The Striped Skunk is a fairly common house pet in the USA. A few states do not allow people to keep pet skunks, as they can carry rabies. Of course, they can be vaccinated against rabies in the same way as cats and dogs but that is America! We do not have Rabies in Britain, so it is not an issue here.

In this country there have not been any skunks available until about five years ago, as the previous imports had died out, due to the difficulty of breeding them. The skunks presently here are descended from fur farm animals that were collected in America during the 1920s. They are many generations away from the 'wild', and are thus like the Chinchilla, which was also collected for fur farms at about the same time. This long time of captive breeding has resulted in many colour mutations, such as chocolate and white, cinnamon, all black, albino, and many others. At present most skunks in Britain are black and white, many having a bit more white than is found on the wild skunk.

Although skunks are classed as carnivores, feeding them red meat results in illness and early death, and is no doubt the reason why they previously died out in this country. Recent studies of the stomachs of wild skunks, shows that they eat large numbers of insects and arachnids, particularly scorpions, along with some roots and fruit. Eating fermenting fruit, fallen from trees, results in them becoming intoxicated in the wild, hence 'Drunk as a skunk'.

Skunks are one of the few 'exotic' animals that can make good house pets. Most naturally like people and being cuddled, which most wild animals usually hate, except for a few hand reared specimens. They usually get on well with all the family, including cats and dogs. They are easy to house train, being 'corner poopers', so you just put a litter tray in which corner they choose, which you can slowly move, if the site is not to your liking. They cause less damage to the house than many pets, as they usually do not chew up wires and furniture. Most will wear a harness and lead, and like to go out for a walk. While they must be fed on a very specific diet, you will find that most of the items are what would also find in a very healthy human diet.

On the downside, when young, some can be a bit keen to bite, like baby ferrets, and must be taught not to, in the same way. Although usually de-scented when you get a baby, they are better pets for most people when neutered. They require regular monthly worming throughout their lives. They do not 'home', again they are like ferrets to which they are fairly closely related, they do not run away, but get lost, usually turning up at another house. They can live for up to 22 years although 10 to 12 is more the average. In this country skunk babies are usually born at the end of April and are ready for new homes at 6 to 8 weeks of age.

There are quite a few web-sites, often giving conflicting advice on how to keep pet skunks, some downright bad. Also, as there are very few skunks in Britain at the present time, beware of people here handing out advice, the same going for vets who do not have any experience of skunks. For the best information on keeping a pet skunk visit www.skunksaspets.com and www,skunkhaven.net . Both these sites, although in the USA, give good advice on how to keep a healthy pet skunk in the home.