Skunk Training

Training a new, baby skunk can be very easy and rewarding. If you take the time to do it well, you will have one of the most cuddly and friendly pets you could ever want.

There are a few things to remember when starting out with a baby:

They are as nervous as you are, you can't let their nervousness intimidate you.
You need to win their trust and become mommy/daddy
It is common for them to stomp and try to scare you away. Eventually this behavior will turn into play.

Our tried and true method of bonding with your skunk is to carry them under your shirt for as long as you can. This means any time you are home and available, the baby is in your shirt. Whether you are eating, cleaning house, reading a book, the baby needs to be in your shirt. This helps them to smell your scent and relate it to a safe haven. Pet them often from outside the shirt. Rub, rock and cradle. Reach in your shirt often to rub them as well. Feed them tiny bits of food from within your shirt. All of this makes you and your shirt a safe and fun place.

As your baby gets more comfortable, move them, inside your shirt, up toward your shoulder. Give him/her cheek rubs as often as you can. Sadly, there probably will come a time when your baby will no longer fit comfortably under your shirt, so its nice to train them to be carried near your shoulder where you can cuddle.

As they get more comfortable with you, play with them on the floor some. They will stomp, you can stomp back in play. Some will do summer salts. You can also roll small balls at them to get them to play. Cat toys are great for small games of tug of war.

If you spend tons of time with your baby, you will be rewarded with a wonderful and loyal pet.

Remember that these are babies. Just like puppies and kitties, they will bite and scratch in play. There are ways to teach them to safely play bite without causing you injury. Also, as babies, they have a great need to dig and are amazingly good diggers. Understand this means digging holes through your carpet. This is all part of living with a baby animal of any kind.

Success in getting a loving and loyal pet means being patient and loving on your part. It is one of the most rewarding things we have ever done.