Home and Veterinary Care for Pet Skunks

If you're an adventurous pet owner, you may love exotic animals such as skunks. You'll be happy to learn that skunks can indeed make excellent domestic pets, but only if they receive the proper care to enjoy a happy, healthy life. Your veterinary team can help guide you along this learning curve while providing top-quality health care for your new pet.

Health Considerations

Pet skunks require certain key veterinary health procedures, beginning early in life. Your veterinarian can perform scent gland removal surgery to prevent your skunk from creating an intolerable environment in your home. (However, you must protect your skunk from outdoor predators once he has lost this important defensive tool.)

Baby skunks should also be spayed or neutered, not only to keep them from getting pregnant but also to stave off serious health threats such as reproductive cancers. Vaccinations, deworming, and other preventative care can help your skunk live a longer and healthier life. Last but not least, regular wellness exams can help your veterinarian catch any health concerns early enough to treat them.

Training Your Skunk

Skunks can respond to regular, patient training. Owners can usually (but not always) teach a skunk to go to the bathroom in the corner, placing a litter box in that corner for convenient cleanup and odor protection. You can win a baby skunk's trust and help him grow comfortable around humans by playing with constantly and carrying him under your shirt.

Everyday Care and Feeding

Skunks will eat just about anything, but you should take care to feed your skunk a healthy diet (along with plenty of water). Your skunk's diet should consist mostly of protein, with vegetables making up the remainder. Pet-proof your home for your skunk just as you would for a dog or cat.