In the wild they live in dens under rocky outcroppings, banks, lumber piles, stumps, crevices, or sometimes in dens that were made by other animals. Sometimes they live under old abandoned houses. Often in the warm summer months they will bed down in vegetation. Skunks are highly social and may live together in the wild. They conserve body heat during the winter months sleeping together.
Skunks are very loving and protective of their young.
Skunks do not actually hibernate but become inactive for periods of days or weeks. True hibernation requires living off of stored body fat and skunks do not do this. The wild Striped Skunk eats bugs, rodents, vegetation, snakes and frogs. The Striped Skunk will make a peculiar purring sound and may even growl when it is startled. The spray not only has a terrible odor but can temporarily blind its target.