Food sources
Skunks are opportunistic omnivores. Anything edible at ground level counts.
- Fallen fruit under apple, plum, cherry or crabapple trees
- Birdseed spilled beneath feeders
- Open compost piles, especially with food scraps
- Trash or compost carts with lids that do not close fully
- Food bowls or feeding stations left outdoors overnight
- Grubs in the lawn, which show up as patches of small conical holes
- Vegetable garden waste left on the ground at season's end
- Grill drip trays and grease cups left uncovered
Technician in a protective suit spraying a ceiling in an empty room. Illustrative only: this photo is not from a job tied to this site or a specific address.
Shelter is the bigger draw
Food brings skunks through, but shelter is what keeps them on a property. A skunk passing through might spray once if startled. A skunk denning under the porch will spray repeatedly over weeks, near the house, often at the worst possible spot. That is why closing den sites matters more than any single food source.
In central Denver, the classic den sites are raised porches, low decks, sheds sitting on blocks, gaps under concrete stoops, piles of lumber or brush along the alley fence, and crawlspaces behind damaged vents. Many lots have two or three of these. A trail camera or a dusting of flour at a suspected entry, checked in the morning, can show which one is in use.
Shelter spots and what to do about them
| Spot | What to look for | Long-term fix |
|---|---|---|
| Porch base | Gap at skirting, digging near steps | Buried hardware cloth or solid skirting |
| Low deck | Worn path to an opening along the edge | Perimeter wire bent outward underground |
| Shed on blocks | Burrow under the floor | Close the perimeter or set the shed on a sealed base |
| Concrete stoop | Hollow beneath, soil pushed out | Fill or close the gap at the base |
| Woodpile or brush | Tunnel into the pile | Store wood off the ground; clear brush |
| Crawlspace vent | Bent or missing screen | Heavy-gauge screen, securely fastened |
| Window well | Debris, tracks in gravel | Well cover that still allows egress |
General information for Washington Park, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.