help! there's a SKUNK in my garage!

[garybeck]

and it's recycling night and I need to go in there and put the garbage outside!

I've been waiting for an hour for it to just go away by itself, but it seems to be pretty happy. I've tried to do some things that might make it leave without getting it too scared which would make it spray. I flicked the lights on and off a bunch of times. I yelled at it. tapped the wall... Came back a half hour later and it's still there, just snooping around.

If I leave it be and assume it will leave by itself before morning, I'll miss the garbage pickup which doesn't happen again for 2 weeks!

anyone have a good idea?

[DesEtoiles]

1. put some food out front of the garage - something smelly

[NNadir]

2. If the skunk fires, bleach should be an effective neutralizer in places

you can apply it.

[babylonsister]

3. I have no solution but

this made me laugh! Leave the lights on would be my advice. And make lots of noise; I hope your garage door is open!?

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. Food. Maybe do a trail of food out of the garage into the yard or down

the driveway? Just don't scare it! Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

[porphyrian]

5. The hose will work...

...but you'll get your garage wet, and it might spray.

[Horse with no Name]

6. If it sprays you

the best way to get the scent off is to use the premixed massengale douches--really!
Our dog used to get sprayed regularly...and that is the only thing that actually works.

Seriously....crack a couple eggs on the sidewalk outside the garage--leave the shells and yolks there...as soon as the skunk leaves...shut the door behind her.

[CHIMO]

7. Gently

Toss in some red pepper. In an area where you can clean it up later.

[Liberty Belle]

8. Put catfood in front of the garage. Skunks love it.

[friesianrider]

16. I'll second this...some kind of smelly meat-type food.

Cat food works great, maybe some tuna would be good too.

Just set it out of your garage about 20 feet or so and watch for him to walk out so you can close the garage door. It shouldn't take long for him to smell the food and leave! :)

Good luck!

[stevedeshazer]

9. The skunk stink will last much longer than 2 weeks

On the other hand, two weeks worth of garbage/trash smells pretty bad, too.

Seems to me you'd be better off to wait.

Or confront the skunk and take your chances...I've done that. Had to burn my clothes and shower with ketchup and lemon juice. That worked.

Sort of. :shrug:

[MuseRider]

10. Can you put a radio

on in the garage? I keep skunks and racoons out of my barn by playing a radio. They really do not like it and the funny thing is that if the electricity goes off and the radio does not play they always ALWAYS come in. Just a thought, play it kind of loud and see if that chases him off.

[garybeck]

11. what do you play on the radio?

don't tell me -- Wayne Newton?

seriously though, do you play music, Right wing talk radio, sports? I tried talking and yelling at it and it seemed to be unaffected.

[MuseRider]

14. I leave mine on

Air America. Seems that pesky critters must be Right Wingers. Seriously, if you call exterminators the suggest loud Rock and Roll. :shrug:

[tedoll78]

12. My partner

says to put out an open bowl of ammonia or Pine Sol. The smell will offend the skunk such that it will want to leave.

I'm skeptical, but then again, I'm a city boy. He's a country boy. :shrug:

(BTW.. how cluttered is the garage? Could this be a female skunk that has just had (or is about to have) a litter? She might not want to leave..)

[henslee]

13. Maybe play a portable radio. Not too load. Give him time to clear out.

[Shine]

15. We had 14 skunks living under our house once...

and I learned more about those pesky little creatures than I ever wanted to! The business we hired to come trap them (and release them later in the woods) used cooked oatmeal with a marshmallow on top to lure them into the cages. Apparently, they really like sweet stuff. Weird.
Bright lights left on constantly and a radio playing non-stop is also a good way to drive them away.

Regarding the possible stink factor, it's the younger skunks you have to worry about. They're kind of like young rattlesnakes, in that they don't have as good control over when they release their stuff like the older ones do. Hopefully you've got an older skunk in your garage.

Good luck!

~Shine