BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!

Subject: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: gnu
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 10:10 AM

From here : "Skunks begin to breed in late February or March, when they emerge from their dens..."

Now, most every Canuck either has a remote starter for their vehicle or wishes they had one on many a winter morning. Yup... it happened a few hours ago.

My guess is that it came from a nature park about 2 km from my house. I also guess that it was between the garage and the truck and felt severely threatened when it woke up the huge black animal with silver stripes and glowing yellow eyes. When the monster let out a shrieking and hissing sound, followed by a roar and exhaled a breath that kicked up the dust, I figure the poor thing just did what comes naturally.

So... the same site suggests : 1 l hydrogen peroxide, 50 ml baking soda and 5 ml dishwashing liquid. But, how am I gonna get it off the rad?

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: artbrooks
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 10:23 AM

Tomato juice in a spray bottle?

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: open mike
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 10:24 AM

tomatoe juice or apple cider vinegar may help...
or acetic acid

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: gnu
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 10:39 AM

I suppose I'll get most of it with the spray bottle, but I can't scrub it.

I can just imagine the story s/he'll be telling the other skunks when he gets to the pub. "You shoulda seen the size of this thing!!!"

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: jacqui.c
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 10:42 AM

Having recently smelled my first skunk I have only sympathy for you Gary.

Best of luck mate.

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: leftydee
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 10:53 AM

Hey Buddy, there are commercial products available at pet stores or a local vet that work better than tomato juice. Put it in a spray bottle and let 'er rip!

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: SINSULL
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 10:55 AM

CAreful, acid may damage the paint.
Sorry gnu.

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: gnomad
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 11:01 AM

There's an example of how the east side of the pond differs: we don't have skunks here (bar the odd politician) but anyone using a remote starter in most of the UK could simply kiss the vehicle goodbye.

Mind you, to look on the bright side Gnu, I'll bet you are glad the beastie got the your car, rather than you. If hearsay is even half right I'm very glad never to have smelled a skunk.

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: *daylia*
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 11:06 AM

Some ideas here, gnu.

And here's a product called PetroTech Says it removes skunk odor from metal surfaces too, but no indication whether it's environmentally friendly or not.

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 11:14 AM

They get hit in the road down by the bridge in my neighborhood every couple of months. The air smells like skunk for days afterward, depending on numerous factors (what they sprayed when they were hit, and how soon the body is removed). I just hope the fence around my yard is enough to keep them out--we used to have a possum trek through (he had a path across the back) before I got the dogs. The prospect of having to de-skunk a dog or cat is a pet-owners nightmare (having friends out in the woods in Washington state who had to do it one time was a true lesson in patience and how much they loved their cat).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: *daylia*
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 11:15 AM

Actually, I have great admiration for skunks. They're strikingly beautiful, and they absolutely command respect. Even a grizzly gives a skunk a wide berth!

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: Ebbie
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 11:24 AM

We don't have skunks in Alaska; the ubiquitous porcupine is our pets' nemesis. Many a person has spent hours doing the agonizing work of dequilling an agonized dog.

At least they don't smell. 'Down south' the spring air is redolent.

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: Amos
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 11:56 AM

Sorry, man....but....ROFLMAO!!!!



A

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: Alba
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 12:05 PM

Well up in these parts I have both.
Skunks and Porcupine.
Poor Pup has been sprayed by a Skunk once. Took a lot of work to get the smell off. Then he tried to play with a Porcupine once.
Got him the Mouth. Agonized Dog is the right way to describe it. It took a while to get all the quills out. Days.
Needless to say he avoids both now!
That makes life a lot less painful for him and a bit easier for both Him and I:)
The Cats...they just seem to know it ain't a good idea to get too close to either creature.
Nothing like opening your door to check the Stars at Midnight and being greeted by the pungent odor of a Skunk! Kind of puts a downer on your effort to view the Night sky!
Jude

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: *daylia*
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 12:34 PM

Yup it does!

YOur reference to the back door at night reminds me of an incident in my own back yard a few years ago. A family of raccoons had set up housekeeping on the property that summer, making themselves a real nuisance raiding the gardens and the garbage whenever possible. So one night, hubby and my three young sons decided they'd take the situation into their most manly and capable of hands, and thereby end it once and for all.   Spent an hour or so creating the most godawful racket while lobbing rocks and sticks full force at our masked and most unwelcome ones. Finally, all fell silent -- apparently the last hold-out had finally waddled off in disgust.

"That'll do it -- they'll never be back!" I was told, as my men oh-so-proudly settled themselves in front of the TV for the evening. Well, I had my doubts, but said nothing .... till a couple minutes later a loud scratching noise started up at the back door. They can't be back so soon, I thought!   Opened the back door and lo and behold, there in the gathering gloom about 6 inches from my feet stood the biggest, fattest, most annoyed loooking skunk I ever saw in my life.

Well! I just froze. We had a staring contest. And he won, hands down. I don't think it ever took 10 minutes to close that door before. ANd I think the coons sent him, too!   So, All Hail to the Mighty Skunk! Oh Thou Most Untouchable and Fearsome Protector of Kindred Creatures Great and Small ...

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: Wesley S
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 01:40 PM

A few weeks ago a racoon got into our garage and got into a sealed package of rat poison. Just before it died it decided to crawl up into the engine compartment of my wife's car. So there were days when the garage smelled bad and other days when it didn't. We didn't put two and two together until one day when we were out running errends and drove back to where we left her car.

We saw something hanging down from the engine - we thought it might be a plastic bag or a branch. Wrong. It was a little furry paw. We opened the hood - and when the flies dispersed we saw the little critter. With a big patch of burnt fur where he rested {in peace}up against the engine.

The smell of burnt racoon fur is one you will not soon forget.

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 01:45 PM

Paint your car like Pepe L'Peu and drive proudly.

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: gnu
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 01:52 PM

Alaskan porkies don't smell? Ours do. Of course, ya gotta be fairly close. Generally, just about any animal that routinely walks through it's own dung carries an odor. Porkies who live in hollow trees do this at least twice a day.

The porky's favourite nest around here is in hollow trees. The best are silver birch, which tend to rot in the middle but still stand for years and years. They deficate while in the tree and have to shove their droppings from the entrance when it builds up. Getting stuck can be very bad because the quills often have dung on them.

Minds me of The Red Green Show. Red meets up with a nuisance wildlife control officer, a regular character on the show, and asks him why his upper arm and shoulder are bandaged. He replies, "Procupine." Red says, "Gee, I didn't think porucpines could throw their quills." He replies, "Well, they can't, Red. But, a bear can throw a porcupine."

I never park my truck near the doors of the stores when I go shopping. Today I did. Got a few looks and murmurs IN the stores, too.

Subject: RE: BS: (Strange) Stuff Happens!!
From: ranger1
Date: 21 Feb 06 - 05:33 PM

Ah, skunks. One of the beaches I worked at was infested with them. It was always a race to see if I could get all 16 trash cans emptied before they ventured out to see if anyone left any goodies for them. One evening, I was a little late and it was closer to dark than dusk. I bent over to pick up some litter off of the floor of the changing room and happened to catch some movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked up, and found myself nose to nose with a skunk. Needless to say, I beat a hasty retreat and let him have the bag of potato chips.

All in all, though, I'd rather have the dog get skunked than quilled. Skunks just cause a nasty stench. Porkies can cause expensive vet bills.