Pets. The Wild Kind. By David Leonhardt Just because we moved out to
country a couple years back does NOT mean we want to run a farm. Tending to animals is just not how we want to spend our time. We don't want cows or sheep or chickens. We don't want hogs or ducks. We don't even want a dog or a cat to train.
OK, so my wife says that she wants a cat, but that's only because she knows I won't have anything to do with it. I suspect that if I ever said, "OK, you win. Let's get a cat", she would run screaming down stairs pulling at her hair and just keep on running...causing damage to stairway carpet, not to mention window at bottom of staircase.
We don't want a parrot or a rabbit or a hamster or even a mouse.
But when you live in country, you have pets, whether you like it or not.
The first summer, we were welcomed by Muffet skunk. Although she never responded to that name, we let her keep it. She just loved our compost heap. In fact, she had a frequent-eater pass at all-you-can-eat compost buffet.
The second summer we were skunk-free, but this summer we were blessed with a new traveling perfume salesman. We did not name him, but we have determined that he is on a diet. He stays away from all-you-can-eat compost buffet.
He is also much less intelligent than Muffet. When we see him, we jump and shout and wave our hands to get his attention,. But we usually have to get his attention three or four times before something in his microbe-sized brain clicks in and says, "Wait a minute. That's not hot dog vendor beckoning me to clean up his leftovers. Maybe I should turn around."
But he is smart enough provide a two-tier burglar deterent. First, he drives them away with his odor. "Peee-ew. Let's go rob Jensons down road." Second he digs thousands of tiny pits all over lawn to trip any burglar foolish enough to try to escape.
And to answer your question, no I did not personally verify gender of these skunks. But you are free to check if you doubt my word.
