This minimizes the likelihood of bites and scratches, and avoids scrutiny by the Public Health Department. A handler wearing thick leather gloves can restrain the animal by the nape of the neck for injections. Reproduction Mephitis mephitis are usually monestrous and mate in February or March. Overt signs of estrus are slight. Her vulva swells slightly and exhibits a mild mucus discharge.
Estrous females are receptive to males until either pregnancy or pseudo-pregnancy occurs.
At this point they become very aggressive toward males and females alike. Lactating females are also aggressive and require individual housing. Females should be housed in an all-female facility during pregnancy since the presence of a male in an adjacent cage may distress a female, resulting in abortion, stillbirth, or postpartum loss of the litter due to poor mothering. The pugnacious behavior increases during pregnancy and lasts until weaning. The litter size ranges from 4 to 10, with a mean of 4 per litter.