Skunks

• Skunk Troubles

One of the first things that comes to mind when asked about Skunks as pets is the great struggle they have not only just to be accepted by people but also to be treated fairly by laws and regulations. People are fairly easy because, all it takes is to meet one of these lovable critters face to face to know how missunderstood they are. I must say from a personal stand point that Skunks are one of my favorite fuzzies.

Right from the start it should be said that we are dealing with two different kinds of skunk here, (no I'm not talking about two different species)the "wild" skunk, and the "domestic" skunk. That's right I used the word "Domestic." Asside from all the technicalities one skunk is wild, and the other has been raised for generations apon generations in captivity. The domestic is the only kind of skunk you should keep as a pet, unless you are a rehabber. Domestic skunks already have their "stinkers" removed when they are ready to go to new homes. Be careful if trying to purchase a baby skunk and someone tells you that they have been descented, "and" spayed/neutered. 9 times out of 10 they are only descented. This is important to mention because it is VERY important that your pet skunk be spayed or neutered when they are old enough. We will talk about that more later though.

Something els you should think about when purchasing a pet skunk is the laws. Not just weather or not it's legal to own where you live but the federal laws pertaining to them. Though you may vaccinate your pet skunk (which is reccomended) there is no "approved" rabies vaccine here in the US. What this means to you is that if your skunk ever bites or even scratches someone and it's reported, the athorities can come and confiscate your beloved pet and put it to sleep. There is no way to test for rabies other than cutting the head off the animal and teasting it's brain. It should also be mentioned that your skunk doesn't actually have to bite or scratch someone either. All it takes is someone to report and accuse that he did. Your pet skunk is guilty from the moment someone opens their mouth. There will be no need for proof. The athorities have the right (at the moment) to come and take your pet and put it down with out question. For these reasons if you are thinking of purchasing a pet skunk you should be VERY careful who you let your skunk come in contact with. It might save your skunks life.

There are efforts being made to change these laws. If you would like to join in and help you can go to the "People for Domestic Skunks" web site and sign their petition. This petition is to get an approved rabies vaccine and quarantine period for Domestic Skunks. This is also a big deal because there is an approved rabies vaccine in Canada right now as you're reading this.

• As Pets

Skunks can make wonderful pets for the right person. If you don't have a sense of humor, I would just leave this one alone. Skunks are VERY smart, and loving little animals. These guys are full of antics, and will keep you laughing for days.

• Smell

I think the first thing that should be descussed here is the smell. People are so easily willing to except a Ferret in to the home with out realising that these two animals are related. "Yes" Ferrets did spray like a Skunk before they were also descented. Now usually the question I get next is "Well, Ferrets have that musky smell even after they've been descented. Will a Skunk be the same way?" No. A Skunk will not carry that same musky smell after being descented and I'll explane why. Ferrets along with their anal scent glands, also have scent glands under the skin. This is why they still have a slight musky smell about them. Skunks only have the anal scent glands. There are always exceptions to the rule on this, and here are the ones I've come accross. One of the main reasons a Skunk will smell after being descented is bad diet. More on this will be explaned under diet, but basically a Skunk will smell from bad diet because the body is trying to expell the unhealthy foods being consumed. The only other time that I have noticed a Skunk smelling bad is right after descenting. When descenting, the vet is removing two scent sacks from the anal area. As with most proceedures the Skunks aren't allowed to bathe for a while after. Naturally they don't smell very good for that "while after."

• Housing and Skunk Proofing

Housing is important for a Skunk in the home. First and formost "NO CAGES." Skunks cannot be caged. They need to be able to free roam the house. A Domestic Skunk in a cage will become bored, aggravated, and agressive. The best way to do this, is to start the Skunk off in a small room like a bathroom. Offer a small carrier with blankets to sleep in, and a litter box. The carrier is important for the Skunk's comfort. He will want dark place to hide and feel safe. Once you feel your Skunk is comfortable in the bathroom, and is using the litter box, let him out in to another room. Eventually, the Skunk should have full run of the house. Skunks are very smart however, and need to be treated like a child. You'll have to basically child proof your home. Anything on Skunk level needs to be looked at. Skunks are not what I would call destructive, but will deffinatly get in to things. House plants and anything with dirt are not safe on Skunk level as they like to dig. Skunks are also very sensative to chemicals. They need to be put away, and your best bet is to use child locks on all the floor cabinets. Many skunks have been lost to accidents so please, if you have to get down on hands and knees and walk around on their level, do so. Better safe than sorry, and you'll be glad you did.

• Diet

The Basics of a Healthy Diet for a Pet Skunk

(From the book, "A Comprehensive Guide to Raising a Pet Skunk" by Mary Kaye Ashley, Copyright 1998)

Skunks do best when they are fed an all-natural diet containing whole foods and vitamins that are intended for human consumption. This means that in order for your skunk to remain healthy, you will have to prepare homemade meals for him instead of resorting to the convenience of commercial pet foods. When I use the term all-natural diet, it does not mean that the objective is to precisely match the diet a skunk eats in the wild. It simply means that you provide him with foods that are healthy for you to eat, stay away from heavily processed foods and foods containing chemical preservatives or additives, and provide him with a well-balanced diet that meets his basic nutritional requirements. Commercial pet foods have not proven to be healthy for skunks and do not sustain them long term. In researching their ingredients I learned that most of them, including some of the premium brands, contain ingredients which the skunk cannot digest and adequately assimilate nutrition from. Many pet foods contain foods which are cast-offs of the human food chain and, although they meet standard labeling requirements, they still provide the animal insufficient amounts of protein and nutrients because of lack of digestibility. This is a key factor in nutritionally related illnesses such as fur loss, arthritis, and degenerative bone disease in skunks. Many of them are laced with chemical preservatives and additives which must be metabolized by the skunk's liver or kidneys, causing these organs to overwork and weaken over a period of time, and thus become diseased. The sugar content in pet foods is typically high to make the food palatable to an animal, but it in turn disrupts the animal's blood sugar regulatory system, leading to diseases like hypoglycemia and diabetes. You may believe that a little bit of dogfood or catfood can't hurt your skunk as long as you give him other foods. I will simply tell you that I've gone this route before with my own skunks. Their health improved when the pet foods were totally eliminated from their diet and replaced with better quality human food. A skunk's system is very sensitive, and although you may not see it in the short term, nutritionally related illnesses will present themselves at some point in the long term if you are not meticulous in the way you feed your skunk on a day-to-day basis. I have used many different diet plans during my years of raising pet skunks, and the plan that has worked best in terms of overall health of the animal consists of the following daily food intake: 40% raw ground turkey & cooked grain recipe; 50% fresh and frozen vegetables; 10% other whole foods. Skunks are omnivores-not herbivores or carnivores. The above diet represents a homemade feeding plan well suited to omnivores in both diversity and percentages of the types of food to be given on a daily basis. By feeding your skunk the recipe originally designed by Dr. Richard Pitcairn and modified to meet a skunk's nutritional needs, as well as feeding him the rest of the foods contained in the recommended diet plan, you are eliminating the guesswork from homemade diets. This is where many people run into trouble. They give their pets healthy, homemade foods but aren't able to provide a proper balance of vitamins and nutrients, and the animal has begins to have health problems. In the diet plan contained in this book, the work to ensure sufficient amounts of nutrients has already been done for you by veterinarians and tested on skunks throughout the country. DR. PITCAIRN'S RECIPES INTRODUCING SKUNKIE DELIGHT. Dr. Richard Pitcairn, one of the country's leading holistic veterinarians, researched and developed a series of homemade recipes for feeding dogs and cats which provide nutrition that is far superior to that found in commercial pet foods. The recipes and their nutritional principles appear in his book, Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats. I began studying his recipes in early 1996 and, under the direction of veterinarians and animal nutritionists, took one of the recipes and adapted it to meet the nutritional needs of pet skunks. The recipe was first introduced to a limited number of skunks in test homes (including my own), and then presented to the members of the American Domestic Skunk Association for widespread use in late 1996. Beginning in June of 1997, all skunk kittens coming from the breeding farms for adoption by ADSA were weaned onto this recipe. I have named this recipe Skunkie Delight, since it is very similar to a recipe that appears in Dr. Pitcairn's book called Poultry Delight. Although the nutrients in Skunkie Delight meet or exceed the minimum standards for commercial pet foods, please note that Skunkie Delight is not intended to be used alone as a complete diet and the sole food source for pet skunks. It is part of a much more substantial diet plan that includes 40% recipe, 50% vegetables, and 10% other whole foods to meet their needs as omnivores. The health improvements seen in pet skunks who were changed over to the recipe have been staggering. In my own skunks I noticed improvements in coat, skin, and energy level within one to two weeks of beginning the recipe. (I had previously been feeding a diet that was approximately 70% vegetables, 15% protein from dogfood or other cooked meat, and 15% other whole foods.) Calls, letters, and emails began pouring in from across the country from other skunk owners who raved about the diet and reported similar changes in their skunks. When fed on a long term basis, the symptoms of nutritionally related illnesses begin to diminish or completely disappear, and the weight of obese skunks began to normalize. I witnessed dramatic health recoveries when a number of moderately to severely ill homeless skunks were converted over to the diet plan. One of them was in the final stages of hepatic liver disease, and another could not consume many foods without choking because the muscles around his esophagus had degenerated due to malnutrition. These skunks are alive today and doing well thanks to the diet. My own skunk Casey had seizures every fourth day like clockwork. When the premium brand of dog food was removed from her diet and replaced with Skunkie Delight, the seizures immediately stopped. Skunks with thinning fur or no fur at all from the middle of their backs down through their tails experienced rapid fur regrowth. The main ingredients in Skunkie Delight consist of raw meat, cooked grains, and a variety of vitamins and vitamin powders. There is one very important principle that you must understand about the recipe. They are synergistically balanced. If you omit one of the ingredients, you throw off the balance of the entire recipe and possibly create a metabolic imbalance in your skunk. If you wish to get started using the recipe but cannot immediately find all of the vitamins, you can safely begin by using the turkey, grain, egg, and vegetable oil, then make a fresh batch of the recipe once you have gathered the remaining ingredients. Please note, however, that for optimal health results the recipe is not meant to be permanently used without the vitamins and vitamin powders added. It's easy for the average skunk owner to pick up a copy of Dr. Pitcairn's book and feel a little overwhelmed by the number of recipes available and not know which one to feed his skunk. To make the process easier for skunk owners, the basic recipe for Skunkie Delight is presented in this book along with an easy-to-follow list of substitutions for the meat, grains, and vitamins should a skunk owner desire to use them. Please note that Dr. Pitcairn recommends that the meat be fed raw as opposed to cooking it. Raw meat is substantially higher in nutritional value. I fully understand concerns you may have about the bacterial content of raw meat. Please understand that the digestive system of animals is far different from that of humans, and although raw meat will make us wretch, animals are effectively able to handle the bacterial content. When was the last time you saw an animal cooking himself a steak in the wild? Additionally, domestication of the species has no impact on their ability to metabolize the raw meat. There are many vets across the country whose entire client lists feed raw meat recipes to their pets, including dogs and cats, with positively no ill effects. I can tell you that my skunks have been eating the raw meat recipe every day for the past two years without getting sick, and so have hundreds of other skunks whose owners use the recipe. If you are interested in learning more about homemade or raw meat diets and their nutritional principles, I highly recommend that your purchase Dr. Pitcairn's book or one of the other animal nutrition books listed in the bibliography section of this book.

Skunkie Delight

• 2 cups uncooked hulled millet
• 2 lbs raw ground turkey
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbs Healthy Powder-see below for recipe
• 2 tbs bone meal powder
• 2 tbs cold pressed vegetable oil (safflower, soy or corn)
• 200 I.U. vitamin E (D-alpha)
• 500 mg. taurine
• 10,000 I.U. Vitamin A from cod liver oil soft gels

Healthy Powder

• 2 cups nutritional yeast
• 1 cup lecithin granules
• 1/4 cup kelp powder 1,000 mg vitamin C

Add millet to 6 cups boiling water, then cover and simmer approximately 20-30 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking and add extra water as needed.

Millet is done cooking when the water is absorbed and it softens and turns light beige in color throughout. Place in a large bowl and stir in the eggs to set in the heat of the millet. Let cool, then add remaining ingredients and mix well. Keep a three day supply in refrigerator and freeze the remaining portions in zip-lock baggies or containers.

Skunk Ration: Approximately 2-3 heaping tablespoons daily. Monitor your skunk’s weight and adjust accordingly.

Grain Substitutions in SD

Vary your choice of grains each time you make the recipe because of the different nutrients each provides. Instead of the millet you can use:

1 1/2 cups brown rice (Boil three cups of water and add rice. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until soft)

2 cups barley (Boil 4-6 cups of water and add barley. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until soft)

4 cups rolled oats (Boil 7-8 cups water and add oats. Turn off the heat and let water absorb for 10-15 minutes)

2 cups bulgar (Boil 4 cups water and add the bulgar. Cover and simmer for 10-20 minutes or until soft)

Meat substitutions: You can occasionally substitute ground chicken or lean ground beef for the turkey.

These recipes are synergistically balanced. If you omit certain ingredients but include others, you can disrupt the skunk’s metabolism. If you can’t find all the ingredients immediately, start out with the meat, grains, eggs, and vegetable oil. Once you get all of the ingredients, start with a fresh batch.

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

This section will give you a better understanding of each of the ingredients that Dr. Pitcairn recommends in his recipes, as well as shopping tips and items you can substitute. You will be buying vitamins that are intended for human use-not pet vitamins. They are available at most health food or natural food stores as well as by mail order. Poultry and Meat: The Skunkie Delight recipe calls for two pounds of raw ground turkey. It is healthier and more nutritious to buy whole turkey and grind it yourself, but for convenience purposes, you will be able to find one-pound tubes of raw ground turkey already processed and ground in your grocery store's freezer case. You can occasionally substitute ground chicken or lean ground beef (lean to medium grades only) for the turkey if you wish. Be aware that organic meats from the health food store are far superior to most grocery store brands if they are available and affordable to you. Eggs: Eggs bought at a health food store are superior because steroids and other chemicals are not given to the chickens, plus the grains they are fed are free of pesticides. Your next best choice are the brands in grocery stores labeled free range or multi-grain. *Note: Skunks easily put on weight when their metabolisms slow down in the fall of every year. It may be necessary to cut back to using one whole egg plus one egg white during this season of the year. You can also do this for obese skunks who need to lose weight. When they become more active again in the spring (or lose the weight), you can resume using two whole eggs in the recipe. Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oils contain linoleic acid and other important unsaturated fatty acids that skunks and other animals need. Buy safflower, soy, or corn oil that is labeled cold pressed or cold expelled. This means that no heat has been used in the processing of the oil which would destroy the nutrient content of the oil. You must refrigerate the oil once you open the bottle or it will go rancid. Adding the oil from inside a softgel of Vitamin E will also help to preserve the vegetable oil. Nutritional Yeast: Do not confuse this with Brewer's Yeast; they are not the same products. Nutritional yeast (torula) is rich in iron, B vitamins, and other important nutrients. Lecithin Granules: Lecithin is rich in linoleic acid, choline, and inositol which help your skunk break down and properly absorb the fat content of his food. Kelp Powder: This contains iodine and important trace minerals in a highly digestible form. Bonemeal Powder: This is the calcium source in the recipe. Buy bonemeal powder from a health food store that is intended for human use instead of bonemeal intended for animal or garden use. The human grade is healthier for your pet because it is made from sources that are far less contaminated. *Substitution: You can substitute calcium tablets or powder for the bonemeal if you prefer. Shop for a human-grade product labeled calcium glutonate, calcium lactate, or chelated calcium, because these are the forms most easy for the body to assimilate. Do not buy pet grade calcium tablets or products containing phosphorus or magnesium. If the item you buy comes in tablet form, you will have to crush it before adding it to the recipes. To determine how much to use, you look at the bottle and see how many milligrams of calcium each tablet contains, then calculate the amount needed for an equal substitution. In the Healthy Powder, substitute 9,000 milligrams calcium for the ¼ cup bonemeal. In the Skunkie Delight, substitute 4,000 milligrams calcium for the 2 tablespoons bonemeal. Liquid oyster shell calcium is also an excellent calcium source and one that is very easily assimilated by skunks. You can substitute it for the portion of the bonemeal powder that goes directly into the Skunkie Delight, but not into the Healthy Powder because it would cause the other ingredients to turn gummy. *Substitution: This one is for those of you who feel ambitious, who have access to an ample supply of eggs, or who would simply like to save a little bit of money. Dr. Pitcairn provides instructions for making your own Eggshell Powder as another source of calcium. Crack open the eggs, wash the shells immediately, then let them dry. When you have collected at least a dozen, bake at 300 degrees for ten minutes. Grind to a fine powder (no sharp pieces, please) using a blender, nut and seed grinder, mortar and pestle, etc. Each eggshell will generate about one teaspoon or less of powder. One teaspoon of Eggshell Powder contains about 1,800 milligrams of calcium, so do your substitution calculations as instructed above. Vitamin E: Look for a brand that is labeled D-Alpha; this is Vitamin E from a natural source. If the bottle is labeled DL-Alpha, put it back on the shelf; this is synthetic Vitamin E. This vitamin is an important antioxidant which helps the body to fight disease and minimizes the effects of toxins from the food and environment. It is also a natural preservative. Vitamin C: If you don't want to spend time crushing Vitamin C tablets, you can substitute ¼ teaspoon of sodium ascorbate powder for the 1,000 milligrams of Vitamin C contained in the Healthy Powder. Taurine: Taurine is an amino acid that helps to prevent certain eye and cardiac diseases. Meat contains taurine, but unfortunately up to 80% of it is destroyed by the heat when we cook it. Since the meat in the Skunkie Delight recipe remains uncooked, it should already contain a sufficient amount of taurine. Dr. Pitcairn recommends that you add the taurine anyway in the event that the amount in the meat is insufficient. Be aware that taurine is very heat sensitive, so make sure the grain has adequately cooled before you add it. Otherwise your skunk will get no nutritional benefit from it and you'll be wasting your money. Vitamin A: You do not need to add Vitamin A to the Skunkie Delight if you regularly feed vegetables to your skunk that are high in Vitamin A or beta-carotene on a regular basis, or if you give your skunk a multi-vitamin daily. Otherwise, you should add 2,500 I.U. of Vitamin A to the recipe. Since too high a quantity of Vitamin A can be toxic, do not exceed this recommended dose. Dr. Pitcairn lists several good sources of Vitamin A as follows: *Cod Liver Oil. Cod liver oil is an excellent source of Vitamin A, unsaturated fatty acids, and Vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin). You can use the liquid or the softgels. If you use liquid, close the bottle tightly and refrigerate after opening so it doesn't become rancid. If you prefer the softgels, you will cut them open, squeeze out the oil, and add it to the recipe once the grain has cooled. Be aware that some animals do not like the taste of liquid cod liver oil, so if your skunk refuses the recipe, you may need to switch to the softgels. *Vitamin A & D Pills. These are available in tablets or capsules. Dr. Pitcairn recommends that you use an A & D combination vitamin instead of a tablet of Vitamin A alone. This will also help your skunk if he isn't outdoors enough or if the natural light coming through a window doesn't give him a sufficient amount of Vitamin D. *Liquid Vitamin A & D. This is convenient but hard to find in health food stores. The bottle will tell you how much Vitamin A each drop contains, and you calculate many drops are needed to total 2,500 I.U. in the recipe.

OTHER RECOMMENDED FOODS IN THE DIET PLAN

Now that you understand that Skunkie Delight constitutes approximately 40% of your skunk's daily food intake, let's take a look at what else your skunk needs to eat to complete his diet plan. VEGETABLES. Approximately 50% of your skunk's daily diet should be fresh and frozen vegetables. Stay away from canned vegetables; they have lesser nutritional value because of the processing, and there is a risk of lead toxicity from the cans. Give your skunk a solid variety of vegetables, and rotate the types of veggies from day to day because of the different nutrients that each of them provides. The possibilities are endless. Whole Vegetables: Artichokes, asparagus, bell peppers, beans beets, broccoflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, corn, cucumber, endive, mushrooms, mustard greens, radishes, romaine lettuce, okra, parsley, parsnips, peas, potatoes, rhubarb, rutabagas, spinach, squash, string beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, turnip greens, water chestnuts, watercress, yams, zucchini, etc. Fresh Packaged Salads: Broccoli slaw, coleslaw, etc. Frozen Vegetable Medleys: Frozen mixed vegetables, Roman Blend, California Blend, Oriental Blend, Create a Meal type products minus the sauce, etc. Here are some examples which illustrate how to vary the selection of veggies from day to day which I use when feeding my own skunks. One day they get a tablespoon of frozen collard greens set atop of bed of fresh broccoli slaw. The next day's menu includes California Blend frozen veggies with a few slices of fresh yellow summer squash. The veggie cuisine on the third day calls for chunks of fresh bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, and broccoli. Keep an eye on your skunk's stools. If you feed him carrots, for example, and his stool looks like he is pooping carrots, it means that he is not digesting the carrot adequately. This sometimes happens with certain vegetables. You need to grate the vegetables instead of feeding them whole to expose more surface area for his stomach enzymes to attack. Also keep an eye out for diarrhea, because some veggies like corn or cabbage may cause diarrhea when fed in too high a quantity. You can offset the quantity of corn in frozen mixed vegetables, for examples, by adding a few extra green beans to the mix, and thus prevent diarrhea. Remove the offending vegetable from your skunk's diet plan altogether if you continue to see problems with diarrhea or lack of digestion. For those vegetables which require cooking, be careful not to overcook them and thus destroy the live enzymes they contain. Lightly steam or microwave them. Avoid feeding veggies like iceberg lettuce and celery which are higher in water content than nutrients. OTHER WHOLE FOODS. The remaining portion of your skunk's diet plan calls for approximately 10% other whole foods. This is where you can have some fun and give your skunk a wide variety of healthy foods so that meal time is never boring. Read the food labels to make sure none of them contain chemical preservatives, additives, or coloring agents. Remember also that too much of a good thing can be, well-not so good. Be very careful not to overfeed your skunk. 10% isn't a whole lot of food, and the extra ounces of weight your skunk gradually gains can quickly turn into pounds of excess fat. Here is a checklist of foods you can give your skunk in moderation: * Fruit of all kinds - Limit to a couple slices or sections two or three times per week. * Fish - Tuna, cod, salmon, oysters, shrimp, clams, etc. Should be boiled, baked, or water-packed. * Cottage cheese - Lowfat brand only. Limit to 1 teaspoon. * Yogurt - Limit to 1 teaspoon or use as a topping to flavor cooked grains. * Organic whole-grain cereal - Be careful with popular grocery store brands. Most of them contain chemical preservatives. * Raw chicken necks - Limit to one per week. This is the only bone safe for skunks to chew and is an excellent source of calcium. * Veggie burgers - Found in the freezer case of your grocery store. * Whole grain breads * Cooked grains of all kinds - Flavor with seasoning, yogurt, or veggie burger. * Insects - Mealworms, crickets, beetles, etc. The nutrition your skunk gets from them is only as good as the nutrition fed to the insects. Many store-raised insects are void of nutrition. * Cooked dried beans (legumes) * Pasta - For occasional use only.

SNACK TIME IDEAS

Chips, cheese doodles, snack crackers, and cookies are great tasting snacks, but they don't belong in a skunk's diet. Skunks are quick to become junk food addicts. Once you introduce these kinds of goodies to them, they become finicky eaters and only want to eat the goodies instead of the healthy foods they need to survive. Additionally, skunks have notoriously slow metabolisms and are thus prone to obesity. Feeding them junk food exacerbates their problems with weight. It's perfectly fine to give your skunk a snack each day, but choose the snack foods wisely and make every calorie count in terms of good nutrition. Skunks aren't fussy about what constitutes a good treat. They're happy with just about anything you give them, provided that they get the treat. For example, their concept of a good treat in the wild is an occasional bird or turtle egg. So instead of transferring your own ideas onto them about what constitutes a good treat, give them something that is healthy for them instead of junk food. Your skunk will love you just as much for giving him a grape or carrot as a snack instead of a potato chip, snack cracker, or cookie. Furthermore, he will appreciate not having to suffer from the obesity and nutritionally related illnesses caused by junk food. Here is a checklist of snack time ideas: * Unbuttered popcorn * Raw veggies * Insects * Several raisins * A couple slices or sections of fruit * Natural whole grain cereal that is preservative free * An all-natural dog biscuit that is preservative free, such as Bark Bars * Any of the whole foods listed in the previous section You can make snack time extra special for your skunk by giving him foods that he doesn't normally get during his regular meals. Reserve specific foods for this purpose. For example, save the fruit for snack time only instead of putting it in his bowl at dinner time. Pick out a couple raw vegetables and use them only as treats. Let me add that it's not mandatory for you handle it this way, because your skunk will enjoy a chunk of broccoli at snack time even if he's just had one for dinner. I present this idea strictly as an alternative for those of you who believe that treats should be something special, so you don't end up feeding your skunk something that is unhealthy for him. Finally, be very aware of your skunk's weight and the quantity of food he eats every day. It's more important that he be optimal in weight than fat and overloaded with treats. One of the quickest ways for a skunk to become obese is for everyone in the house to slip him a piece of food whenever they grab a snack for themselves.

CHECKLIST OF FOODS TO AVOID OR LIMIT

Do not feed your skunk any of the following foods: * Catfood, dogfood, omnivore food, and other commercial pet foods * Fried foods - Hamburgers, french fries, fried chicken, etc. They are too high in fat content. * Fast food - Typically high in fat content and low in nutritional value. * Junk food - Nachos, chips, cheese doodles, snack crackers, etc. High in fat content and low in nutritional value. * Hot dogs and bologna - The nitrates they contain are unhealthy, and they offer little nutritional value. * Refined sugars - Cake, cookies, pastry, ice cream, sweetened cereals, etc. They can disrupt the skunk's blood sugar regulatory system when fed in even small quantities, and can lead to hypoglycemia and diabetes. * Seeds containing hulls - The hulls can puncture the skunk's intestines. * Foods containing Nutrasweet or artificial sweeteners - Artificial sweeteners are chemicals which will adversely effect their health. * Onions and foods containing onions - Known to cause anemia in dogs and cats. * Chocolate - Especially baking chocolate. It contains caffeine and theobromine which are stimulants and can be fatal to animals. * Foods high in fat content - Check the labels on food products. * Foods containing chemical preservatives & additives - Learn to read labels at the grocery store. * Dried fruit containing sulfur dioxide * Canned fruits & vegetables - They have less nutritional value than fresh or frozen products, and the cans contain lead which, if fed frequently enough, can lead to problems with lead toxicity. Limit the following types of foods in quantity and frequency. There are many foods and food products which can be added to this list, but this will give you a general idea of the types of food to limit in quantity. If you review and follow the recommended diet plan, you will be feeding your skunk foods that maximize the amount of nutrition he receives in lieu of the types of foods listed below. * Cheese - High fat content. * Nuts - High fat content. Avoid dry roasted nuts because of the chemicals used in the roasting process. * Salt or foods containing excessive salt content * Heavily processed foods - Lesser nutritional value. * Dairy products - Too much will cause diarrhea because most skunks are lactose intolerant.

• Potty Training

Potty training is a fairly simple thing most of the time. Of course with anything there are exceptions to the rule. I've found in most cases that regular cat litter boxes (like covered ones) usually turn out to be a play and dig area rather than a bathroom area. So far what has worked best here is one of those "dog" litter pans for small dogs. They are low to the ground, yet large enough for a Skunk to be all the way in the box. You should start off in one small room, like a bathroom. Put the box out, though he will probably not use it the first time. He will go to the bathroom in a place where he chooses. This is when you need to pick up the feces and put it in the litter box. This tells him where it "should" go. After you have done this you need to clean and starilise the area where the Skunk went to the bathroom. You may have to do this a few times, but the Skunk should get the idea after a while. What type of litter to use is up to the owner. Do not use litter that is dusty, as they are prone to resperatory infections becasue of this. Also, do not use clumping litter. There are lots of reasons for this. One being that some of the litter could get stuck on the Skunk and when cleaning himself he could eat it. People use everything from plain clay litter, yesterdays news, fleine pine, and some even just use just news paper layed out flat in the litter box. It's really up to you.

• Toys

Toys are easy with Skunks. They are VERY Curious. So, just about anything can become a toy. Dog toys are good, but stay away from soft rubber. They can chew it up and eat it. If the Skunk can pass it, that's fine, but if he can't it means a very expensive surgery. Wadded up paper, a sock tied in a knot, and a paper sack are some good home made toys. Cat toys are good. Balls with bells, balls with rattles, feather teasers etc.. Another good thing I heard somewhere is to fill a small trash can with toys and let them knock it over and explore. Stimulating and keeps them busy.