How Do Skunks Behave In Different Seasons? But first, we’ll discuss how skunks behave during the other three seasons. In this post, we’ll go over everything you need to know as a homeowner with a skunk living on your property, including these creatures’ sleeping patterns, whether they’re aggressive and how to keep these uninvited guests away from your property. In other words, just because you haven’t been bothered by skunks during the colder months doesn’t mean they’ve taken off. So, if you, your children or your pets accidentally wake up a protective skunk mom, she may spray her “attacker”.Īlso, skunks tend not to wander too far from their nests, so if your backyard is a home for a mother skunk and her babies in the winter, you’re likely to have them nearby during the spring and summertime as well. You may be wondering: If skunks are essentially asleep for the majority of the winter, why do I need to be extra cautious about them? Well, skunks usually have communal dens in the winter in order to keep warm, and this holds especially true with a mother skunk and her babies. Unlike an animal that is in hibernation, these creatures will remain inactive for short periods of time-typically during the day. A skunk’s body temperature will lower and their metabolism slows. This time period is scientifically known as torpor, and skunks will fall into this state as the temperature drops and food starts becoming scarce. Skunks don’t necessarily hibernate, but they are considered dormant during the winter months, meaning that you likely won’t see these creatures in your yard during the coldest months of the year. But, why is that? Don’t skunks hibernate? While skunks usually won’t nest in your home, you could find them nesting around your property, especially in the wintertime. The University of Rochester loves its animal residents, and we’re sure you will too! For more cute pictures and some of the other animals spotted on campus, check out on Instagram.When cooler weather arrives, homeowners have to be extra cautious about wildlife and rodents coming to nest on their property. It’s almost like birds can travel pretty far and might not stay on campus. I’d also like to mention the hawk or something (I’m no ornithologist) that I spotted on a tree on Eastman Quad freshman year, but have not seen since. It’s nice to see their splash of bright red when I look out my window. I’d like to give a shoutout to the cardinal(s) that like to hang out outside Burton Hall, where I have lived for the past three years. And the fluffy little goslings are so cute! At one point the geese took over Wilson Quad for a little bit, but they’ve since migrated closer to the river. My friend and I always say hi as we pass them on our runs. You can’t walk along the outskirts of campus near the Genesee without encountering geese this time of year. There’s also a whiter squirrel, but I don’t have a picture of them (PC: Joe Dapello). He’s just like any other squirrel, but much lighter in color. Among them, one stands out: a very pale squirrel. Squirrels love all the trees on campus, especially the oaks on Eastman Quad. If you’re concerned about sharing a space with skunks, I haven’t heard of a skunk spraying a student, and it’s very rare you smell skunk spray. Unfortunately, because they prefer the dark and nobody wants to get too close, I don’t have any good pictures of the skunks that live on campus, but you can check out on Instagram for pictures of these stinky bois. PC: Dax Emerson SkunksĪnother cute resident of UofR, our skunks are fun to spot when you’re out and about at night. We’ve even had two 5Ks in the name of Quad Fox! If you’re wondering how safe it is to share a space with a fox (or foxes), there have been no altercations between students and Quad Fox. They started being spotted a couple of years ago and has since then become a friend of the University. I’m not sure if there is only one fox that hangs out around campus or a few, but all the same, if you see a fox, it’s Quad Fox. This is the closest I have ever been to a groundboi and my lifelong goal is to pet one. The groundboi is a quintessential symbol here, depicted on class council logos and pins that show which groundboi you are. I still get excited every time I see one and it’s been 4 years. Although they hibernate for much of the time that students are on campus, they are beloved. Groundhogs (aka “groundbois”) are a fan favorite and unofficial mascot of Rochester.
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