Are skunks that are active during the daytime rabid?

Most people believe that skunks that show up during the day are rabid which is not true. It is a rare occurrence and you can easily tell if the skunk is rabid. One fact about skunks is that they are crepuscule, so they will always appear at dusk and dawn. Skunks are also nocturnal animals so there is an assumption that they don’t like any kind of light which is the main reason why people will always conclude that a skunk that is active during the day is rabid. It is therefore very possible to run into skunks during the day especially mothers who are looking for either food or the best habitat for their young ones. Moreover when the young ones are old enough, the mother prefers daylight to teach her young one survival tactics. Young ones are always active during the day that is why you may come across active skunks in your yard during time. In case you realize that a skunk is overly active and aggressive then you can conclude that he/she is rabid.



How can you tell that a skunk that is active during the day is rabid? Sometimes it is not easy to gauge the state of activeness in a skunk which makes it hard to know whether it is rabid or not. There are other things that you can look at and they can help you make the best judgment once you come across an active skunk especially during the day:

Attitude
The attitude of the skunk portrays especially when approached by you or your pet matters a lot; if the skunk reacts quickly, fluffs its tail and stomps its feet then quickly takes off, then it is a healthy skunk probably looking for something to eat or some shelter. If the skunk is relentless and immediately attacks without being provoked then chances are that the skunk is rabid.

Activity
The nature of activity that the animal is engaged into can also tell if the skunk is rabid or healthy. If you come across the skunk during the day and you realize that it’s feeding in the yard or food for the pets and if it reacts when you approach its side? If yes then there is no need to panic, you can confidently conclude that the animal is healthy. If it keeps wandering aimlessly in your yard or sleeping in an unlikely area then you have to approach the animal with a lot of caution.

Appearance
The body posture of animal also matters a lot, if the skunk’s fur is groomed well and it’s walking normally then it is in a good state but if its fur is very unkempt, uncoordinated movement patterns then it is ill. It is therefore important to be sure before concluding that skunks that are active during the day are rabid, the truth is that it is a rare occurrence.

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