Un-edited: Skunk Tearing up the Feeder [Backyard Bag Feeder Project]

[heavenlystitches]

Cute little guy! He needs a bath, eh? LOL Thinking he was just oily as if he were wet, would have been dry pretty fast! They just shake like a dog and then groom themselves! Yes, the marshmallows are bad for him, but like a kid, they love them! Fried eggs with a little olive oil is a love for them! Fresh veggies and fruit and boiled fish and chicken is what they are supposed to have! ;-) SKUNKS RULE!!! Love em! Good job on the video even if it is a bit long! ;-) Thanks!

[taburineagle]

@heavenlystitches - Thank you! I wanted to edit the video for a while, but I never had a chance to, but I wanted to show another skunk person the video (PeachesTheSkunk) and decided to put it up in raw form instead (that's why it's so long) - :) I don't actually get skunks where I live (I shot this video on vacation), but if I did I would definitely try the healthier foods!

[jungian9111]

This little guy is so cute! Use to have a skunk when I was younger. Nature takes them away too!

:(

[taburineagle]

It would be cool to have a skunk too, that's awesome! I have even less of an opportunity to see skunks (hehe... a LONG story, but I could go into it if you'd like me to - :)) Basically, the short version is, it took me 12 years to find a place in this area where raccoons congregate, but I haven't yet found any places where skunks like to frequent. I wish we had all kinds of animals like that *here*, but that's not the case - :(

[jungian9111]

I would like to hear all of it! 12 years is such a long time to search for an area where they congregate! Skunks must not stay in one area, maybe they travel a distance?

[taburineagle]

Cool! Hehe... not tonight though, that'll take a little while to write up - :) I'm not sure on that, I've *smelled* them in the vicinity of this area, but I only saw one here once, and that might have just been my eyes playing tricks on me. I came home from work, walked out to the back yard to check to see if the squirrels touched the feeder project of the day, and a skunk was there. At the time, I worked 2nd shift, so it's now 11:30 PM, but the skunk didn't care, and just stood there - :)

[ThylacineAli]

Cute skunk. :) His fur looks kind of damp though.

How do you know if it's a boy or a girl?

[taburineagle]

I'm not sure if there are any coloring ways to determine sex - there might be a "one stripe" rule, but I don't know what it is - :) He's damp because of the feeder project - I had the feeder out the night before, and it rained quite a bit during that night. I was going to throw it out, but decided to stick it out for "one more night" just in case! A huge shot for me, because I missed the very same shot 2 years prior! (I only get to tape at this spot for 4 days every year!)

[JayB0b]

This skunk shall be known as "Wesely" for the sake of i like funny names for animals

[taburineagle]

OK - I'll go with that one... Wesely the skunk - he loves his bologna! :)

[dgnorthrup]

What kind of grubs in the bag? It sure does like it what ever it is. What part of the county was this shot?

cute.

[taburineagle]

Thanks - thanks for the video response too! :) What kind of grubs? Steak remnants, small chunks of bologna and a little bit of marshmallow. I shot this in the NE in June '08... I'm glad you liked it!

[stwalraven]

I love this video! Such determination - and what an appetite!

[taburineagle]

Thanks! I'm glad you like it! Definitely determined! That's what the bag feeder's all about - to see how much they get into it, and he definitely wanted it! The strange thing I've noticed with skunks (in the short time I've been able to tape them) is they don't usually come the first night something is put out, but they're there during the 2nd night. I've noticed this twice, during 2 separate years. Maybe just a coincidence... :)

[solitarybee]

Aahh this is fantastic - watching the little guy really get stuck in! How long would this animal be (in comparison with a domestic cat)?

[taburineagle]

Thanks! How long? I think they're about the size of a domestic cat, or close to it... about 3 feet or so. I haven't been close enough to one to measure it - :)

[purespirit9]

Pretty good vid! So what was in the feeder bag? Look like the skunk didn't have a very sharp teeth to open the plastic bag but sure had a feast. I don't know exactly what the treats were but did i see a marshmellow?...lol. Thx qualqui & tuburineagle. 5/5

[taburineagle]

Thanks for saying so! Well, I had left over pieces of steak, a few small pieces of marshmallow (something that I wouldn't recommend for feeding *anything* regularly, because it's very sugary - I used 'mellows because I had only 4 days during this particular trip to see if anything would be interested in my feeder) and some pieces of bologna. The skunks are more interested in meat than anything else, but if I had the chance to stay at that spot longer, I would've chosen healthier foods... :)

[bevscorner]

Great video, as always! The quality is amazing!

[taburineagle]

Thanks - I'm glad you liked it! The original was taped in 1080i HDV, it would be great if YouTube allowed higher-res (over 420x360) videos, but then it probably wouldn't be free... :) I could upload a higher-res version of it on Veoh if you'd like to see it!

[chibudgielvr]

What are skunks related to? ... Anyway, 5 stars!

[cre8ivmind]

I believe skunks are in their own family (Mephitidae), but they are close cousins of ferrets, badgers, and otters, and are part of the carnivore order (which includes cats and dogs).

[chibudgielvr]

Weird... I see the ferret resemblance though!

[taburineagle]

I *think* they're also related to polecats, but I could be wrong... I've heard the names interchanged with each other, but they are 2 separate kinds of animals.

Thanks for the 5 stars! :)

[qualqui]

taburineagle: Wow, and what treat of a vid! 5 stars, starring: Pepe la Pew!!! hehe...i read one of your replies to somebody else,the food being steak leftovers, pieces of bologna but that white, is that boiled egg? Take care my friend and keep up the good work!=D

[taburineagle]

Thanks!! I'm glad you liked it, it was awesome to tape it! :) Actually the white stuff is a little bit of marshmallow, which isn't really "skunk food", but they found it interesting. That is a good idea to try though, I'll have to keep that in mind for the next time I go where I taped this... not for another 7 months or so, but still! :)

[qualqui]

Not for another 7 months?!! Ahhh...wintertime, lotsa snow and cold as the North Pole, well,...hope ya have an AWESOME Thanksgiving and Christmas my friend!

[taburineagle]

It's going to be awhile! I usually get up there during the 2nd week or so of June - it would be awesome if there would be more skunks down here, but I haven't seen any... :) Thanks! Right back at you!! :)

[wisfamily]

OK what is in the bag?Looks ot lightweight to be something like corn...Almost looks like foam... were you filming it live or hidden camera?IS he eating the plastic as well?

[taburineagle]

Inside of the bag is a piece of foam with food in it - steak remnants (from a meal a day ago) and pieces of bologna. It is foam, it's not really a "hidden" camera, but I am controlling it remotely (I'm there, but I'm not in the skunk's field of vision, so it doesn't get freaked that there's a camera there) and they don't eat the plastic. I wouldn't be doing it if they did... :)

[wisfamily]

AHA! I had the foam right. IT sure kept him busy for a while. I was not implying that you did something to make him eat teh plastic .. I was just wondering if he was eating it .. as that would make him a not so bright skunk.

Its a good video... bet it was fun to film!

[taburineagle]

That's cool, I didn't think you were implying anything... I think he did check out a small piece of foam, but then got rid of it... I haven't had any problems with them eating it though... :) As far as being fun to tape it, hehe - that's not even the half of it! :) Not going to far into the back story (you can check out my website if you're interested in that), it took me 2 years to get this shot! The last time I taped a skunk, it similarly trashed the feeder, but the light never came on!

[NS9647]

Are you going to make any opossum videos? I'd love to see more opossums.

[taburineagle]

Sure! I would too! :) I have some opossum videos from the trip that this video came from, I'll put something together!

[DurAR89]

aww he's all wet. I've had some skunks visit me, sometimes they were wet and I wish I could have dried them off with a towel. Some skunks let me pet them and ate from my hand, most were shy but fairly tame.

I bet kmragan would love this. Thanx +5

[taburineagle]

I'm sure he would! I sent it to him last night - :) That's awesome that you get that opportunity to be that close to them, I only see them when I'm visiting relatives in NY - I don't see them very often down here... :(