I received 8 Striped skunks from various sources in early June, and just released the last of them August 18. Here are some highlights from their last month with me. Most photographs were taken by my friend Krista deVries.

Daily enrichment, through new toys, fresh branches, or interesting foods, helped their brains develop and their senses stay sharp.
This giant yellow squash is VERY interesting!
They loved puzzle toys made for dogs, the secret compartments filled with dried mealworms.
Live superworms in a puzzle dish was a favorite of everyone.
Staying cool in the concrete block "tunnels" was a necessity on the hot days.
Hollow logs, and bamboo and grass tunnels were fun, too.
Volunteer Rich Bergins built them a tall and deep box we filled with dirt for digging practice.
They really got into the spirit of eating!
This one, a little runt, developed an affliction where the fur on his tail became very sparse. An experienced rehabber suggested feeding him avocado. He loved it! The fur did grow back prior to release.
So inquisitive!
Cute nose, but look at those claws!
Little tongue!
We're hiding!
We're fierce!
Posing for the camera
Such variety!

Their markings were individual and distinct, although it did take me a while to learn who was who.  The biggest and oldest female was all black with white eyebrows patches.  Her sister was almost the opposite- all white with some black patches.

The one on the right had polka dots!
Healthy and shiny from a good diet
This one had markings similar tto the biggest skunk, with extra flourishes of white.
Release time

In late July and mid-August, they were big enough and smart enough to be released.  Two went back to the property where they were found, with a third tagging along. The other 5 went to a beautiful rural location with plenty of fallen trees, deep leaf litter, and a creek leading to a pond.

A fun retrospective video

My friend, Sandice Thrasher, made this wonderful video of when the skunks first showed up on her property, and their eventual release.  Thanks, Sandi!

In the past. my experiences with skunks have been less than ideal. This year, many rehabbers ended up with kits that had been orphaned or separated from Mom, more so than other years. It was a steep learning curve for all of us! Everyone had a positive experience, including the skunks. I learned so much about their nature, their likes and dislikes, and their personalities. I would definitely say yes to skunks next year. I'm not necessarily an educator, I'm focused on raising healthy animals and sharing my personal interactions. I do hope you learned a little bit from the photographs and video I shared. It's always a pleasure to show others the mostly solitary work I do here. Thanks for reading!

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The skunks!

I received 8 Striped skunks from various sources in early June, and just released the last of them August 18. Here are some highlights from their last month with me. Most photographs were taken by my friend Krista deVries. Daily enrichment, through new toys, fresh branches, or interesting foods, helped their brains develop and their

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