Skunks eat a variety of food. Their vast diet makes them very successful as a species as they can survive in almost any climate. They mostly forage for food but they can eat many different kinds of food. Their omnivorous diet consists of both plants and animals. Although vegetable matter makes up a large chunk of their diet, they have a flexible digestive system that can accommodate a wide range of food sources. Skunks are nocturnal and so they mostly hunt for food at night when they are active. Some diets of skunks include:
Plant matter, fruits, and vegetables
More than 80 percent of the skunk’s diet is made up of fruits, vegetables, and plant matter. However, this largely depends on the kind of food the skunk has access to. In an environment where natural fibers and vegetables are scarce, the skunk will make do with whatever is available. They also tend to eat equal portions of plants and animals during fall and winter. However, during spring and summer, they will feed more on plant materials if it is available.
Fruits and berries are also among the top foods they go for when available. If these are absent, skunks can survive on grass, roots, and leaves. Skunks love to eat fruits and berries that have already fallen to the ground as they do not like to climb trees. They end up eating rotten fruits most of the time.
Insects and small animals
Part of a skunk’s diet also includes small animals and insects. They can eat little animals like frogs, lizards, mice, rabbits, small snakes, and birds. They can also feed off insects and moles. Skunks also love eggs and have been known to raid chicken coops in search of eggs. While searching for eggs, they can also kill little chicks and eat them. If they happen to find an animal’s carcass that was probably killed and left over by a much larger animal, skunks will remove the meat from it and eat it.
Scavenging and hunting habits
Much like all activities they perform, skunks do not like to go all out when looking for food. They prefer to hunt for food. At most they will dig little cone-shaped holes and eat earthworms, caterpillars, millipedes, and grubs they can find there. They have powerful and well-adapted feet with sharp claws for digging through the soil. Most of the time, they rummage around in trash cans looking for leftover food. They can also eat leftover pet food if they find any. They may also look for food in compost sites.
Bees
Bees are one of the most feared insects but this does not deter the skunk one bit. They have thick fur that prevents the bee sting from penetrating into the skin. Their bee eating techniques are usually passed down from the mother to her kits during training. Skunks go to a beehive and scratch at the entrance. Guard bees will usually come out to investigate and the skunk eats them off one after the other.
Apart from the diets listed above, skunks will pretty much eat whatever they can find. They are opportunists that do not like to go far to get a meal. They will resort to stealing food reserves from other animals if they cannot find food. Skunks do not store food. They eat as much as they can whenever they find it and use the food to build up their fat reserve. They slowly burn through the fat reserves on their bodies during winter when they are less active.
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