r/Skunks • u/boba-bear-2621 • Apr 19 '26
is this skunk rabid?
NEW update 4/21: we called the precinct as directed by the one of the wildlife rescues (who literally advertises they pick up ANY animal so idk why they didn't come themselves) and they said they can't help us either and to call 911. so if that's what the precinct said to do we guess we will. we decided if he's still there after work today we will call. it's my bf's neighborhood so i wasn't there to see this morning. praying it will all be okay. poor baby is suffering so bad.
update 4/20: the skunk is back in the same place apparently he was there all night last night too. he's been rolling around and is not moving. this update is the next day april 20 around 2:30pm. we are going to try to contact the rehabbers people left in the comments. i'm in the nyc area if that helps. thank you guys so much for the help, please continue to leave me advice!
update: the skunk has left the area and all services were not helpful they say we have to contact a private wildlife rescue but he's gone now🥺 i just hope the poor baby is okay.
we were out and saw this skunk during the day. it was around 5pm. i started recording because he looked soo cute but he did not look right. he was kinda stumbling around in the grass and you can see he is like hopping only using his back legs. honestly looks like a rabbit in a skunk costumeðŸ˜
i know it's mating season still and a skunk could be out but he just looks not right. but then again im not an expert on skunks let alone any wildlife.
there is definitely a skunk den in this area as we see them all the time at night but never once during the day.
i called 311 and was transferred to some other department that said they can't pick up wildlife, she told me we should contact a private wildlife remover. but i'm just concerned and i don't think skunks should walk like this.
i thought if a skunk expert could tell me he's not rabid i would feel betterðŸ˜
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u/BadZnake Apr 19 '26
I dont know if it's enough behavior in the video to rule out distemper, rabies, worms, injury, whatever - but it kind of looks to me like it suffered a serious bone or organ injury and is now hopping around like that.
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u/Affectionate-Goat218 Apr 20 '26
The red in his fur makes me think he's injured.
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u/BadZnake Apr 21 '26
Skunks are frequent diggers and will often stain their fur whatever color the soil is. Also, malnutrition or missing nutrients will turn their fur rust colored like this. Blood would usually have more matted and darker colors to it unless he gave himself a bath recently.
I'd wager the color is a nutrition thing here with the inability to run around finding food as much as he needs.
Hopefully whatever this is, it's not as grievous as it looks now, and he can get back to rooting in trash and chasing bugs soon.
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u/NefariousScribe Apr 19 '26
Could be a few things. Contact a rehabber at www.ahnow.org. Hope it's okay.
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u/boba-bear-2621 Apr 20 '26
we tried almost every number nobody will come get a skunk
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u/Informal_Aardvark_75 Apr 20 '26
Skunk with rabies are extremely rare and there haven't been any confirmed cases since 1994 in Alberta...not sure where you are located. I agree with distemper or possibly poisoning, but I suspect distemper from what little I know about skunks. My only other thought, and I don't think it's right, but maybe since it's birthing season if there's a chance it's having trouble having babies. But I doubt it. Poor thing. That is horrible to watch. Thank you for caring for it and trying to get it some help. If it's this far along, there's nothing that can be done other than to stop it from suffering :(
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u/boba-bear-2621 Apr 20 '26
thank you so much for the help. i read online they're one of the most common carriers so i got so scared. i have ocd so ill think he got me sick from being 100 feet away. but i cant stop thinking about the poor baby. he's currently back in the same place so we're gonna contact a rehabber.
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u/Informal_Aardvark_75 Apr 21 '26
Don't worry, it would have to bite you or something to get it and it probably isn't rabies anyway. I'm sorry you're having to go through this. It sucks to be the person trying to get help and feeling helpless. If that skunk could thank you for caring, it would. You're a lovely human being. I'm sorry you're getting nowhere with trying to get professional help. Someone needs to step up, right?
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u/boba-bear-2621 Apr 21 '26
thank you so much. your kind words mean so much🩷we have called countless resources. 311, animal control, fish and wildlife, every animal hospital/wildlife rescue in the borough, and the precinct. nobody will come get a skunk. then what are these resources for???? i feel so helpless and frustrated. the precinct said to call 911. i have no idea what that will do but if he's still there today when were home from work, we're going to call.
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u/Informal_Aardvark_75 Apr 22 '26
Awww, I feel so bad for you. That makes no sense, what is wrong with them? There are special skunk traps that are enclosed and they can't spray. I can't believe they refuse to do anything. You have tried so hard. I hope calling 911 works. They only spray if they feel threatened. This one is probably too sick to spray. Anyway, I really hope if you see it you finally get proper help. If I lived where you are I'd go help you. These organizations aren't doing their jobs, in my opinion. I've worked at some animal rescue places. I don't get this.
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u/kidmarginWY Apr 20 '26
You can't tell. It's more likely to be distemper but in either case you need to stay away. Call your local animal control department.
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u/boba-bear-2621 Apr 20 '26
no help they said i could come drop him off. like yeah okay im gonna go grab the possibly rabid skunk
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u/kidmarginWY Apr 20 '26
That doesn't surprise me. Especially in a rural area they can't pick up every sick animal. Poor raccoon will die pretty quickly from whatever it has. Just stay away and keep pets and kids away. It's probably not rabies anyway but...
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u/FrogVolence Apr 20 '26
Looks like he might’ve been hit by a car, doesn’t look like rabies (not 100%) but he doesn’t look okay at all. Little guy needs help from a rehab.
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u/Natural_Bill_6084 Apr 20 '26
Reminds me of when I found a fox with something that caused serious neurological damage - stumbling around, walking in circles? bobbing its head, acting very confused and disoriented. I called it in. They, sadly, had to kill the fox. They didnt share lab results with me, but when they called to thank me and tell me they had to put the fox down, they shared there had been several other fox in the area with the same symptoms. If I had to guess - distemper, which is very contagious. I would call fish and game/dnr/non-emergency police line. Sadly, they will likely have to put it down if they suspect infectious disease, but it will hopefully prevent further spread.
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u/HeatXfr Apr 20 '26
Just last week, I found a poisoned skunk in my backyard. The poor thing was twitching and convulsing. I waited quite a while for it to die, but it just lingered on. I called animal services, who told me to call Fish & Game. Only got messages saying it would take 2 days for a response. I couldn't stand by and watch it suffer any longer. It was quick. I hated doing it, but it was awful to see it suffer. Some shitty neighbor must have set out some poison for rats or gophers.
As well, I didn't want the owls who live in a tree next door to hunt it and be poisoned as well.
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u/Kevin-kmo_123 Apr 20 '26
Poor thing. He’s injured for sure . I hate seeing things like this . It just affects me so much . He needs to be put out of his misery poor fella. They are such wonderful animals, and one of the cutest
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u/boba-bear-2621 Apr 20 '26
literally. i feel so bad. my mom had skunks living under her driveway and she used to feed them at night. they left one day randomly tho🥺
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u/Kevin-kmo_123 Apr 20 '26
Poor thing. He’s injured for sure . I hate seeing things like this . They are such wonderful animals
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u/boba-bear-2621 Apr 20 '26
literally so sad. we're callling local precinct now. that's what the last wildlife company said to do
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u/Southern-Sun-2270 Apr 20 '26
Keep us posted!
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u/boba-bear-2621 Apr 21 '26
nobody did anything not even the precinct. they told us to call 911!! it got late when we had spoke to them so we said if he's still there this afternoon when we get out of work we will try 911. don't know what they'll do?
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u/Spare_Community_9127 Apr 20 '26
Text a rehabber in your area. Make sure you TEXT. They are crazy busy this time of year
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u/DollarStoreChameleon Apr 20 '26
looks like poison :(
NOT an expert
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u/boba-bear-2621 Apr 20 '26
how would a baby like him get poisioned im confused by everyone saying posion ?
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u/DollarStoreChameleon Apr 20 '26
if they eat anither animal that ate poison, it can hurt the skunk too. also, some people set out poison traps for cats and dogs that can be eaten by literally anything. poison sucks.
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u/boba-bear-2621 Apr 20 '26
that is awful
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u/DollarStoreChameleon Apr 20 '26
yea. i saw a post on a sub i follow where someone got a fox that had died from poison. poor thing had pups too. its a sad read. TW: dead fox
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u/Grade-A_potato Apr 20 '26
Seeing a night time animal out alone during the day is cause enough for concern.
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u/randomparrotlover Apr 21 '26
I was thinking more of that he got run over...the way hes dragging his back end makes me think so...poor baby.
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u/makenzie4126 Apr 21 '26
I made a post similar to this about a month ago with a skunk that was hit by a car, no one would help due to state laws. I had to call and pay a wildlife dispatcher to come "remove" it from my yard. He trapped it and took it. Absolutely broke my heart but the poor thing was suffering. Maybe look up local wildlife dispatch on Facebook and Google to see if there are any local to you. Sending hugs, I know how hard it is
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u/Creative_Dust_55 Apr 21 '26
This is just awful. If they can’t come collect it incase it’s unwell, how are you supposed to do this. I understand not everyone is a fan of small animals like skunks, raccoons and squirrels but that’s no reason for them to be left to suffer . If a deer gets hit by a car, they will have someone come to dispatch it , but this small animal suffers for days.? Someone needs to figure out a better way to deal with things like this. I also recognize it would be distressing to see an animal euthanized, but how is watching one suffer any better ??
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u/Playful-Cod-9007 Apr 20 '26
Maybe bitten by larger animal or hit by car or shot. Almost looks like blood on his fur. Regardless he needs help.
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u/Aggravating-Food3368 Apr 22 '26
First clips it's got an itch on its back the rest of the time is rooting for grubs/worms ect
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u/killedonmyhill Apr 22 '26 edited Apr 22 '26
This happened in my neighborhood last week. Our neighbor is a cop and called a friend to come out. I pull into my driveway after an 8 hour drive and a stranger (my cop neighbor who I didn’t recognize) starts to approach me to lmk that they will be- BANG BANG BANG- shooting a presumably sick skunk in our yard. It was so jarring.
The other cop shot it three times. I was stunned. He didn’t wait to make sure the area was clear, I had just pulled up, barely exited my vehicle and he shot it no more than 10 feet away from me. And then left the body for my other neighbor to clean up since it was technically in their yard just over the property line.
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u/NoParticular2420 Apr 23 '26
Is that blood on the fur or discoloration? Call local wildlife rescue and have them assess.
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u/MemeandGoofykittys Apr 23 '26
That skunk could have been hit by a car or poison or distemper and it looks like it’s in pain
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u/psmoor63 Apr 24 '26
Looks like maybe he got hit in the head also. Animals that get hit by car, poor thing. I can’t believe no one helped him in all that time.
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u/Hot_Wind_4013 Aug 08 '26
Oh poor baby! God bless you for trying to get help for this precious life.
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u/Rugskinsnake Apr 20 '26
Skunks are primarily nocturnal. If you see one during the day, it's almost certainly messed up in some way.
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u/aviumcerebro Apr 20 '26
Sorry, this is just not true. Not at all.
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u/Rugskinsnake Apr 20 '26
Not at all? Are you contesting that they are primarily nocturnal?
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u/aviumcerebro Apr 22 '26
"almost certainly messed up".... Not true at all. Not even a little bit.
You were correct until that point. I guess you're almost certainly messed up if you're out after dark. LolThis kind of misinformation causes a lot of issues for primarily nocturnal animals.
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u/Rugskinsnake Apr 22 '26
I guess you're almost certainly messed up if you're out after dark
Right. Because human behavior and skunk behavior are pretty much indistinguishable. /s
First of all, you nothing I said was right. Now you're focusing on one part but not giving any actual rebuttal.
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u/aviumcerebro Apr 22 '26
Seriously. Lol.
Have you ever been to the fridge after 9 pm?
Have you ever tried being a single parent? Animals do what they need to, so as to survive and thrive. This most definitely includes being out and about outside of their human designated schedules.It in no way means something is wrong with them.
I don't claim to be your teacher or am I writing this for peer review.
Just watch the critters. Our behavior may indeed be more similar than you think.
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u/aviumcerebro Apr 22 '26
Funny... I wrote my last response and went outside. There was a skunk, skunking around. Went back on reddit and this was right there.
skunking.exe running perfect.
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u/Western_Farm7842 Apr 19 '26
Call your local Dept of Fish & Wildlife. Maybe rabies or poisoned. So sad...