Do skunks climb trees or fences?

Skunks are fairly resilient animals. When they want to get into an area they will be quite relentless in getting in. They know that most animals are afraid of that horrific spray that they release so they can be fairly arrogant about the manner in which they move around. There are not many that will approach them or try to challenge them so they can be as free roaming as virtually any other animal you will find.



The question is then can they get into any place they wish to enter? If they want to gain access into some location is there any kind of barrier that can stop them? You may want to know do skunks climb trees or fences. Do these animals climb under fences? What kinds of things can limit their access?

These are a series of very good questions. You may not have been aware of this but skunks are some of the best burrowers that you will find. They have incredibly sharp front claws that are longer than their back paws, and this allows them to be able to dig under fences and trees.

For those who put up fences to keep these critters away, the important thing to remember is that they can dig under a lot of the barriers that you would put up to deter them from gaining access. This means that if you put a fence up to keep them out of your yard or out of your garden then you need to make sure that the fence is buried at least 18 inches into the ground. Otherwise they will simply dig their way up and under and into your property where they will be difficult to get out and will most likely eat up your fruits and vegetables. You surely don’t want this, so you have to be as smart as you can.

What if you do put a fence up? Can a skunk climb over that fence and gain access? Fortunately, you will find that the answer is no. Skunks can do a lot of things but climbing is not at the top of their lists. They simply do not have the strength in their limbs to be able to assist them to pull themselves up or to push so that they can reach higher up. This limits their ability to climb up such things as a fence or a tree.

They are able to push themselves onto such things as a stoop or step, things that are about their height if they were standing on their hind legs, but that is about the limitation of their climbing ability. That is good news if you have put up a fence to keep them out. Read more: Skunk Control, how to kill skunks.