Help name seven baby skunks, please

[Moonbear]

LOL! I've noticed the ads at the top of the page are now all for goats and goat breeders! The ads must be selected by some program that scans for keywords in the messages or something. But, yeah, there is that dangly thing at the end of the goat penis. I don't know what it does either...I have a vulgar thought, but can't write that here. The pig is the only one that is supposed to have a corkscrew penis...it fits the shape of the sow's cervix. In bulls, it's considered an abnormality, and a bad one at that. More often they get more of a deflection or curvature to one side or another.

I'm now trying to figure out how a discussion on naming skunks wound up with an embedded discussion on animal penis shapes.

Baby skunks are the cutest things. When I used to live with my parents, we had a skunk that came to visit with her babies, right after the raccoon with her babies. It was pretty cute...the raccoon would show up, open the garbage can (was usually very neat about it all), hopped in with her little ones, and either ate inside the can or pulled out a few items that must have needed washing in the water bowls we left outside (for whatever animal stopped by in need of a drink or bath), and then the skunks would show up a little later and clean up the scraps the raccoons left behind. Well, except the day the skunk showed up early and the raccoon wasn't done yet...had pulled leftover turkey bones out of the trash and the skunk and raccoon started a tug-of-war over it...it actually seemed pretty civilized, though we decided to close the windows just in case. This was back when I still lived with my parents (I was only a teenager then)...my parents had the attitude that since they built a house in the woods, and the wildlife was there first, as long as they were outside, they could do what they wanted. Of course I was also the kid who would train chipmunks (mom wouldn't let me continue feeding the squirrels by hand after they ate their way through the back door to get to the peanut jar, but I could feed the chipmunks while sitting out on the patio)...once they figured out I was a reliable food source, they had no problem climbing up my leg to get peanuts...but then they didn't seem to discriminate among different people, so scared my grandmother something fierce when one climbed up her leg while she was visiting. I think I was destined from an early age to either study animal behavior or become a circus performer.

 

[Moonbear]

Are the babies still nursing? Because you'll want to catch the mom, too...otherwise, she'll probably get mastitis. When I catch feral kittens, I must catch the mother, too, or have a way to feed her antibiotic-laced food (wet food) for 10 days. My vet taught me this.

The mother shouldn't get mastitis from weaning, but I'd be more concerned that if she's still nursing, the babies aren't ready to be on their own without her yet. So, yep, need to catch the mom too. I don't know about with skunks, but with some animals, you can do that easily once you have the babies...the mom will follow the babies and you can lead her into someplace where you can catch her.

Yes, a solid bottom on the trap would be good...that should also keep them calmer when you pick up the cage if they can't see down, and since you have a mom and babies to catch, their feet are all different sizes, so you don't want a mesh bottom that their feet will slip through and lead to injury.

I think I'd hold the sheet in front of a plastic shower curtain liner or tarp just in case they do decide to spray while you're approaching them.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I think I'd hold the sheet in front of a plastic shower curtain liner or tarp just in case they do decide to spray while you're approaching them.

Not needed. You make the cage/trap ceiling low enough that they can't raise their tails. If they were to spray, they'd get it on themselves, and they will avoid that. This is the point of the solid bottom: so they realize that spraying isn't going to do them any good.

 

[holly]

It isn't a natural weaning, so that's what gives the moms mastitis. It's the sudden stop. Amoxicillin is pretty cheap & easy to get, that's what the vet gives me to use.

I really feel for I.S. & Tsu, what a headache, to have all these babies show up.

 

[Evo]

Ok, this is a bit off topic, but we have some wild creature lovers here so maybe you'll get a kick out of this.

I also live in a rural area, and as I had previously mentioned I had an opposum move into my house. Well, I got him out of the house, but he moved into my garage.

Now you are about to find out just how demented my sense of humor is.

One of my cats is obsessed with "pumping", you cat owners know what I'm talking about. He gets VERY serious about pumping, his eyes closing to slits and he really concentrates on it. We joke that this cat is a "professional" pumper. His name is Foofer. Anyway, my friend in Italy and I tend to make up stories combining all my weird animals. Yeah, neither one of us has a life.

Here is the result of my obsessive pumping cat Foofer and the opposum in my garage.

I will understand if all of you avoid me from now on.

http://imageuploader.milbrathnet.net/uploads/drfoofer[1].jpg

 

[Math Is Hard]

Is pumping the same thing as "making biscuits"?

 

[Evo]

Is pumping the same thing as "making biscuits"?

Hmmm, my cats have never made biscuits (lazy bums). I don't know.

It's what they do with their front paws when they are happy. Kittens do it when they are feeding on their mother.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Yes I'm confused. What exactly is Foofer pumping? Are you saying that Foofer falls in love with inanimate objects?

Edit: Late post. Never mind. As a kid we had a cat that, well...

 

[Ivan Seeking]

His name is Foofer. Anyway, my friend in Italy and I tend to make up stories combining all my weird animals. Yeah, neither one of us has a life.

Nonsense. I loved my animals even when I had a life.

Not that we go overboard or anything, but really the cats just let us live here.

 

[Tsu]

...but really the cats just let us live here.

Only if we feed them. :surprise:

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It appears that our cats are wise to the skunks. Einstein was waiting for them tonight at the right place and time. Last night he and Zoobie both came down at the right time - right after the sun sets.

See Zooby, pretty soon the cats will start leading them to the cat food...in my office, or worse, in the house. We have sung this song before.

 

[The Bob]

I will understand if all of you avoid me from now on.

http://imageuploader.milbrathnet.net/uploads/drfoofer[1].jpg

[/URL]

Out of interest did anyone else see this picture because I cannot. Is it my computer?

Cheers

Thr Bob (2004 ©)

 

[holly]

ROFL! Evo's Pump Cat is hilarious! So that's what it's called! We called it "Happy Paws." New cat does it! Maybe he's kin to Dr. Foofer and should go live with Evo...Er, does Dr. F also drool a lot when he does it?

I can see the pic fine.

Wish we had a "cat smiley."

What deters skunks? Can maybe you throw a bunch of chiles around under the coop? Do you have some dogs? Maybe you could get their fur and place it strategically and the skunks will run away...?

 

[Moonbear]

I've been having trouble with the links to those sites, even when I copy the link into a new window, it sometimes won't work and sometimes will. Instead of just clicking on the link, do the right click thing that copies the link to the clipboard and then paste it into the address line in a newly opened browser window. Is there a way to paste in a URL without it being converted to a link on this board since you have to copy and paste it anyway? It would be easier if the full address showed up instead of something with "..." in the middle of it.

And I finally figured out that by pumping, you meant what I call kneading...that thing they do with their paws as if they are trying to fluff their pillow to make it more comfortable. When you called it pumping, I had in mind something very different :blush:

 

[Evo]

Out of interest did anyone else see this picture because I cannot. Is it my computer?

Cheers

Thr Bob (2004 ©)

I have the same problem sporadically. If your browser is IE (Internet Explorer), you can click and drag the X (where the picture should be) up to the address bar and it will display the picture.

 

[faust9]

http://imageuploader.milbrathnet.net/uploads/skunks1%206-29-04.JPG

The original link was missing a % between some white space. The original link has skunks1 206-29-04.JPG which is an invalid URL. Add a % and you get skunks1%206-29-04.JPG which works.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Thanks, Faust! Now I can finally see them.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Sorry folks, I couldn't see that there was a problem. It came up on my screen.

 

[Evo]

http://imageuploader.milbrathnet.net/uploads/skunks1%206-29-04.JPG

The original link was missing a % between some white space. The original link has skunks1 206-29-04.JPG which is an invalid URL. Add a % and you get skunks1%206-29-04.JPG which works.

All I see is a red X. I had to go to properties and copy & paste the URL of the pic into the address bar in order to see it. I couldn't even click & drag it this time.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Yep.. pumping = kneading = making biscuits. Just depends on what part of the country (or world) the cat owner is in I guess.
My neighbor's cat was weaned a little too early, and usually when that happens to cats they suck and knead on wool blankets. For this particular cat, though, there was just nothing quite as good as sucking on a human earlobe. I used to cat-sit for them when they went out of town. I should have charged them extra for having to put up with that!

 

[Math Is Hard]

sorry, i forgot we were talking about skunks. whoops!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

OKay I have picked their names. There are eight in total.

In alphabetical order:

Evo the Terrible
Holly Terror
JimmyP Spraymaster
Miss AfterMath
Misty Monique
Moonbear The Odiferous
Njorl [the Bob] Boulderbomb
Zooby Le Pew

 

[Ivan Seeking]

sorry, i forgot we were talking about skunks. whoops!

This is a multidimensional conversation. Let's not forget goat diddies

 

[zoobyshoe]

OKay I have picked their names. There are eight in total.

A good list. Do Zoobie and Zooby get along?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I think Zoobie was down here looking for Zooby. I don't know if they have formally met.

 

[jimmy p]

JimmyP Spraymaster... I like it!

infact, I'll add it to the little message thing under my name!

 

[Evo]

chopnik spraymaster

 

[Evo]

This is a multidimensional conversation. Let's not forget goat diddies

I don't think I will ever be able to forget the goat diddies.

I swear most men I meet are part goat.

Evo the Terrible. I am honored.

 

[Moonbear]

LOL! Moonbear the Odiferous...that's somewhat akin to when my brother-in-law got me LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of scented soaps as a Christmas present the first year I started working with goats! Then I smelled like goat AND fruit salad all at once! (They were those stinky fruit-scented soaps) I'm sure I'd have made everyone's mouth water in some Middle Eastern restaurant (I think that would be the place to get goat meat).

I think I like Holly Terror the best of them all! Now, can you tell all 8 skunks apart well enough to remember which one has which name?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Evo the Terrible. I am honored.

Yes, in many Native American traditions, it is an honor to have a skunk named after you. Well, actually in only a couple of tribes. Well, actually, there is this one little band where shame and disgrace don't necessarily have to follow you the rest of your life because of it.

 

[Evo]

Zooby Le Pew is catchy.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Zooby Le Pew is catchy.

Indeed. Much better than "Skunk Ape".

 

[Evo]

I'm sure I'd have made everyone's mouth water in some Middle Eastern restaurant (I think that would be the place to get goat meat).

Having lived in Texas for a number of years, I have eaten cabrito (barbecued goat). It's a Mexican thing. It was actually quite good.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

btw, that was supposed to be Njorl [the Bob] Boulderbomb

Okay, now the bad news: Zooby, you're right about this pounding before you spray thing. Between my office door and the kitchen door I had three encounters with little skunks pounding the ground; well, I think that's what I saw. I kept seeing motion followed by a large tail pointed at me. These guys are all over the place! We may have more than one family...I think... Also, I'm not sure if these were the babies or something else but Zoobie was hanging with two of them up near the house. No kidding, this place is being overrun. Walking to the house after dark is like walking through a mine field.

I think the lesson here is that we can't go without a dog this long. Our beloved Dr Who recently went to that great phone booth in the sky.

 

[Evo]

Okay, now the bad news: Zooby, you're right about this pounding before you spray thing. Between my office door and the kitchen door I had three encounters with little skunks pounding the ground; well, I think that's what I saw. I kept seeing motion followed by a large tail pointed at me. These guys are all over the place! We may have more than one family...I think...

I'm envisioning hundreds of baby skunks pounding the ground in unison...Ivan screaming, running into the darkness hoping to escape the inevitable, but it's too late... :surprise:

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Having lived in Texas for a number of years, I have eaten cabrito (barbecued goat). It's a Mexican thing. It was actually quite good.

We got to be friends with the Mexican family that started the best Mexican restaurant around. They kept trying to buy our pet goats [four at that time - Grunt, Bambi, Tater and Spud. Only when they invited us over for a BBQ did we realize the motivation to buy.

When I sad down and saw poor Mr. Grunt on that table... :surprise:







just kidding. We never sold them.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I'm envisioning hundreds of baby skunks pounding the ground in unison...Ivan screaming, running into the darkness hoping to escape the inevitable, but it's too late... :surprise:

So you think that's funny eh?

It did feel a bit like a plot from some twisted, skunk horror flick. I can't possibly check every bush and rock along the way. All of a sudden I would hear the pounding in the brush, I think, and there was another tail within six to ten feet; pointing right at me.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Okay, now the bad news: Zooby, you're right about this pounding before you spray thing. Between my office door and the kitchen door I had three encounters with little skunks pounding the ground; well, I think that's what I saw. I kept seeing motion followed by a large tail pointed at me

As far as I know the pounding is only done if you have them cornered. In all cases where they have somewhere to run they will do that first. However, a skunk isn't very fast. I suppose if it seems like you're following them faster than they can run away they might get defensive.

My impression from the ones in the backyard here, is that their eyesight is terrible. They probably don't react to the sound of you walking because there are so many other skunks around to make noise, and the result is by the time they percieve how big you are you are already close enough to scare them.

I think from what you described that if you had a dog it would have gotten itself sprayed by now.

Best to go back and forth after dark with a flashlight.

 

[Moonbear]

I'm envisioning hundreds of baby skunks pounding the ground in unison...Ivan screaming, running into the darkness hoping to escape the inevitable, but it's too late... :surprise:

LOL! I think they have Ivan surrounded.

They're all quiet as they encircle him, luring him into the center, then when there's nowhere to run, it starts: thump, thump, thump, thump...little striped tails approaching from every direction.

The scene goes to black.

The next scene is daylight, the hazmat team is there with gas masks and full protective clothing, onlookers stand behind crime scene tape, Tsunami is talking to a detective, "I don't know what happened? They seemed so harmless, but then this. I don't understand how this could have happened to Ivan? Why? Why?! Why?!"

Scene pans to two members of the hazmat team carrying in a large tub full of red liquid. Pans back to Tsunami who gasps at the site of the tub. The hazmat team leader has entered the scene, "Sorry ma'am, we didn't want to resort to this, but it's the only chance he has, we're going to have to douse him in tomato juice."

 

[The Bob]

I have the same problem sporadically. If your browser is IE (Internet Explorer), you can click and drag the X (where the picture should be) up to the address bar and it will display the picture.

Still not working. Can I just have the address please?

The Bob (2004 ©)

*EDIT* Ignore it. I saw them. Really quite cute.

 

[The Bob]

Njorl [the Bob] Boulderbomb

Oh yer. My favourite name

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[The Bob]

btw, that was supposed to be Njorl [the Bob] Boulderbomb

Well it was. And I like it. Dunno what Njorl thinks about sharing a name of a skunk but the two do work well together.

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[Tsu]

Update: THE LITTLE BUGGERS ARE EVERYWHERE! Last night I went out to call Zoobie in before bed, and one of them was RIGHT AT THE BACK DOOR! I think it was Zooby Le Pew. EVO! Send me your Jaws of Death puppy! We need dogs!

 

[Evo]

LOL! I think they have Ivan surrounded.

They're all quiet as they encircle him, luring him into the center, then when there's nowhere to run, it starts: thump, thump, thump, thump...little striped tails approaching from every direction.

The scene goes to black.

The next scene is daylight, the hazmat team is there with gas masks and full protective clothing, onlookers stand behind crime scene tape, Tsunami is talking to a detective, "I don't know what happened? They seemed so harmless, but then this. I don't understand how this could have happened to Ivan? Why? Why?! Why?!"

Scene pans to two members of the hazmat team carrying in a large tub full of red liquid. Pans back to Tsunami who gasps at the site of the tub. The hazmat team leader has entered the scene, "Sorry ma'am, we didn't want to resort to this, but it's the only chance he has, we're going to have to douse him in tomato juice."

Moonbear you are a riot!

 

[The Bob]

Having lived in Texas for a number of years, I have eaten cabrito (barbecued goat). It's a Mexican thing. It was actually quite good.

Barbecued Goat? Intresting. Well atleast if you forgot the bottle opener for the wine you could use the goat's screwed shaped ... erm... well anyway

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[Evo]

Update: THE LITTLE BUGGERS ARE EVERYWHERE! Last night I went out to call Zoobie in before bed, and one of them was RIGHT AT THE BACK DOOR! I think it was Zooby Le Pew. EVO! Send me your Jaws of Death puppy! We need dogs!

One large stupid dog AKA "Jaws of Death" is on it's way. That dog has been sprayed by skunks so many times she is immune to it now.

Hey, will skunks run in wheels (like hamsters) if they are put in a cage? If you could somehow harness the power from all those skunks...

P.S. - Tsunami, Ivan said that you were the one that came up with the skunkapult?? :surprise: I am shocked.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Hey, will skunks run in wheels (like hamsters) if they are put in a cage? If you could somehow harness the power from all those skunks...

Yes, Ivan and Tsunami have a potential Pew Power monopoly on their hands, and they can't see the tree of this power through the forest of bushy tails.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Barbecued Goat? Intresting. Well atleast if you forgot the bottle opener for the wine...

Do we select a red wine or white wine when eating BBQ goat?

Oh yes, you want a pig not a goat. Just twist the screw into the cork and then pull on the pig's tail.

I guess what I saw on the billy was a hook of some kind, not a cork screw.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Update: THE LITTLE BUGGERS ARE EVERYWHERE! Last night I went out to call Zoobie in before bed, and one of them was RIGHT AT THE BACK DOOR! I think it was Zooby Le Pew. EVO! Send me your Jaws of Death puppy! We need dogs!

uhoh.. I think you might have "pets" at this point!

Maybe you should contact "the skunk lady" for help:
http://www.accs.net/users/whyden/skunkfaq.htm

boy, was I ever flattered to have a skunk named after me! Highlight of my week!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

As far as I know the pounding is only done if you have them cornered. In all cases where they have somewhere to run they will do that first. However, a skunk isn't very fast. I suppose if it seems like you're following them faster than they can run away they might get defensive.

I think that's what happens. They don't hear me coming, or they ignore me until I cross the line. I hear them and I can see a little motion in the dark, but by the time I get the light on them they have turned around and the tail is up.

My impression from the ones in the backyard here, is that their eyesight is terrible.

I think you're right. the seem to see only at very short range.

I think from what you described that if you had a dog it would have gotten itself sprayed by now.

Best to go back and forth after dark with a flashlight.

Well, it is a little late to solve this years problem with a dog, at least without ending up with a really stinky dog, but as long as dogs are around the skunks would never nest here in the first place. I was afraid of something like this but really we have had quite a long run - 14 years - with a lot of animals - 18 or so with a few transients that found homes - and I was ready for a break. Keeping dogs on the property is a discussion in its own right. Around here, if they get out and chase cattle they're likely dead. The cattle people will often shoot them. Also, it is not possible to make the fence dog proof...so here we go again with controlled areas and fencing problems. Oh well, it's better than skunks! We really have quite a problem here.