Skunks are mammals in the family of Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands.
Skunks are mammals that are not classified as rodents. Skunks can be biologically classified as animals that might resemble the behaviors of rodents but they are nocturnal mammals and not scientifically classified as a rodent.
Either way that does not change the fact that these creatures will ruin your garden and make a mess of your backyard while doing so.
They also have a habit of dumpster diving and thus making them annoying to deal with. No one wants to wake up in the morning and see a pile of trash scattered around their homestead.
Therefore, it is common for people to look for solutions to deterring these mammals of the family Mephitidae. No one likes the strong-smelling liquid that they spray through their anals or any of their behaviors.
Today we will go through the question if light has any effect on this animal. So, to know more about how you could deter this animal and if light helps in any way or not then, continue reading below.
Light to deter skunks
Light works best to deter skunks. Skunks are nocturnal creatures. They usually spend their daytime sleeping and start moving when the night comes around. Skunks also have eyes that are very sensitive to light. This is why a simple bright light can work great to deter skunks.
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Among the people that have dealt with skunks before, there is a common saying among those people about these animals.
They argue that one of the best inexpensive ways to deter a skunk is to use light. Simply shining a light on these animals, will make them leave the premise.
Why is that you ask? Well, it is a pretty simple answer, to be honest. They are nocturnal animals. Nocturnal animals do not like light. They tend to avoid daytime and light sources altogether.
However, there is another reason why that would be the case. They just do not need to go out during the day because of how good their eyesight is. Skunks can see completely fine during the night.
Could any kind of light source affect them and make them go away? Well, let us answer that briefly below.
Motion lights:
The light system that turns on automatically when it detects any sort of motion.
There are different settings among them but regardless of that, it is rather easy to set them up and forget. These are adequate to keep them out of your property.
Solar lights:
Solar lights are energy-conserving and money-saving investments. If you want something that does not require any sort of maintenance, then these are a cop for you.
This light functions the same as the motion sensor lights so they will also work fine in deterring the skunks.
Porch lights:
The standard lighting system of a homestead. They are not designed to keep rodents out or animals that might come in.
However, they do provide a source of light so this will act the same as the others just not as efficient.
Porch lights will also need to be monitored and need maintenance manually from time to time. Otherwise, they would be wasting energy when they are not needed.
How effective are lights in deterring skunks?
Skunks are said to be nocturnal animals but, it is not that uncommon to see them during the daytime.
They do move around during the day sometimes in search of food or they might feel that they are in danger and change their habitat. This behavior is quite normal and thus we can sometimes spot them in the wild wandering about.
However, it is usually the nighttime that they are the most active. This is because of their instincts and biology. They have amazing eyesight, which helps them see much clearer at night.
Thus, if you have lights set up in places around your property, that will prevent skunks from invading. In this way, we can say that lights are very effective in deterring skunks. Looking into other solutions will be unnecessary this way.
What lights can be used to deter skunks?
There are a few kinds of lights out there that are specifically designed to deter rodents and other predators. They can be used to deter skunks as well. Here are a few examples below.
Bright Light:
Any sort of lumen-based bright light can work just fine in deterring the skunks. Their eyes are sensitive to high-powered lights. Thus, making these kinds of lights an ideal choice.
Motion Sensor Flood Light:
These are rather handy solely because of the motion sensor feature. The standard bright lights will be kept on manually and that will invertedly consume a lot of electricity.
Red LED Strobe Light:
These are perfect if you have a small area that needs protecting. They are completely automated and once you set them up, you can just forget about them. These lights operate through the sun’s energy.
How do you keep skunks away from you at night with light?
Skunks can be annoying animals that come around our homes late at night to ruin our gardens as well as rummage through the trash. We do not need to order expensive after-market repellants or hire someone professional.
There are many different kinds of DIY solutions for us to go through in deterring skunks, and other animals like them.
One of those ways is setting up motion sensor cameras. This allows a simple and humane inexpensive way to deter these animals. Keep reading below to know how to set up these lights.
Gather tools:
First gather the tools we would need for this project. We will need a 4-1 screwdriver, Voltage tester, and a wire stripper or cutter.
These are not necessary for all kinds of light setups. However, some of the light systems will require these.
Buy light:
Unbox the type of light you have bought for deterring skunks. We have talked about the few types of these lights in the above paras.
Look over them if you are still confused. Depending on the type of light you have bought the steps for you will be different.
Fix location:
Decide the location of the light. If you have the bright light systems or the standard motion sensor systems. Then you should place them high on the wall.
Mount light:
In this step, we start mounting them. If we have the simple predator lights then the setup steps get simpler. All you need to do is set them facing the directions you think the wild animal would come from.
Moreover, you need to place them at the same eye level as the animal you are trying to deter. These lights are usually equipped with solar panels. Thus, keep them mounted in places where sunlight can reach them.
Wire them:
If you have the standard systems, then simply mount them on a fixture and hotwire them. Make sure the main power panel is switched off while you do this.
What other ways can help deter skunks?
We mentioned that there were other ways we could deter skunks. So, here’s a brief list of those few ways.
Electronic Repellent System:
Costing around 25-50$ we can buy some electronic repellent systems that not just only repel skunks but almost all kinds of animals. These devices use simple ultrasonic pulses or sprays.
Remove the Food Source:
Skunks love grubs that can be found in the backyard of our homes or our beloved gardens. So basically, making sure to dispose of these properly will eliminate the food source.
Seal Trash Bins:
Skunks are dumpster divers.Thus, securing our trash cans/bins and keeping them out of reach for the skunks.
Make DIY Repellants:
We can make a skunk repellant by mixing a ratio of ¼ castor oil, ¼ dishwashing detergent, and ½ water in a bottle. We can use that to spray at night around the premise.
Call in the Professional:
Even with all of the steps above, sometimes we will be unable to deter some stubborn skunks. In that case, we would need to call professionals to handle the situation once and for all.
Final Thoughts
Light is an excellent deterrent for the skunks. They are mammals that are usually nocturnal. They do roam around the day sometimes, but they are most active during the night time. This is when you find them rummaging throughout your garden late at night.