hair so it appears 3 times wider than it really is.

I nearly fell over laughing, when it stood did a headstand, hind feet in the air, tail pointed straight up, and farted skunk at me.  (Luckily the babies don't actually spray at this stage.)   I couldn't get a photo of that behavior, though I tried.

Click here for all our skunk posts. 

Corralitas Drive: Disabled Skunk Mom?

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 27, 2012.  The baby skunks were herded around the yard by this small limping skunk.  (Click on photos to enlarge.) 

This skunk was limping badly on both her left front and rear legs.  She seemed to be walking on the lower part of her hind legs, rather than her hind feet.  Her tail appeared to be broken and at half-mast.  She made no attempt whatsoever to threaten to spray me.  

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 27, 2012.  I did not want to get close enough to test whether she was capable of spraying.  However, I did zoom in with the camera because I could not tell if it was a fresh injury.  It looks like an old injury, as there was a bald patch on her butt.  I'll speculate she was the victim of a dog attack quite some time ago.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 27, 2012.  The small skunk is about the same size as Stampy.  Stampy seems to act as the decoy to draw attention in the opposite direction from the disabled skunk and the babies. 

I don't know whether Stampy or this skunk is the mother of the babies, but this skunk seems to act like mom.  It could be that since the disabled skunk is not able to defend herself, she is hanging around with her sibling, Stampy, and able to act as a babysitter.  When the babies were romping around in the leaves in front of me, she got them in line and herded them away from me.  I watched the same behavior on several nights in the past week. 

Last year, the mother would come through the yard first, spray a warning blast and leave the babies to fend for themselves in our yard.  We rarely saw the mother with the babies.

Click here for all our skunk posts.