Skunk in the pool! Photo by Loretta Masnada, Concord, CA

Gary:
It was a hot day, but no one else wanted to go in the pool!
Loretta Masnada, Concord, California

Loretta:
Gee, I can’t imagine why. Was it something in the air? /Gary

Mount Wanda skunk. Photo by Ann Shackelford, Contra Costa County, CA

Gary:
It was nice this afternoon to encounter this skunk (from an appropriate distance) near the top of Mount Wanda in Martinez and far away from traffic and other dangers.
Ann Shackelford, Contra Costa County, California

Ann:
Mount Wanda in Martinez (CA) is a great place to go for a hike. As you discovered, there are lots of native wild creatures to meet and enjoy along the way. Skunks are actually gentle souls and usually friendly to people who encounter them in the wild. Especially if you stay calm and don’t try to get too close. I usually just stand quietly until they go along their way.

They DO get stressed at dogs who run up barking and yapping at them … and respond in the usual skunk way that ends up with that “hunt of mint” wafting through the air. And, of course, a very smelly dog.

If you do happen to be on a walk and your dog gets sprayed by a skunk, this formula neutralizes the skunk spray. Bathe your dog in this solution:

TAKE: 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (from a pharmacy); a quarter cup baking soda; 1 teaspoon liquid soap (I use Dawn). Mix together and wash sprayed animal for 5 minutes, rubbing it deep into the dog’s fur, keeping the mixture out of its eyes, nose and mouth. Rinse with tap water.

Don’t bottle this stuff. The mix causes a mild chemical reaction and expanding gases could “explode” into a BIG mess if confined in a bottle. Based on feedback from users, this recipe, as listed, is a suitable quantity for a small dog. You need to double it for medium-size dogs and triple it for large dogs. It’s amazingly effective./Gary

Tiger Lily and her garter snake friend. Photo by Stephanie Santos, Hayward, CA

Gary:
I just wanted to share a picture of my cat Tiger Lily and her friend, a neighborhood garter snake, who came for a visit and hung out in the patio.  I really enjoy your column. Have a great day,
Stephanie Santos, Hayward, California

Stephanie:
Curious, how our pet cats will sometimes interact with unusual creatures. Many years ago I has a tabby named John who I would occasionally find sitting out on our back patio next to an alligator lizard. One of my present cats, Jazz, has this thing going with a skunk and its family. Jazz will often sit at the sliding glass door in my home office and look out at a female skunk standing on the other side of the door. They’ll just sit and stare at each other. In the spring, the skunk will bring her babies and they’ll all  stare back and forth, just inches away from each other, separated by a pane of glass. Interesting. /Gary

Guess who’s been eating the cat food when you leave it out on the patio at night?

Gary:
My sis sent this from her home in So. Calif. What advice should I give her?
Karen Turnbull, Hayward, California

Karen:
If your sis hasn’t already figured it out, I suggest that she NOT leave food out to feed the cat on the patio in the evening and at night. This just attracts the skunks … and one day your sis will pay the price when a VERY BAD smell wafts through her house. It’s OK to feed the cat outside during the day when skunks are fast asleep. /Gary

Raccoon in the house. Photo by Maureen Wright, Pittsburg, CA

LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM’S WILDLIFE EXCLUSION SERVICE

Wildlife exclusion is a service offered by Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek, Calif.,  to ensure the harmless eviction of wild animals from areas where they are not wanted such as attics, crawl spaces and garages. Humane techniques are used to evict wildlife and proven methods are used to prevent re-entry. Proceeds from this service go directly towards funding the museums wildlife rehabilitation hospital.

If you need this service, please call the museum at 925-627-2943

Common problems:
*** Raccoons, opossums, skunks nesting in crawlspace
*** Squirrels in attic
*** Snakes in garage

Typical solution:
*** Identify the entrance
*** Humanely evict the animal
*** Clean or sanitize the area
*** Repair and prevention measures
*** Close the opening
*** Follow up call or inspection
*** Habitat and conservation education

The Lindsay Wildlife Museum is at 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. Find out more about this wonderful place at http://www.wildlife-museum.org /Gary

Mama opossum and babies by Andy & Peggy Mosko, Fremont, CA.

Backyard skunk by Lois Bogue, Benicia, CA

I’m getting a lot of requests for this “Skunk Off” recipe to help people clean skunk spray off of  dogs that have encountered those little stinkers in their backyards this spring.

Stick this formula on your refrigerator door so it will be handy in case you ever need it. It’s easy to make and as I said, it chemically neutralizes that very bad smell.

TAKE: 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (from a pharmacy); ¼-cup baking soda; 1 teaspoon liquid soap (I use Dawn). Mix it all together and wash the sprayed animal, massaging it in for about 5 minutes, keeping the mixture out of its eyes, nose and mouth. Rinse thoroughly with tap water.

Don’t bottle this stuff. The mix causes a mild chemical reaction and it could escape into a BIG mess if confined in a bottle.

Based on feedback from hundreds of users, this recipe, as listed, is a suitable quantity for a small dog. Double the above amount for medium-size dogs. Triple it for large dogs.

It’s amazingly effective. /Gary

Cat statue winces at skunk smell. Photo by Larry Muth, Orinda, CA

Gary:
I want to share this photo with you that I took on our back deck several nights ago.

A raccoon emptied our squirrel-proof bird feeder the night before. The next night he brought his friend, the skunk. They were enjoying an evening snack just inches apart. When I slightly opened the glass door to get a clear shot, the raccoon left. I only took this one photo so I wouldn’t bother the skunk more than necessary

Check out the position and expression on the stone bird bath cat. Priceless.

The skunk didn’t leave a smell as a thank you.
Larry Muth, Orinda
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Let’s go hunt snails! Striped skunk in my backyard. Photo by Bogue, Benicia, Calif.

We were cooking dinner Sunday evening when my wife, Lois, looked out the sliding glass door in the kitchen and yelled, “Quick, bring the camera!”

It was the neighborhood skunk, wandering around our patio and looking up on the deck.
Read the rest of this entry »

Skunks are always on the prowl
I’m getting a lot of requests for this “Skunk Off” recipe to help people clean skunk spray off of unfortunate dogs that have encountered those little stinkers in their back yards.

One of my readers found a letter to the editor in a Chemical Engineering trade magazine a couple of decades ago and cut it out and forwarded it to me. A chemical engineer’s dog got sprayed and the engineer figured out an off-the-shelf formula that chemically neutralizes skunk spray. Unfortunately my reader didn’t include the name of the engineer who invented this, so we can’t thank him/her.

Stick this formula on your refrigerator door so it will be handy in case you ever need it. It’s easy to make and as I said, it chemically neutralizes that very bad smell.

TAKE: 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (from a pharmacy); ¼-cup baking soda; 1 teaspoon liquid soap (I use Dawn). Mix it all together and wash the sprayed animal, keeping the mixture out of its eyes, nose and mouth. Rinse with tap water.

Don’t bottle this stuff. The mix causes a mild chemical reaction and it could escape into a BIG mess if confined in a bottle.

Based on feedback from hundreds of users, this recipe, as listed, is a suitable quantity for a small dog. Double the above amount for medium-size dogs. Triple it for large dogs.

It’s amazingly effective.