Species

Eastern spotted skunk

Spilogale putorius

A small, climbing skunk with wavy white stripes that does a handstand before it sprays.

Photo kitkatka (opens in a new tab) / iNaturalist, CC BY-NC 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

At a glance

Size: Body about 23 to 35 cm; tail about 10 to 20 cm
Weight: About 0.4 to 1 kg
Habitat: Forests, brushy fields, rocky areas and farmland, especially with dense cover
Diet: Insects, mice and other small mammals, eggs, fruit, and amphibians and reptiles
Active: Night
Shelter: Dens in rock piles, hollow logs, brush, burrows and under buildings
Status: Declined across much of its range and now rare in many places
Rabies vector: Yes

Identification

Key marks: Small; glossy black fur with four to six broken, wavy white stripes and spots; white spot on the forehead; bushy tail with a white tip
Warning display: Stands on its front legs with its tail raised before spraying
Told apart from: Striped skunk, which is much larger with two broad white stripes
Told apart from: Cats, which move and look quite different up close
Where to look: Rarely seen; brushy woods and rocky areas at night, including in north and south Georgia

Behaviour

Eastern spotted skunks are the acrobats of the skunk world. They climb trees well, move quickly, and when threatened they stamp their feet and perform a handstand, lifting their hind end high to show their warning colours before they spray.

They hunt at night for insects, mice, eggs and fruit, and den in rock piles, logs and brush. They are far more secretive than striped skunks.

Why they matter

Spotted skunks eat many insects and small rodents, and their decline across much of their range, especially in the Midwest, has made them a species of conservation concern.

Their handstand warning shows how much an animal will do to avoid using its defence: spraying is costly, and a spotted skunk would much rather warn than fight.

Reproduction and lifecycle

Mating — March and April
Gestation — about 50 to 65 days
Birth — May and June, usually two to six young
Eyes open — at about a month old
Weaning — at about two months old
Independence — by late summer
Lifespan — a few years in the wild

Living around people

Rock piles, brush and dense cover give spotted skunks places to den.
Chicken coops should be secured with fine mesh and solid floors.
A skunk doing a handstand is giving a clear warning; back away slowly and it will not spray.
Never handle a skunk; skunks are rabies vector species.

Misconceptions

A small skunk is a baby striped skunk. It may be an adult spotted skunk.
Skunks spray without warning. Spotted skunks go through a whole display, including a handstand, first.
Skunks are common everywhere. This species has become rare across much of its range.

Related species

Seasonal activity

When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.

Breeding and active nests by month for this species
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Breeding	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Active nests	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Notes	Active; may share dens in cold weather	Active	Mating	Mating continues	Young born in a den	Young open their eyes at about a month old	Young begin to forage with their mother	Young become independent	Young disperse	Active	Active	Active; less so in cold spells

Where it lives

Recorded in 12 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.

Treated as a rabies-vector species in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. There, only a certified rehabilitator may take one.

United States

If you found one

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