A brood-mother growing or suckling her young should have as much as she can eat twice a day, morning and evening.
When winter comes, skunks retire to their dens and eat nothing for weeks. In March the feeding is resumed and in April the brood mothers are extra fed with a preponderance of meat, much of it raw. It costs from twenty-five cents to a dollar to feed a skunk from June first to December first. Meat and fresh water are necessary at all times for brood-mothers, for if this is neglected they will devour the young as soon as born.
10.—Water Troughs.
Skunks drink much, and often. They must have plenty of fresh water at all times; especially when the young are expected. The vessel that the water at all times is kept in should be washed every day. In winter the skunks lap up snow instead of water.
11.—Examining Box.
No cautious man would undertake to examine a wild skunk as he would a dog or rabbit. Yet it is important to know sex and condition of each new skunk as it arrives. This may be easily and quickly done by means of an examining box. This is a small box 10″ by 8″ by 6″ covered with a chicken wire of about one inch mesh on the top. There should be a six inch entrance at one end of the box.
On the solid wood bottom is a handle which is of course the top, when the box is turned wire side down.
Chase the skunk in the entrance slowly and then lift the box up by the handle and look under without fear. As soon as the operation is over the skunk will seek his proper den.
12.—Diseases.
The keeper should watch the animal’s dung, if too fluid or too soft, too copious or too little, there is something wrong. Their appetite, and the dung are the great tests. If these are right there is little chance of anything being wrong.