Do skunks give off that skunk odor even when they are not under threat?

[Carson Dyle]

Is it just me, or do skunks not really stink as much as people claim. Sure, they have a very strong odor. But I think it is a strengh of odor problem more than a really bad odor. A really bad stench is driving past a feed lot on the first late-winter day of thaw. Skunks, while strong, are no where near as bad smelling as that.

I think it's like a lot of smells. Some smells bother some people more than they do others. I've never really found the smell of skunks to be horribly unpleasant. Then again, I've never been sprayed, either. I'm talking about the odd skunk passing through the neighborhood or driven past on a highway.

 

[zinfamous]

I'm asleep last night and ~midnight I become aware that I smell a skunk. Of course I'm more than 1/2 asleep, and wonder if this is for real. It goes on... and on. I don't know how long it goes on. At some point I switch on the light and it's ~12:30AM. I think it is possible that there was a skunk in my backyard, it's not impossible. I think they are uncommon in my neighborhood.

Well, I have a compost pile in the back of the lot where I toss my tree trimmings, grass clippings, compostable kitchen garbage, so that may have attracted a skunk.

My bedroom is on the 2nd story, looking out over the backyard at the back of which is the compost pile. I had a couple of fans blowing air into the bedroom from outside to cool the air enough to make sleeping comfortable. Those fans brought in the odor, unless it was just a dream. I doubt it was just a dream.

An indeterminable amount of time later I didn't notice a skunk smell, slept another ~3 hours and got up.

Do skunks give off that skunk smell even when they are not under threat?

Um, that's probably your downstairs neighbors smoking dank herb.

 

[Muse]

it's probably just me, but sometimes I think they smell like strong freshly brewed coffee

You might want to change your coffee source.D:

 

[Muse]

Um, that's probably your downstairs neighbors smoking dank herb.

My money's on the possum in a tuxedo.

 

[zinfamous]

My money's on the possum in a tuxedo.

well, skunks are very common around here. And so is herb. It's honestly quite hard to distinguish what is going on around you from night to night if all you have is odor to go on.

 

[blankslate]

don't people keep skunks with their spray organs removed as pets?


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