There are various types of Bucks County skunks located in different corners of the world. Four of them are found in the US. They are peace-loving and non-aggressive creatures that are often misrepresented due to the suffocating scent of their spray. Their mating habit will slightly differ according to the age of the female. Usually, their mating season will occur sometimes during February.

The Mating Season of the Skunks

While the Pennsylvania skunks will not hibernate during the winter months, their activities will be greatly reduced in this period. Most of them will prefer to stay in their den to escape the biting cold. Their burrows are usually found underneath our ground. It will be covered by the pile of brushes, lumbers, porch or building. Skunks will rarely travel more than 1 mile to look for food. However, once the month of February comes, they will be willing to travel 4 miles just to find their potential mate. 

Factors Affecting Their Mating Habit

In case the male encounters a female skunk but the female skunk shows no interest with the male, the female will emit an odor that will repel the male skunk. You will notice how the scent of skunk is more powerful during their mating season. Apart from the distance, their mating habit can also be affected by the age and the season. For instance, on the occasion that there are little amount of snow, the male skunk may emerge earlier than expected. On the contrary, an intense winter season may delay their mating season. The female skunks that are born last year may have to wait until the latter part of the mating season before they can reach their sexual maturity.

When Do They Have Bucks County Babies?

Gestation period of the skunk will last for 60-75 days. This means that the Pennsylvania kits will be born sometimes during April. One litter may have as much as 15 kits. In order to accurately determine the date when the babies will be born, you should be familiar on the mating cycle of the skunk. If the copulation of the old skunks in the start of the February was successful, the babies will be born during the first week of May. For the younger female skunk that conceived their baby during the latter part of April, their kits will be delivered during the month of June.

How Skunks Raise Their Kits

The father skunk will do nothing in raising the Pennsylvania baby skunks. The skunks will be born blind until they reached three weeks of age. Their spray will be developed after only 8 days. This means that you need to be careful in interacting even if it is a baby skunk. The mother skunk will be in charge of protecting and foraging for the foods of the baby for at least 2 months. After 3 months, the baby will now be fully capable of hunting their food.

The wild Bucks County skunk will have an average lifespan of only 3 years; those that live in captivity can live up to 7 years. Wild skunk ha a shorter lifespan since they do not have an access to adequate food and they are commonly exposed to numerous diseases.