baby skunks

BABY

SKUNKS



ARE EVERYWHERE! They are so cute - exact miniature replicas of the adults and just as deadly with their spray (so I hear). The ones we've seen are about six to eight inches long with bushy tails longer than they were. Sunday there were four of them rolling around on the east side of the warehouse in the field usually occupied by the adult I call "Paco". They scooted away in single file when they saw us but only went about 15 feet and started wrestling again like kittens or puppies. Last Thursday on the west side of the building along the bottom of "bluebonnet hill" we saw three more independent youngsters diligently digging for food. I've read that crickets and grasshoppers are a favorite food of skunks and crickets are especially plentiful right now. Grasshoppers are showing up but not in large numbers. June Bugs are also suddenly abundant.

Last night we saw a possum running as if for its life. We think there is a predator in the area, probably a coyote or bobcat. One night last week an adult skunk who saw us ran quickly for quite a distance before disappearing into some brush down the road. After we walked a little farther we saw a pair of eyes reflecting from "bluebonnet hill" that looked like something much larger than a skunk or opossum. IT watched US and then faded into the brush. spooky!

Photos are from Mary's Wildlife Page. She has more photos of skunks & opossums. The possums we see aren't nearly so cute.