Skunk

Can You Have Skunk as a Good Pet? #Legalities

Have you watched and adored the nature show “Is That Skunk?”? If you have, you would definitely be thinking whether skunks can be good as pet? So, here we are answering all your thoughts about having a skunk as a pet, it’s legalities and so on.

Contents

1 Can You Have A Skunk as A Pet?
2 Can Skunks be Good Pets?
3 How to Get a Pet Skunk?
4 Can You Legally have Skunks as a Pet?
5 Other States That Would take Action for Owning Skunks as a Pet?
6 Concluding Thoughts on Skunks as Pets

Whether skunks can be good pets, depends on what kind of skunk you chose. For instance, a skunk that you might have found in the wild can never be a good pet and cannot be domesticated. But, the domesticated skunks have been observed to be much loving and docile. However, keeping your skunk healthy can involve a lot of work, and you would perhaps need professional assistance for the purpose.

Skunk As Pets

Can You Have A Skunk as A Pet?

Well, one can definitely have domesticated skunks as pets. They are definitely adorable and submissive to have. Just that, you should be ready to have them in your yard and be willing to take that extra trouble in raising them. If born and raised in captivity, they can be quite friendly and great pets.

A skunk can be quite playful and friendly and can definitely make a good pet. But, make sure that you don’t frighten or irritate them. Skunks are known to emit a foul-smelling chemical at the predators. Most of the pet shops that you might have got that adorable skunk may have ideally got those glands removed.

While skunks themselves can be easily domesticated if they have been raised in captivity and kept as pets, you may need to check out the local legislation to ensure that keeping a skunk as a pet is approved and legal in your region. While some areas have no issues with keeping it as a pet, a few others may want you to get a permit. We shall see the legalities in few regions in this post.

Can Skunks be Good Pets?

Definitely, skunks can be really good pets. They do tend to be adorable. However, unlike with many other pets, you may need to be extra careful in raising a skunk and keeping it as a pet. It would be crucial to keep your skunk indoors and ensure that they do not move out without supervision.

Handling a pet skunk can be quite a risky affair. It may be a little challenging to handle them efficiently as they are quite curious and mischievous. Feeding them can be yet another difficult task as the skunks would need you to have a very balanced diet. Definitely, they are naughty babies 😛 Of course, you can have a good deal of skunk foods currently available. Moreover, the skunks would need a good deal of expertise on your part to take care of them.

Now let us see, how to get a pet skunk for your yard.

How to Get a Pet Skunk?

If you think a skunk as a pet would be a good idea and ready for the care that it needs explicitly, we would definitely recommend it. But, the most challenging task would be to find one actually. One of the best options will perhaps be to check if there are any traders online. Of course, you may find the sites that feature the skunks quite rare enough; there should be a few good options available.

Before you can locate the breeder or skunk provider, it can be one of the best options to check if keeping a skunk is legal in your area. If it is legal, the next important aspect one needs to think about would be to find if you have the options for veterinary care in your area. Remember that your pet skunk would need veterinary attention from time to time. Even if not for any ailments, you would need veterinary assistance for vaccinations, and that should be one of the most important requirements you would need to opt for.

You can get a skunk that may be homeless from a pet shelter or rescue center. Such a homeless skunk may take a little time to get used to you, and you would perhaps need to go through an extra effort to get it friendly with you. If you are still wondering how to get a skunk, it may be a good idea to opt for a skunk adoption through a rescue center or skunk breeder and check out the network of the skunk owners who may be willing to sell or give away a few of the skunks that they own. You can even give a thought to checking out a few email or message groups that have been designed for the purpose. It may be a great idea to check out a few lists of groups created by pet lovers.

How to pick your Skunk? Well, Once you have decided from where you would want to get your first skunk from, it is high time you would want to check the skunk that you want to buy. There are a few factors you need to pay special attention to the skunk you are planning to pet.

The skunk you pick should be alert and curious.
A skunk is quite mischievous, and you should ensure that the skunk you want to buy should be in sync with this trait.
A full shiny coat would be one of the strongest factors that would ensure that the skunk is healthy.
You can check out a few kids to check if they are active.
They should be curious about you, but should not get agitated.
Any sign of lameness can be a sign of concern.

Well, now comes the legalities of having a skunk as a pet. Different countries have different laws regarding this. We shall highlight a few of them.

Can You Legally have Skunks as a Pet?

This is an area that we lightly touched upon while discussing the options of opting for a skunk as a pet. The skunks may or may not be allowed in certain regions depending upon the legal guidelines in force at the region. You may need to go through the legal obligations and other relevant aspects before you can finalise your choice of options for picking a skunk as a pet.

Let us check out a few regions and find if you can have a skunk as a pet in these regions.

Texas

Can you have a Pet Skunk in Texas?

Texas has strict guidelines that prevent owning wild animals as pets. Wild animal or wildlife is defined as an animal native to the wild and not domesticated. These animals include the ones used for hunting, profit or even sports.

The laws in Texas that prohibit keeping wild animals such as skunks, raccoons, white-tailed deer, cottontails, jackrabbits and squirrels, to name just a few. There may be some exceptions to the law, and you would need to ask for the appropriate permissions from the U.S. Department of Fish and Game.

Colorado

Can you have a pet skunk in Colorado?

Once again, owning any type of wildlife is illegal in Colorado. Wildlife is considered to be the public resource, and you are not allowed to take a wild animal from the woods and take it home. Most of the non-native or exotic animals are illegal to be owned in Colorado.

The Colorado laws have a list of wild animals that can be owned as pets and Skunks DO NOT form part of this list. Sick wildlife, if any can only be handled by trained and licensed professionals. They would need to be rehabilitated after the treatment is over.

Michigan

Can you have a pet skunk in Michigan?

If you are in Michigan, and fond of skunks, you would be happy to know that the laws in Michigan allow keeping Skunks as pets. But it would come with a few crucial guidelines. You cannot import the skunks (or any other wild animals) for outside the state.

You would also need to get the requisite permit to own a skunk as a pet. You would also need to build an outside cage for the skunk so that it is never kept indoors. The skunk you buy as a pet should be bred within the state.

Minnesota

Can you have a pet skunk in Minnesota?

It is entirely illegal to own skunks as pets in Minnesota. The legislation in Minnesota are stringent and covers a wide range of wild animals that include wild cat, bear or primate in addition to the skunks. So, if you are in Michigan, you are out of luck and cannot own a skunk as a pet.

You cannot import or export any live skunk form or into the state. The exchange cannot happen in barter, gift or sale. The purchase or getting access to a skunk is never an option in Minnesota, and you may end up having to serve prison if you tend to indulge in those activities.

Pennsylvania (PA)

Can you have a pet skunk in PA?

Yet another state permits owning skunks as pets are PA or Pennsylvania. However, you would need to have the right permits if you want to have skunks as your pets. You will need to get the necessary permits from the Law Enforcement division of PA Fish and Game if you are looking to keep a skunk as a pet.

You need to be a resident of PA and would need to buy or get the skunk from a licensed dealer or breeder. No import of the pet skunks for outside the state is allowed under any circumstances.

Arizona

Can you have a pet skunk in Arizona?

Arizona does not let you keep a Skunk as a pet. You cannot own a skunk as a pet for any reason in the state of Arizona. In fact, there is no permit offered for getting a skunk as a pet in the state.

Of course, there is a permit offered for the new entrants. However, this permit will always remain temporary in nature. You cannot keep the skunk as a pet for any time for more than 72 hours. Within the span of 72 hours (or even lesser), you need to get rid of the skunk and leave it somewhere in the wild safely or hand it over to the licensed rehabilitators.

Utah

Can you have a pet skunk in Utah?

Once again, owning any pet animal as a pet in Utah is entirely illegal. This would include skunks as well. In fact, the state prohibits a wide range of wild animals and their keeping as pets.

The list of animals not allowed to be kept as pets apart from skunks in Utah would include Bear, tiger, lion, cheetah, monkey, ape, gorilla, kangaroo, and lemur. A few exceptions may be applicable in some instances. But, you would need to get in touch with the relevant departments for a proper understanding.

North Calorina

Can you have a pet skunk in North Carolina?

Owning skunks as pets in North Carolina is illegal. If you want to import a skunk from any other state, you may need to obtain a permit. The Veterinarian department permits the import of animals such as skunks, skunk; fox; raccoon; ringtail; bobcat; coyote; marten; and brushtail Possum.

Do note that owning skunks as a pet may not be legal in North Carolina. The permit is provided only for the purpose of educational purposes only. Any of the animals not covered under the guidelines are strictly prohibited.

California

Can you keep a skunk as a pet in California?

It is entirely illegal to keep skunks as pets in California. There are several wild animals, or exotic animals that have been rated illegal to be owned as pets in California and Skunks are of the prime ones among them.

Other States That Would take Action for Owning Skunks as a Pet?

Well, each of the states in the US has its own legal rules that govern keeping wild animals as pets. Apart from the United States, you would also find that a few areas in Canada that have specific guidelines governing the use of these animals as pets.

Massachusetts

Is it legal to have a pet skunk in Massachusetts?

The laws in Massachusetts offer limitations to owning skunks. While owning a skunk as a pet is entirely illegal, you can own then for educational purposes. You would need to obtain the requisite permissions for the use.

In addition to the permission from the USDA, you should also get access to the proper State Educational Permit. Just ensure that the skunks are used only for the education purposes.

Georgia

Is it legal to have a pet skunk in Georgia?

No, it is illegal to have a skunk as a pet animal in Georgia. All the skunks in Georgia are entirely unlawful. You can not own a skunk as a pet animal. Of course, there are some cases where you would be permitted to own a skunk.

If you have come across a baby skunk, you can get permission for keeping it for the time being. You can keep the skunk as a rescue animal only till it is worthy of being rescued and rehabilitated to where it actually belongs to.

Oregon

Is it legal to have a pet skunk in Oregon?

It is illegal to sell or trade skunks within the state. However, you can import a skunk from outside the state. You will need to obtain a permit for the same.

While you can buy a skunk from outside the state and import it into Oregon, but make sure you have the necessary import certificate. Besides, you would also need to have the necessary health certificate for the skunk.

Missouri

Is it legal to have a pet skunk in Missouri?

Well, Missouri is yet another state that does not permit you to keep a skunk as a pet. In fact, the state does not allow you to keep a host of animals as a pet in addition to skunks.

Some of the other animals prohibited in Missouri would include lion, tiger, leopard, ocelot, jaguar, cheetah, margay, mountain lion, Canada lynx, bobcat, jaguarundi, hyena, wolf, bear, nonhuman primate, coyote and reptiles.

Louisiana

Is it legal to own a skunk in Louisiana?

Well, you are NOT permitted to keep a skunk as a pet in Louisiana. Whether for educational purposes or otherwise, you would not be able to keep a Skunk as a pet in the region. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries does not provide any sort of certificates or permissions for keeping skunks as pets.

Wisconsin

Can you have a pet skunk in Wisconsin?

Well, this is one of the few regions in the US that permit keeping skunks as pets. However, you would need to get the relevant permit from the authorities before you can get a skunk and keep it as a pet.

Canada

Can you have a pet skunk in Canada?

Rules governing keeping skunks as pets in Canada would involve a wide range of guidelines, and several regions in Canada have their own specific rules and laws. You may need to check the legal obligations in your region before taking a call.

Alberta

Can you have a pet skunk in Alberta?

The provincial wildlife act in the region classifies a wide range of animals in the non-license genre, and a few of these animals are banned from being kept as pets. In fact, the wild animals belonging to the list of provincial wildlife act can be kept as pets.

However, Alberta does not allow keeping skunks as pets, primarily for fear of spreading rabies.

Nova Scotia

Can you have a pet skunk in Nova Scotia?

This is one of the regions in Canada that do permit you to keep the skunks as pets. You do not necessarily need to have any sort of permit for the purpose, except under the special conditions.

Well, having a skunk as a pet does need many extra considerations unlike keeping a rabbit, turtle, or any other animals in your yard.

Concluding Thoughts on Skunks as Pets

Well, skunks can be something quite weird as a pet. This has indeed been a new trend just the way we have learned to pet a Chinchillas. Domesticated skunks are a unique species in themselves and have been observed to be quite rewarding most of the time. As with any delicate pet animal, you really need to take excellent care of them.

We just hope the details and info above should ideally help you find enough information on keeping skunks as pets. If it does that, we will find our work has been rewarded.