Skunks are nocturnal animals, meaning they are most active after the sun goes down. In most regions, you can expect to see skunks emerging from their dens roughly between 30 minutes after sunset and midnight. They are not strictly night owls, though—mother skunks with young kits may sometimes forage during daylight hours in the spring, especially if they are nursing and need extra food.
What Time Do Skunks Come Out To Eat?
Skunks come out to eat primarily during the night. Their peak activity window usually begins at dusk and continues through the early evening hours. Most foraging happens between sunset and midnight, with a second, shorter burst of activity often occurring just before dawn.
This schedule shifts slightly with the seasons. In the summer, when daylight lasts longer, skunks may emerge a bit earlier relative to human schedules because sunset comes later. In the winter, they become far less active. While they do not truly hibernate, skunks enter a state called torpor, where they sleep for extended periods and may stay in their dens for weeks at a time during the coldest weather.
Why Are Skunks Active at Night?
Being nocturnal is a survival strategy. Skunks have poor eyesight, but they have an excellent sense of smell and hearing, which works well in the dark. Moving at night also helps them avoid many of their natural predators, such as owls, foxes, and coyotes, though great horned owls are a notable exception and will hunt skunks regardless of the hour.
Their famous spray is a defense mechanism, not a hunting tool. Skunks are omnivores and foragers. They are not chasing down prey. Instead, they dig through soil and leaf litter, flip over logs, and sniff out insects, grubs, and small rodents. Doing this under the cover of darkness reduces their risk of encountering a threat they would rather avoid than fight.
What Do Skunks Eat When They Forage?
Skunks are opportunistic eaters, which means they eat whatever is available and easy to find. Their diet changes with the seasons and what is abundant in their environment.
- Insects and grubs: These are the primary food source. Skunks dig distinctive cone-shaped holes in lawns searching for beetle larvae and grubs.
- Small rodents: Mice, voles, and shrews are hunted and eaten when encountered.
- Birds’ eggs: Ground-nesting bird eggs are a high-protein snack when available.
- Fruits and berries: In late summer and fall, skunks eat fallen fruit, berries, and other vegetation.
- Human food waste: Pet food left outside, garbage, and compost piles are easy meals that attract skunks to residential areas.
This diverse diet is why skunks are so adaptable. They can thrive in rural farmland, suburban neighborhoods, and even urban parks as long as they can find shelter and a reliable food source.
What Time of Year Are Skunks Most Active?
Skunk activity peaks in the spring and early summer. Mating season occurs in late winter to early spring, typically around February through March. After a gestation period of about two months, females give birth to litters of four to seven kits in May.
This is when homeowners are most likely to see skunks during the day. A mother skunk with a large litter may struggle to produce enough milk and will forage for longer hours to feed herself. Seeing a skunk in daylight is not necessarily a sign of rabies, which is a common misconception. It is often just a hungry mother. However, a skunk that is active during the day, shows no fear of humans, and appears disoriented or has drooling should be treated with extreme caution and reported to local animal control.
Why Do Skunks Dig Up My Lawn at Night?
The small, shallow, cone-shaped holes in your yard are the signature sign of a skunk foraging for grubs. Skunks dig for white grubs, which are the larvae of various beetles like Japanese beetles and June bugs. These grubs live just below the soil surface and feed on grass roots.
If you see these holes in the morning, the skunk was likely in your yard during the previous night. The damage is frustrating, but the skunk is doing you a favor in one sense—it is eating pests that damage your turf. The real solution to stop the digging is to treat the grub problem, not the skunk. If there are no grubs to eat, the skunk will move on to an easier food source.
How to Keep Skunks Away From Your Property
Preventing skunk activity is about removing what attracts them. Skunks are not trying to break into your home. They are looking for food, water, and shelter. Remove those, and they will leave.
- Secure garbage: Use bins with tight-fitting lids. Do not leave trash bags outside overnight.
- Do not leave pet food out: Feed pets indoors or pick up bowls immediately after they finish eating.
- Close off den sites: Skunks will den under porches, decks, and sheds. Seal these openings with heavy wire mesh or wood, but do this only when you are certain no animals are inside.
- Remove fallen fruit: Pick up fruit that drops from trees in your yard.
- Install motion-activated lights: Skunks prefer darkness. A sudden bright light can deter them from entering an area.
If a skunk has taken up residence under your home, do not attempt to seal the entrance while it is inside. You will trap it, and the results will be unpleasant for both of you. Wait until you are sure the skunk has left for the night, then seal the opening.
What Should You Do If You See a Skunk?
Stay calm and back away slowly. Skunks do not want to spray you. Spraying uses precious energy and takes time to replenish—roughly a week’s worth of glandular production. A skunk will only spray when it feels truly threatened.
They give clear warning signs before spraying. A skunk will stomp its front feet, raise its tail, and hiss. If you see these behaviors, you are too close. Move away. If a skunk walks toward you, it is usually because it has poor eyesight and has not noticed you, not because it is attacking. Make noise to alert it to your presence, and it will typically change direction.
If you or a pet gets sprayed, the classic remedy is a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap. This chemical reaction neutralizes the thiols that cause the odor. Do not store this mixture in a closed container, as it can build pressure and explode. Tomato juice only masks the smell temporarily; it does not neutralize it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are skunks active during the day?
Skunks are primarily nocturnal, but daytime activity is normal in spring when mothers with young kits forage for extra food. A daytime skunk that appears sick, disoriented, or unafraid of humans is a different matter and should be reported to animal control.
What month are skunks most active?
Skunks are most active in the spring and early summer, roughly from March through June. This period covers mating season and the time when mothers are raising and feeding their kits.
Will a skunk spray you if you leave it alone?
No, a skunk will not spray you if you leave it alone. Skunks spray only as a last resort when they feel cornered or directly threatened, and they always give warning signals like stomping and hissing before spraying.
Do skunks come out in the rain?
Skunks prefer dry conditions and will often stay in their dens during heavy rain. Light rain does not stop them, but they are less likely to forage in a downpour because wet fur reduces their insulation and makes them colder.
