Skunk

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Research

Creature Name: Skunk

Observations by: [PCs:Malulani jael MacMurray]]

Creature Type: Animal

Creature Subtype: Rodent

CTS trainable:

Introduction

This is a small animal with an unusual defense of being able to to spray a foul, clinging smell that keeps most other creatures at bay. Most are black and white and often stripped or spotted, but there are also some brown, grey and cream-colored ones. Skunks are actually rather reluctant to spray as they must 're-charge' their scent glands and if the warning of their black and white coats do not deter a potential predator, they will go through a great ritual of stamping their feet, hissing and other threat postures before spraying. They are usually most active at dawn and dusk.

Feeding Habits

They eat insects, larvae, grubs, worms, rodents, lizards, salamanders, birds, snakes, frogs, moles, and eggs. They also eat berries, nuts, roots, leaves, grasses and fungi. If they live near garbage pits, they will also forage there. If hard pressed for food they may also savage carrion. They will also eat bees. Although they are not actually interested in the honey like the bear. They are actually interested in the bees. They will also dig up yellow-jacket wasp nests.

Disposition and Social Habits

Skunks tend to be solitary when not mating.Though in colder climates they may co-den during the colder parts of the year.

Habitat

They seem to prefer woodland and forests to open plains but are pretty adaptable.

Fylgia

Most compatible: Dire Badger

• The skunk is ver similar to the badger, weasel, gertitrie fisher and dire badger.

Other notes

Skunks remind us to avoid conflict and turmoil. The skunk totem teaches us to be assertive with no self - to have a balance between pleasing other people and our own self-respect. The skunk has a powerful weapon, but just because she has this weapon she does not need to use it. She can stand her ground with quiet self-confidence. But if she must, she will raise a stink. This is already a CTS compatible animal but had no write up, so have no CTS code.