Skunk Breeders

I told my boyfriend about a recent post involving skunks and told him I think I may want one. He said if we get one then no fourth cat and no new ferret (as my current one is reaching the end, he's old). I told him that's okay and we can tell the landlady it's a cat. xD

Assuming I can get the landlady in on this, this is my question...

Who breeds skunks? I'm in Iowa, so anything near here would be great.

THANKS!

I can just imagine my landlord's face if I told him I was going to get a skunk! Good luck with finding one. I think they're very cute.

LOL, thanks.

I would LOVE to have a skunk!! They're illegal in Wisconsin due to Rabies, but I would sneak one in anyway somehow. I have wanted one for years. Someday, I WILL have a skunk!! Please just make sure it gets all the nutrition it needs. I have seen them at my clinic with diabetes and liver failure and such partially due to not enough nutrients. Good luck in finding one, and PLEASE post pics! I would LOVE to see them!!!!!

Well, Skunks are legal in your state, provided they are purchased from a licensed domestic skunk breeder.

Your best bet is to see if there is a local chapeter of the American Domestic Skunk Association in your state and go from there.
Skunks as pets are something I have been researching for many, many years, I suggest you start your research as there is a lot more to skunk ownership than you might think.

ADSA actually does have a rescue, but they will not ship, you would have to go to FLA to to get a skunk, provided you passed the application process.


Anyone who lives in states where they are not legal:
Please, do not get one, as you'll be forced to deprive them of proper vet care or they will face confiscation and be destroyed.

WOW ! I´ve never heard of skunks as pets ! To be honest I´m not sure how all that works ? I´ve had a quick look at a web-page and it all seems a bit unfair on the skunk, especially the bit about taking the baby skunk home ! They remove the gland that makes the smell..........aww it just feels wrong to me I am sure and hope that skunk owners know what they are doing but dont they really belong in the wild ? IMO of course !

I looked up about skunks - only a few states allow them to be pets and only bought from a licensed dealer in the state - most cannot be bought in another state and transported to your state.

Also did you know that skunks come in more then the black/white colors! There are albino skunks and a cinnomin (light tan markings) color - I had NO idea!

Here's some cool links:

http://www.skunksaspets.com/show.htm

http://members.aol.com/oddpet/chapterskunk.html

http://www.skunkhaven.net/images/Colors.pdf

I knew about the different colours, I want an albino one (thought it'd look more like a cat, LOL). But finding a breeder is hard enough, so most likely I'd settle for a regular coloured one... It'd still be cool to show off a skunk!

I red a bit about their diet and watched some videos on YouTube of pet skunks (to get an idea of what they can be like) and they remind me of big ferrets. Their diet seems similar to ferrets, too (they are related, weasles and skunks)... Proper veggies and meats. My boyfriend is getting a new job soon, as am I, and as my boyfriend put it, "We will have more money than we know what to do with," considering we live in an apartment and have set amounts of payment for most things, we'll have the extra... And I promised myself if I ever got another ferret (or a skunk, LOL) that I'd feed it "the right way," (no cat food / ferret chow, actual fresh food). I think the only thing that'd be a pain is litter-training, but it can be done.

I saw that it IS legal in our state, just have to find a breeder. Maybe I'll break down and get one shipped. It won't be until after we get our jobs, so we have a little time (he's recovering from surgery, so he can't work quite yet). Just wanted to get the search started.

THANKS FOR THE LINKS!

I want a skunk ............or some *exotic* pet.

Heck, I would be happy with a ferret

I don't think you can ship one in - you'd have to find a dealer that is in your state at the time.

Originally Posted by mooficat

They remove the gland that makes the smell..........aww it just feels wrong to me

I am sure and hope that skunk owners know what they are doing but dont they really belong in the wild ? IMO of course !

Click to expand...

It's not any worse than spaying an animal, but then again there are people that believe spay/neuter and keeping their animals contained is wrong. As for belonging in the wild, the alternative colored skunks would not be able to survive at all, much like white tigers. If a skunk is to be kept as a pet it has to have the scent glads removed a cat spraying in or around a house is bad, but a roaming skunk spraying the house is awful. It seems to seep through the walls.

I've owned ferrets all my life and have had a sugar glider. That's about all I've had "exotic" pet-wise. I've had reptiles, anphibians, and other rodents, along with rabbits before, and a few birds... Plus dogs and cats.

I still think the skunk reminds me most of a ferret.

I found a breeder in Iowa, so hopefully... Next year (late) my boyfriend and I may buy a trailer and then we'll get one if we can't talk the landlady into it here.

Are you going for the non-traditional colors? I'd be curious as to WHERE the other colors came from - I can understand varies black/white patterns (they occur in the wild that way) and the albino one as you have albino wildlife show up - but where did the other colors come from?

Albino would be a recessive gene, possible in any animal. Even humans can be albino. With the right combination you get an alternative pattern or color (line-bred traits), depending on the breeder you would take that an breed it back to a parent or sibling and keep doing this until you have a somewhat established stock.

I'm not sure what the cinnamon would be, if it's a trait and not a recessive gene there would be the possiblity of half a litter or less from a cinnamon parent and a normal parent to be cinnamon as well. Were it a recessive gene you could end up with a full litter of normal babies that are heterozygous (potential carriers for the gene), one of these bred back to an homozygous skunk of the same recessive genes could produce some homozygous babies.

Or at least that's how it works in reptiles


I've probably made that even more confusing...

I so want a skunk. I watcha show on PBS a year or so ago about show skunks, From what I remember there are 5 or 6 different color pstterns. I really want the Lavender pattern. Its more or a silvery grey with a purpleish shean. They had one one the show it was gorgous.

Please post pictures when and if you get one. Remeber to do full reserch not just in care but also vets. Because its a skunk and exotic you may have to search to find a vet who knows how to care for them.

I would not get one unless there was someone close by who knew how to handle it.

See that's what I mean - WHERE did the lavendar color come from - I've never seen one in the wild

I want an albino one or white with black eyes (preferred, but most likely harder to find around here)... But I'd be quite happy with a normal coloured skunk, too.

The brown and white ones are pretty cute... Then again, all the colours have something special about them. Unforunately, I have a feeling I'll have to wait until I get a place other than this apartment.

Best information I've found so far is on this site (along with other exotic animals):

http://www.ratkateersrodentry.com/

If you like wildlife why not try contacting your local shelter and see about get educated for fostering them. I am preparing myself right now for squirrel season. We should be getting in abandoned baby squirrels soon (so cute). I will take care of them and then release to the wild the way they are supposed to be. I can't think of anything more fun and rewarding. Just a thought.

We also have a foster opposum program as well.

Adding to this.

I just looked at that breeder link posted above and I must say I am shocked. I can't believe they sell raccoons. Noone in the world can convince me domesticating a raccoon is a good idea. THEN the breeder actually ( and you know noone reads it ) post about living with a raccoon and I QUOTE:

"Raccoons are destructive and messy. Serious thought needs to be given before purchasing a raccoon. A raccoon can and will bite. Make sure you have a liability insurance policy to protect you when he does bite and scratch someone."

Who could read that and say "I still want one."

That is just so crazy to me!

They seem like they would make interesting pets. But I think their illegal in CT where I live. Make sure you do plenty of research before you commit to buying one.

I never really wanted a raccoon.

I am doing my research and I think I'll have a hard time convincing the landlady. LOL. Probably won't happen until next year, but gives me plenty of planning time.