What on earth was she thinking?
My mother, a compassionate animal lover, took it upon herself to bring home three orphaned baby skunks. I was not impressed when she had to leave for the weekend, and asked me to take care of them. To my horror, it was also prom weekend.
Here is my story.
I was left with the simple instruction of; picking each on up carefully with it's tail between it's back legs, because a skunk would never spray itself. Also to feed them every 3-4 hours some milk and cat food. I agreed to care for them, only because we negotiated a wage. The biggest mistake I ever made.
Everything went smoothly until it came time to clean the cage. I took them outside and lowered them one by one in a separate crate so I could hose down the cage. After lowering the first skunk, he became anxious in the new environment. I had over looked, his raised back, like a frightened cat his hair stood on end. As I lowered the second skunk, the first one that I had placed in the crate hissed, then flicked his behind toward me. Immediately I felt a warm splash up my arm, yellow in colour, followed by the most disgusting smell I had ever smelled.
I got sprayed.
I immediately placed the third skunk into the crate, and left them all outside. I didn't care what happened to the little buggers now. I was angry beyond belief. How could this happen to me?
I went inside and spent the next few hours, bathing and scrubing and crying.
Finally!!! The smell was gone.
I was still fuming when I went outside to finish what I had started. 'I'll finish cleaning the cage, and the three little stinkers can stay in there for the rest of the weekend. No more individual attention and feedings, I'll just throw the food in, and they can feed themselves.'
I was horrified to find the crate outside empty. 'They're gone, they've escaped, no skunks, no money and I didn't get sprayed for nothing!!!!' I looked everywhere. Where could they be?
Then I spotted them. All three of them, together in the neighbours driveway, wobbling side by side. My sister refused to help me gather them, so I had to risk getting sprayed a second time as I picked all three up in a bundle, and put them back in their cage.
That was it! Besides throwing food in, I made no other contact with the little brutes.
After a few days, they built up their strength and we let them go. Back into the wilderness. WHERE THEY BELONG!
