cat food

Do skunks climb trees or live in trees?

Skunks do live in fallen trees, hallow logs and dens. They are found in the woods, deserts and mountains. During winter, the skunks may make a warm underground burrow with leaves and grass. Their burrows have two to five doorways so that they can stay away from danger. In the cold weather, the skunks will share their dens with animals like raccoons and rabbits. The skunks will sleep mostly the entire winter and they are found in North America, Central America and South America.



Skunks will hunt for food during the night. They are nocturnal animals and they will hunt in the night while they sleep in the daytime. They will eat wasps, crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, nuts, fruits, leaves, grass, snails, worms and bird eggs. The most common skunk is the striped skunk. The skunk will make its home within at least two miles of a source of water, and it will roam around 1.5 miles around the dens. The skunk will live in open woods, grasslands, brush and prairies. The skunks will dig the den or will take over the den which had already been abandoned by a woodchuck or fox. They will live in hollow logs, under buildings or porches, under brush and in hollow logs. The spotted skunk is the one with the greatest ability of climbing and the striped skunk has limited capacity. The striped skunk is not able to climb over table legs or jump on tables.

The striped skunk is common and its poor ability to climb is due to the long nails that inhibit how it grasps on the things around it. The skunk is sometimes capable of climbing fences, but it is able to climb trees up to the attic and chimney. A spotted skunk is capable of climbing and it can climb trees much easier while it can also descend with its head first.

The baby skunk is known as a kit, and they will be raised by the mother and are usually born in May. The mother skunk will have one up to seven kits each time. The skunks may have one or two litters every year. Kits drink the milk of their mother for up to 6 weeks, and they will stay within the den together with the mother.

Even if the skunks may live in urban places, they are still wild animals and they can adapt well in the natural environments. They like to live in forested areas that have plenty of brush with areas where they are able to hide. The skunk is equipped with powerful claws which allow them to dig their own dens within the dirt. They will also make their homes in secure places like in rock piles or crevices. They will also try to live in the holes in a tree trunk or in logs.

You may also want to read:

  • Do skunks climb?


  • Go back to the Skunk Removal home page or email us for more info about Do skunks climb trees or live in trees? Do skunks climb trees or live in trees?