The Natural Diet of the California Skunk: Surprising Foods They LOVE!

The Richmond wild skunk requires a specific set of nutrients in order to function optimally. They are omnivores and will be satiated by both plant and meat-based sustenance. Wild skunks are scavengers and may survive from the leftovers and organic matters found in our garbage can. Their diet will primarily be composed of insects. In fact, 90% of their diet is composed of animal-based food.



The Diet of Wild Skunk and How They Hunt Their Meal

The diet of the California skunk will highly vary depending on the availability and the season. During the summer season, they will hunt insects such as grasshopper and beetles. This type of diet will proceed until the spring season where the population of the insects is high. They will rarely eat plant-based sustenance during this period.

Protein

The Richmond skunk will require a higher amount of protein. Meat, insects and other meals that contain a higher level of protein will comprised at least 60% of their diet. They will raid our chicken coop or the bird’s nest to steal the egg. They also love the taste of the raw chicken and their bone marrow. Other possible source of protein would be mice, super worms, crickets, beetles, and other insects. As an alternative they can also eat pecans, pumpkin seeds, linseeds, almond, and sunflower seed that also has a decent amount of protein and fats.

Vegetable

The vegetable will comprised around 30% of the animal’s natural diet. They eat a range of greens and California vegetables and they are not picky eaters. They will eat raw and rotten vegetables. Some of their favorite vegetables include tomatoes, turnips, cucumbers, beets, radish, carrots, snap peas, eggplants, bell pepper, cauliflower, and broccoli. Other vegetables that can address their nutritional needs include lettuce, kale, and spinach.

Fruits

Skunks will also eat a generous amount of fruits. In fact the skunks in captivity love to eat berries such as strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. They may also eat melons, pear, bananas, and other fallen fruits that are scattered in your yard.

How They Hunt Their Food

The California skunks are opportunistic eaters and will eat just about anything that they come across. They will eat the remains of the victim of road kill. The skunk has sharp teeth that are designed to tear up the pieces of meat. Their molar teeth are perfect for grinding tough food. The skunk will have to smash the food into tiny pieces before they can swallow the food. The best source of food for the skunk would be the trashcan. They can also use their sharp claws to dig worms and grubs in our yard. In case you notice shallow circular holes in your yard, there are skunks hunting in your yard. They can also steal the pet food and birdseeds that we left outside.

Knowing the natural diet of the Richmond skunk will allow you to find the perfect bait for the skunk that is infesting your yard. Effective bait can greatly increase the success of trapping the creature.



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