# Looking for some SKUNK info!



## Terimarie

We're not looking to get one for a while, but we're getting a skunk! I understand that it's now illegal to descent a skunk in the UK but for the safety of my two cats, I've decided to get one already descented from Ireland.

I hear you don't need any type of pet passport and don't have to go through any quarantine do do so, so I can just pop over (from England to Ireland) and pop back with my skunk, is that right? What type of carrier would I need and would I be allowed to carry it on to a ferry with me?

Does anyone on here keep skunks? And if so, do you know of any reputable breeders in Ireland (as I've heard it can cause problems if a skunk isn't descented properly) 

Please let me know, we're still in the process of finding vets and all the rest of it but this is something we would really need to know! Thank you


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## canuckjill

didn't want to read and run, I'm in Canada so have no idea...lol over here you need a license to own any kind of wild life, even after de scenting I have heard they still have a distinct odour


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## ClaireandDaisy

Why on earth would you want to isolate and confine a wild animal? I really don`t get it.


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## Mese

Cant you just appreciate a wild animal in its own habitat , just because there are people who have decided that they will breed and descent these lovely creatures doesnt mean its right


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## Lil Miss

i really wouldnt go to all that trouble just to get a descented skunk, there is a reason it is illegal here, it is also not necessary at all, is a painful process and can cause serious problems (such as reoccurring prolapses, and constipation, descenting removes the anal glads, which are responsible for lubricating the feces and allowing it to pass correctly, and that is problems that DO occur if done correctly!) if things go wrong, it is a mutilation. skunks only spray when scared or if they feel threatened, which if they are correctly socialized should not be an issue, descenting the skunk will not be any safer for your cat, skunk spray is not toxic just smelly. your cat would be more at risk from the skunk deciding to try bite her. the trip over from ireland would also be very stressful for the skunk too.

even descented skunks still smell, so you wouldnt gain any benefit, from going to all that effort to bring a skunk back who has had to endure the pain of descenting and probably has medical issues to go with it


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## polishrose

I agree-why would you want to do that to an animal?It'd be like getting a hamster with no teeth or a cat with no claws and no meow, or fish who can't swim.....the world's gone mad!!! Leave the poor skunks alone.


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## Terimarie

Didn't mean to offend guys, I also hear from lots of owners that a "full loaded skunk" is at risk of lots of infections too.
And the skunks here are about as wild as a dog or a cat really, I've spoken to lots of breeders, lots of owners, had them in college, had them at work (both fully loaded and descented), now wanted one at home


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## elmthesofties

Terimarie said:


> Didn't mean to offend guys, I also hear from lots of owners that a "full loaded skunk" is at risk of lots of infections too.
> And the skunks here are about as wild as a dog or a cat really, I've spoken to lots of breeders, lots of owners, had them in college, had them at work (both fully loaded and descented), now wanted one at home


In your defense, I have also heard that some ill skunks spray a lot, little and often, which means that it's difficult to find vets willing to treat them. Most operations are painful, realistically, but the pain is short term and it does not prevent them from displaying natural behaviors. I'm not saying I support it but there are reasons to have a skunk descented just as there are reasons to leave them in tact.

And pet skunks are known to do very well in pet homes. Some species suffer in captivity, others thrive. It wouldn't really be "confinement", either. Many pet skunks have the free run of the house and can get taken on walks if they are harness trained. Even some zoos have taken to doing this because it provides some really good enrichment and if the skunk is tame, it means that you can build up a good relationship with them and check them over for any health problems as often as you like without sedation.

I'm not exactly an advocate for keeping skunks in captivity but telling somebody that they're being horrible by wanting one isn't going to change anything. I know I'm probably going to get attacked by people telling me how ignorant I am but the least you could do is explain why. 

If you want to find some more people with actual experience, I would recommend that you head over to RFUK and do a search for skunks. The people there are a little bit more 'laid back' when it comes to keeping exotics in captivity, although unfortunately some people seem to be so laid back that they're treating it like Pokemon and just want as many as they can possibly get. Nonetheless, the information is still relevant.


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## Lil Miss

as i said in my post, to descent a skunk you need to remove the anal glads, animals need their anal glands, removing these causes lifelong problems, there are breeders in this country that do raise their skunks right and that send them to their new homes hand tame.

i am not against skunks as pets, they can do quite well in home environments, i am however against the needless mutilation, and no, most vets wont refuse to treat a skunk because its not being mutilated, being smelly and covered in crap and being bitten/scratched is all part of the job


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## Phoenix24

my only experience of skunks is of wild ones in rehabilitation in the USA, and yes the smell is awful but no one ever said it was dangerous? The only danger we were worried about was rabies and distemper (and when they get sick with that they spray uncontrollably). 

I can't imagine a domesticated (or at least, captive bred) skunk being any different from any other captive bred animal. If we were to use the argument of keeping wild animals in the wild, we would never keep anything as a pet - as all pets descended from wild animals at some point.

You should look up the customs and quarantine regs before you go get your skunk, I don't know what they, sorry - you probably won't need a passport if its from the UK not Eire, but you will have to have a rabies vaccination cert (I think) to import an animal from outside the UK - not sure though because Eire isn't exactly mainland Europe where rabies is a concern.

My thoughts on the descenting - that's kind of like taking all the teeth out of a dog isn't it? Personally I don't agree with doing ops on animals that aren't actually beneficial to the animal, but for convenience or comfort of the human (unless its something venomous I suppose). Ferrets are smelly animals too (being of the same group, the mustelids) but i've never heard of their anal glands being removed (nor a cats or dogs come to think of it).

Sorry, just my rambling thoughts on the issue, not really helpful lol


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## Lil Miss

Phoenix24 said:


> Ferrets are smelly animals too (being of the same group, the mustelids) but i've never heard of their anal glands being removed (nor a cats or dogs come to think of it).


you did used to be able to descent ferrets too, but that too is illegal over here, for the same reasons


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## elmthesofties

Lil Miss said:


> no, most vets wont refuse to treat a skunk because its not being mutilated, being smelly and covered in crap and being bitten/scratched is all part of the job


A post I found by someone who keeps 3 skunks who goes by the username of Loderuna.
"Descenting was banned as an unnecessary mutilation when the new animal welfare act came into force in 2007.

Well socialised skunks will only spray if scared or injured/ill. However, I have personal experience of vets refusing to treat a very sick skunk because he was spraying. If he had been descented, he would have been treated and made comfortable much more quickly.

Options:
Find a good vet who understands skunks and will tolerate and/or have contingencies to deal with spraying in practice.
Keep descenting banned but require vets to treat them regardless of spraying - vet bills would be huge from those practices who don't want to treat skunks.
Ban keeping of skunks - bit late for that now...
Allow descenting so that vets will treat sick skunks promptly.

It's a big ethical dilemma. Some will also put descenting in the same category as declawing and teeth pulling in cats and exotics in the USA, which it is, if people do it for their own convenience and not for the benefit of the animal."

As I said earlier, though, I do not support descenting skunks. But there are arguments on both sides and both are worth listening to.


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## Terimarie

Thanks for all your help guys


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## sarelis

I saw a guy walking around with a blue skunk at a dog show we were at last weekend, it was all cuddled up to him, resting it's head on his shoulder. It's coat was beautiful, so soft! I expected a skunk to be coarse and bristly. No idea if it was descented or owt, but it was a lovely thing, very tame and sweet.


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## blade100

If your looking for skunks then go on reptile forum uk, lots of owners on there with skunks.


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## Phoenix24

Baby skunks are gorgeous. Kind of like a cross between a kitten and a squirrel. They practice spraying quite young though!


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## Terimarie

Thanks Pheonix24  you can prevent pet skunks for getting those diseases just like you can prevent your cats and dogs getting them  and thanks to some help from some skunky owners, I've found a vet only down the road from me that is willing to treat a "full" skunk  yey! I'm very glad from all your help guys


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