Do skunks stink only after they spray?

When I was younger I lived in an area with lots of skunks.
I have several times been within 1 foot or less of wild skunks. I never noticed an odor.

UC Santa Barbara is rural enough that they have skunks roaming around the campus all the time. The ones I saw didn’t smell, but then I was only just close enough to see how cute they are (very!)

Cute, yeah, but take it from me, they don’t make good pets. Try ferrets instead. :slight_smile:

Delaware, USA. :stuck_out_tongue:

But there’s a reason I referred to Pappy as a mutant-monster. As in “seriously out-sized, and far more stanky than any skunk oughtta be.” Most of our skunks run about house-cat sized, also. Pappy is just a freak. A very scary, stanky freak.

I’m curious as to why you came to that conclusion considering that their spay comes from anal scent glands. Were you under the impression it was like male cats spraying urine?

I think my car stunk more than the animal after one of those run-ins.

But I have the odd skunk pass through my yard and I don’t turn green and pass out feom the stink like in the Pepe Le Pew cartoons.