So this skunk with a plastic mayonnaise jar stuck on his head comes walking up to me in my backyard...

I don't even know how he got in.

He had obviously been going
through somebody's trash can,
and I have no idea how long
he had this thing stuck over
his head.

I am assuming that he had
been struggling to get it off,
and had managed to tear off
the label. I could see his face
through the jar.

He had this look on his face
like, "I know, I know, FAIL!!!"

I wanted to help 'em, but was
concerned about getting either
clawed or sprayed.

So I fashioned a noose with some
rope to the end of a mop handle
with some duct tape.

The skunk just sat there, as I did
this, steaming up the jar from the
inside. I could tell the little guy
was beginning to panic.

I got the noose around the jar,
and tugged it off of his head.

This actually took a good five
minutes as the jar was really,
really, stuck on his head.

I thought once the jar was off
his head, he would take of
running....

But he just sat there looking at me.

He then casually walked over and
took a drink from my dog's water
bowl.

He began walking away, but stopped
and turned around and looked at me
as if to say thanks. He crawled up and
over the fence, and disappeared.

This happened a week ago, and now
the skunk will walk right up to me
when I am outside!

He now hangs out in my backyard,
and has not sprayed my dog. My
dog doesn't seem to mind him, but
this is a dog that gets a kick out of
baiting birds to the ground with his
food, and then tries to play with them.

I have no intention of trying to pet this
skunk, but the animal has no fear of
me now. Animals are amazing.

Ive resuscitated a few flies after they drowned.

Ive resuscitated a few flies after they drowned.

they do make good pets, but think about getting rabbies shots for him/her.

There is more to animal communication than most realize. They are much better at sensing the energy of humans than we are at sensing the intentions of our own kind.


If folks would put the lid on the jars prior to discarding them, this would not happen.

And I cringe when I see metal cans with a flap of the lid still attached. Critters can stick their heads in, but then it slices them and grips them when they try to get out. Cut the lids off completely!

Another thing is the plastic 6-pack holders - they often get around their neck (seagulls and animals), then can't get it off. If they are young, then it strangles them asthey grow.

You did an awesome and very brave thing. Mom nature has rewarded you with a new friend. After reading all the above angry Pinned thread titles, it was nice to see yours!

Is she ever grateful! Name her. That is just too cool! I have saved bees & birds, dragons etc. they are sooooo appreciative! Very cool

when you really observe these animals, you realize how unbelievably fragile they actually are. It is only a miracle they survive at all. YOu think they can't get sick from eating out of an old mayonaise jar, but they will. They will get sick and die.

humans brought distemper to the United States with their dogs, now it's wiping all these animals out, people donate billions for AIDS research, and use these poor animals to find a cure for a fag disease. They should use fags to find cures for animal diseases.

Thanks for that information, but actually,
every time I have seen him it is at night.

When it happened, he really startled me. With the
jar on his head, he kinda looked like an aardvark
or something. I actually backed away once I realized
what it was, but he kept coming and walked right
up to me.

Once he had fallen over on his side and was
giving up, I knew if that stupid jar was coming
off, I was going to have to do it for him.

You guys are right, it is something I will
never forget, and a story I will probably
tell a million times!

Op, it's not necessarily so that if you see a skunk during day it is rabid although rabid skunks will stay out all day not all are rabid that do so. Used to be an ACO & we got calls every week that a rabid skunk was out during day. Fish & Game in our county didn't want to be bothered with wild animals - just fish - so animal control had to handle the calls. Never once was the skunk rabid. I'd put them in a cat carrier & relocate them. Sometimes if they haven't gotten enough food during their night time foraging they will stay out awhile during morning hours until they find food. What you need to look for is if skunk appears to be sick and acting strange. But, yes, rabies is something to be vigilant about with skunks.

You're a great person to help the little critter. I love skunks (and don't mind the smell at all - got used to it I guess). You must not live in a gated community. We have two in this county and in most of the wildlife calls in the gated communities they would want us to shoot the animal. I never would - always relocated them. Couldn't believe it! These people move to the mountains and live in gated communities like little cities & complain about the wildlife. Go figure.

Skunks are actually friendly and can make good pets once de-scented. That is their entire defense mechanism, so keep them indoors.

A couple of years ago I saw a young raccoon with a mayo jar on his head in my backyard. When I went outside, he climbed a tree, so I retreated and waited for him to climb back down.

Then I ran out and it started to climb the tree again, so I grabbed it by the scruff and pulled it off the tree.

Then I realized I had a raccoon by the scruff of the neck with one hand and he was pissed, growling and thrashing.

I wondered what was going to happen when I pulled the jar off his head, and he grabbed that jar with both "hands" and started pulling and growling.

I guess because I had him by the scruff it made it easier for him to get the traction on the jar, cause he popped his head out of the jar and gave me this look....not a NICE look, lol,

so I tossed him away from me and when he landed he charged me.

I ran like a little girl, but at least he got the jar off his head.

and I will say he stunk as well, I wish I had planned a bit and wore leather gloves! I like your rope on a stick idea OP.

Those mayo jars are sooo bad in the shape.

I also had a large dog puppy get stuck in a milk jug I had cut the top off...that was probably worse because it was not clear like the mayo jar and I wasn't home, but the dog made it ok. I wonder they don't suffocate...