Litter sizes of striped skunks are usually 6 to 8, except for the first litter, which usually numbers 4. The eastern species of spotted skunk, Spilogale Putorius, usually breed in April. Gestation is about 60 days before 3 to 5 young are born. The western species, Spillage Cracilus, breeds in September or October and gestation is about 140 days due to a delayed implantation process. The n litter of striped and spotted skunks begin following their mothers at 6 weeks of age.
Travel is often single file, and the young are quick to learn to find grubs and insects.
The family unit breaks up as the young reach 3 months of age. Dispersal is not significant, and the juvenile females may continue to share their mother's den. Males are evicted, however, by the dominant male, and the juvenile male skunks are forced to find other suitable den locations. Habits Striped skunks are mostly nocturnal, doing most of their hunting and traveling during the night. Territory sizes are somewhat small, and overlapping or sharing of territories is normal as the species does not defend it's territory against others of the same species as do some other species.