Skunk determined to live under our screened porch

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So, we had a lovely little screened in porch with cedar panels put onto a 10 by 10 deck off the livingroom back door.
Here's how Charles constructed the step between soil and porch. 
 
We could tell that a furry friend was interested in nesting under the porch, so Jon dug down below the foundation level and put in another $50 piece of cedar to keep the animals out.

 
I added a bunch of decent size stones and they dug under and around those. So, Jon's next step was bricks anchored with stakes, making it impossible for any animal we knew of to get underneath.
 
This morning I was sitting on the deck with my first cup of coffee and my iPod listening to frogs, crickets and internet radio. I heard stones clunking against wood and quietly looked down in time to see a black and white fuzzy backside digging and slithering under the porch.


Now what? Any suggestions?

Update Aug 30 - Last night Jon set a live trap with a banana. This morning we have a baby possum in the live trap but no skunk. The baby possum will be relocated to a nearby creek.

 
 
 
 

Comments

Ned Hamson said…
Mothballs or flakes - ammonia is a no-no for a number of critters - wait till (s)he leaves and sprinkle - hopefully no more unwanted nester
August 29, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Molly Day said…
Thanks Ned. We keep a tuna can of mothballs in our mailbox since Jon got a spider bite.
We sprayed castor oil under the deck before trying the construction fixes.

To the Dollar Store! Moth Balls ahead.

Martha
August 29, 2012 at 12:59 PM
K. Henderson said…
Chicken wire or hardware cloth. When we built our chicken pen (a chain link Dog pen)we dug a trench around the pen and put in chicken wire. It works!
August 29, 2012 at 8:41 PM
Molly Day said…
Thanks K!
I have some chicken wire in the garden shed.
We have to keep critters from nesting under there over the winter.
August 30, 2012 at 9:10 AM
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