AboutJonathan Wright Expertise I can answer questions about wild mammals, as well as other wild animals. I can also answer questions on extinct animals and zoos.
PLEASE DON'T SEND ME ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT PETS. IF YOU ARE REALLY WORRIED, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A VETERINARIAN. PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT UNPAID PEOPLE ON ALLEXPERTS ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY AND WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH ADVICE THE MOMENT YOUR ANIMAL GETS ILL. Find out how to look after a pet before you get it. It is unfair to keep an animal in inappropriate conditions and give it the wrong food. If you can't keep an animal in good conditions, please don't bring it into your home. I'm not a vet and I don't have any expertise in animal medicine and care. I don't agree with people taking animals out of the wild and then expecting other people to give free advice on how to look after them. It is cruel to take animals away from their parents, who are able to look after the babies and may look for them, while putting their other babies at risk. You may need a licence to look after some animals. You may be breaking the law by keeping wild animals; please check with a local wildlife organisation.
IF YOU FIND AN INJURED ANIMAL, PLEASE CONTACT A WILDLIFE VETERINARIAN OR CHARITY AND LET TRAINED STAFF LOOK AFTER THE ANIMAL. DO NOT TRY TO LOOK AFTER AN INJURED ANIMAL IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
Please do not remove eggs from nests. The mother birds will know the right temperature for the eggs and will not sit on them if the temperature is warm enough for them to develop naturally. It is illegal to remove eggs of some species and, unless you have an incubator or a broody hen, the egg may not develop. If you are allowed to touch the eggs, you can candle them (check details on websites) to see if the eggs are fertile. If the eggs are not fertile, they will not hatch.
I do not agree with fights between different animals. Please do not ask me questions about them.
Experience I have a zoology degree and have been interested in animals since I was two years old. I am a zoo volunteer at London Zoo. I have appeared on a BBC Radio Quiz, 'Wildbrain'.
Organizations World Wide Fund for Nature. Zoological Society of London. London Bat Group.
Publications Newsletters of London Zoo volunteers and the London Bat Group
Education/Credentials BSC degree in Zoology. 'A' levels in Zoology and Chemistry. 'O' Level in Biology.
Question I have been out of my house for several weeks now as a family of skunks has been living under my front porch. So far we have found two live skunks and one dead skunk. The smell was so overwhelming that I could not be in my house for more then 10-min with out my throat and chest burning. It is better but I still have a hard time with my asthma and allergies.
I will need to hire a professional cleaning service and I feel the insurance should cover this part of it. With hesitation they have decided to cover this.
My question I feel that all my personal items smell but it is hard for some people to smell it when in the house on the items. The cleaner seems to think setting up a ozone and just cleaning all soft items that may obsorb odor will take care of it. I have read that it is an oil substance and I wonder if all hard surfaces like my walls and floors need to be cleaned as well?
Answer Dear Stacey
Thanks for your question. I have looked up various websites and it seems that it would be best to clean all areas affected by the smell. There are various ideas below, but the most efficient seems to be the one involving hydrogen peroxide and baking powder. but you will need to take care, or get someone else to do it, as it could adversely affect your health. When I was doing the research, I took your asthma and allergies into account and I hope that the various ideas will get rid of the odour. Odours affect different people in different ways. For example, I've got a poor sense of smell, but I can smell some things which other people seem to ignore. Other people can smell things quite strongly, but the same smells don't register with me - it's probably the same with somne of your visitors.
Pet stores sell several deodorizing chemicals to help dispel skunk odour in a house. The most convenient are those that can be used as a spray. Odour or lemon fragrances will dispel skunk odour, but you should read the label applications carefully. Some deodorizing chemicals are said to eliminate skunk odours, but people with respiratory problems may react to the chemicals. Common household deodorizers can be helpful in the house, especially if windows are opened and fans are used to help dispel the dour. Some deodorizers are formulated for use as shampoos on carpets, furniture or the family dog, if necessary. Some people use diluted solutions of tomato juice or vinegar to eliminate odour from people, clothing and pets.
http://flfl.essortment.com/skunkssmell_reea.htm details the problems with the smell of a pet skunk. The writer suggests bathing the skunk in tomato juice or coffee grounds. But the sickening scent will linger for months and often recur in a mild form if it's damp or rainy. Some experts say that the tomato juice bath is only a temporary solution, because the olfactory system adjusts when it is bombarded with potent doses of a very strong or foul odour, the olfactory system adjusts. Simply put, you get used to the horrible stink after a while and can smell the tangy aroma of the tomato juice, whereas a neighbour will smell the skunk.
Skunks may also be deodorised using baths containing vanilla extract, vinegar, orange juice, or some laundry soap or mouthwash brands. You should call your veterinarian or pet store to find out about safe, commercial solutions. Home-made remedies may irritate the skin and eyes and discolour the fur. Paul Krebaum suggested the following formula -- mix together 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid laundry soap or dishwashing detergent. Use the entire amount immediately and rinse the animal off with warm tap water. The hydrogen peroxide and baking soda form an alkaline peroxide that chemically changes the skunk essence into sulphonic acid, an odourless chemical. The soap breaks down the oily skunk essence and makes it more susceptible to the other chemicals. You must apply it to a surface; for skunk smell in the air, the best solution is to open a window. Chemicals in this formula are harmless, but you have to try this formula at your own risk. To be safe, you should keep the formula away from the eyes, nose and mouth of people and pets. You must not store this homemade deodorizer or place it in a closed container. When it is kept in a warm place, the mixture may expand and burst the container.
It seems that there are no long-term health effects of skunk musk. Individual reaction to skunk musk ranges from mild irritation to severe headache, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, especially in individuals with asthma, and burning of eyes and nostrils. It doesn't seem that any diseases are transmitted through the musk. http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update.cfm?DocID=200 deals with lingering skunk smells. It states that bathing in tomato juice only masks the odour. Skunk spray contains smelly sulphur compounds (thiols), which our nose can detect in tiny concentrations. Skunk spray contains thioacetates, which decompose very slowly into thiols. You are hit with an initial blast of thiols, but also get a slow release of thiols from the thioacetates for a long time to come. That's why the smell of skunk tends to linger for so long. The spray sticks to hair, wool and paint around the walls, and will dissolve in there and slowly come out. You can wash wood with a mixture of three percent hydrogen peroxide and a quarter cup of baking soda per quart of hydrogen peroxide. You also need to add a little liquid detergent. You can wash clothes and other objects with a bleach solution. If the smell has drifted all over your house, all you can do is air it out.
http://www.humboldt.edu/~wfw2/deodorize.shtml goes into more detail about removing the smell. To neutralize or deodorize skunk spray, the chemicals in the secretion must be changed to a different type of molecule. To remove residual skunk odour from your clothes, wash them with one cup of liquid laundry bleach per gallon of water.
To clean buildings, decks etc, use a solution of liquid laundry (Chlorox) bleach (1 cup per gallon). You must take care, as it may bleach the buildings. Try it on a small area if bleaching may be a problem. The bleach must come in contact with the spot where the secretion was sprayed Repeated applications may be necessary for large amounts of the skunk spray. You must not use this on pets and it will not work for skunk spray that has drifted over a large area or is trapped in a house. Only time and adequate ventilation will help in this case.
http://www.co.el-dorado.ca.us/ag/wildlife/skunks.html says that skunk musk on clothing, outdoor furniture and other objects may be neutralized by a strong detergent washing followed by the liberal use of vinegar or household ammonia and a final rinse. Airing these articles on hot, sunny days will also help. To deodorize in or under buildings: maximize the ventilation and place cotton balls saturated with a few drops of a strong commercial deodorizer, or Neutroleum alpha, or oil of wintergreen.
I hope that this helps you, but please take care when using the chemicals, especially those which adversely affect your health.
