Skunks can discharge their scent glands several times within a short period. The fluid is painful if it gets in a person's eyes and may cause temporary blindness for 15 minutes or so. Skunks can dig under foundations and take up residence under homes or in other buildings. They sometimes eat poultry and eggs, garden vegetables, and fruit. At times they prey on waterfowl and game bird nests and eggs.
Skunks can damage lawns when they dig in search of insect larvae or roots.
They can also damage beehives as they feed on adult and larval bees. Rabies Rabies is a serious viral disease that infects many types of warm-blooded animals. Skunks are very susceptible to rabies. When infected, they can transmit it to other animals by direct contact, usually by biting. Of all wild animals submitted to the Nebraska Department of Health in recent years to be tested for rabies, over 90 percent of the infected ones have been skunks.