It can often become difficult to predict the behaviour of different breeds of California skunks , however, thinking that daytime skunks are rabid is simply a myth. The horrible myth that skunks that are active in daytime are rabid has led to the massacre of many innocent skunks in recent decades. Do you have a skunk in your yard , and you are afraid it might be carrying rabies, you need to understand the facts and the myths in order to allay yourself of these fears. You need to understand that most Salinas skunks are only looking for the opportunity to feed from your pet's dish. Skunks that are active in the day time are rarely rabid, most of them are usually mothers with liters to feed, therefore you don't have to freak out when you see them, this also does not mean you should not be concerned.

How to spot a rabid daytime California skunk
Just before you kill a skunk , there are certain traits that can indicate whether it is rabid or not, these are:
▪ Appearance
▪ Attitude
▪ Activity

Checking for these features can help you detect instantly whether a California skunk is rabid or not. Considering the appearance features, a non-rabid Skunk has a well-groomed fur that looks healthy, it will also have a very good posture and walks around normally, however a rabid Salinas skunk will have an unkempt dirty fur and moves around in an uncoordinated manner.

You need to check the activity a Salinas skunk is performing in order to figure out whether it is rabid or not. You need to check whether the Skunk is eating bugs in the yard, or the food inside your pet's dish. A healthy skunk will normally move and react with intention or purpose, however , when the animal seems to be sleeping in your yard, or wanders aimlessly, or simply has some parts of its body injured, then the animal could be rabid. The attitude of a Skunk can also be used to ascertain whether it is rabid or not. When a California skunk reacts by fluffing its tail, or stomping its feet or if it simply stands its ground or runs away when you turn your back, then the animal is probably healthy, however if a Skunk does not care when your pet approaches or if it is aggressive against your pet or people, then the animal could be rabid.

It is important to call a California animal control agency when you notice an abnormality in a Skunk's attitude, activity or appearance. Rabid Skunks are always aggressive against pets and humans, even when they are not provoked , however, a Salinas skunk that shows no aggressive behaviour even at your presence , is probably not rabid.

Visit our Salinas wildlife control home page to learn more about us.