FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about SKUNKS
Quiz about SKUNKS

SKUNKS! Trivia Quiz


SKUNK. The very word instils fear and disdain in most people. But after seeing a couple of them around the farms near me (always at dusk), I decided to get to know 'em a little better. Here's some of what I learned.

A multiple-choice quiz by H53. Estimated time: 3 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Animal Trivia
  6. »
  7. Carnivores
  8. »
  9. Mustelidae-Weasel Family

Author
H53
Time
3 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
398,073
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Easy
Avg Score
9 / 10
Plays
576
Last 3 plays: Guest 68 (6/10), Johnmcmanners (10/10), Guest 49 (8/10).
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. What is a skunk's stinky spray composed of? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. How far away, for most people, is skunk spray detectable to the human nose? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Their spray is a very effective means of defense and they have only one natural predator. What is it? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Skunk spray is not only quite stinky, it can also cause other problems. Which symptom CANNOT be produced by skunk spray? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Skunks are reluctant to use their spray for several reasons. Which is NOT one of them? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Skunks are native only to the Americas. What is the generally accepted reason for several pockets of wild skunks being found in the UK in 2019? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Skunks rarely spray another skunk. Under what condition does this usually happen? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Many skunks are kept as pets. What's the best way to train a skunk to use a litter box? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In 2019 only 17 states allowed skunks as pets. What is a main reason for this? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Pet skunks will stay in their own yard so it's ok to leave them outside for extended periods of time.





Most Recent Scores
Oct 11 2024 : Guest 68: 6/10
Oct 10 2024 : Johnmcmanners: 10/10
Oct 08 2024 : Guest 49: 8/10
Sep 27 2024 : Guest 131: 7/10
Sep 25 2024 : mikeystarbrook: 10/10
Sep 25 2024 : shajithomas: 4/10
Sep 20 2024 : panagos: 9/10
Sep 20 2024 : Guest 83: 6/10
Sep 19 2024 : Smudge111: 9/10

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What is a skunk's stinky spray composed of?

Answer: Self-made chemicals

The spray is produced by their anal glands and, chemically speaking, it's (E)-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, 2-quinolinemethanethiol, and their acetate thioesters. The combination of thioacetates and carbon and hydrogen groupings have an extra bonus: when water first hits them, it rearranges them into more a more potent chemical configuration. That's why after being "skunked", hosing down a dog or taking a shower will make the smell worse! However, it will eventually wash off, and with frequent bathing, the smell should be gone in about a week.
2. How far away, for most people, is skunk spray detectable to the human nose?

Answer: 3 miles

Their spray can be smelled in a concentration as small as 10 parts per billion. In a small town, everybody gets a sniff!
3. Their spray is a very effective means of defense and they have only one natural predator. What is it?

Answer: Great Horned Owl

A wild animal won't attack another skunk after being sprayed once (unless it's incredibly stupid). Surprisingly enough, the great horned owl doesn't seem to be affected by the power of skunk spray. It may be that the owl can silently snatch and kill the skunk before it has time to spray. One study of a GHO's nest resulted in finding the remains of 57 skunks.
4. Skunk spray is not only quite stinky, it can also cause other problems. Which symptom CANNOT be produced by skunk spray?

Answer: Male pattern hair loss

The spray can be quite detrimental to people with breathing problems, such as COPD or asthma. Nearly everybody who gets a direct spray will vomit. Getting sprayed in the eyes is very painful and will cause temporary loss of sight, but thorough rinsing will clean it out and the eyes will be fine in a day or so. Be aware: if a skunk starts acting agitated near you, quietly and gently walk away.
5. Skunks are reluctant to use their spray for several reasons. Which is NOT one of them?

Answer: It attracts food for them

No, it doesn't attract food. They have enough for five or six quick squirts (about 15cc), are quite accurate with their spray (up to about ten feet), and if they run out, it takes up to ten days to "reload." A skunk will hiss, go through an elaborate routine of dancing, foot-stamping, tail-raising and threatening postures before finally resorting to doing what they're best known for.
6. Skunks are native only to the Americas. What is the generally accepted reason for several pockets of wild skunks being found in the UK in 2019?

Answer: They escaped after being brought in as pets

Yes, they escaped (or were intentionally released). It's legal to have a pet skunk in the UK (with a license), but the Animal Welfare Act of 2006 made it illegal to remove their scent glands except as medical requirements. I'm sure there are a lot of pet skunks in the UK that have "medical requirements" (and understandably so).
7. Skunks rarely spray another skunk. Under what condition does this usually happen?

Answer: When males fight for mating rights

You know how rowdy boys can get. Just about the only time a skunk will spray another is when they fight over girl skunks. When they squabble and argue over den space in the fall (they don't really hibernate, but they do become dormant), they use their teeth and powerful claws.
8. Many skunks are kept as pets. What's the best way to train a skunk to use a litter box?

Answer: Determine where the skunk wants to "go" and put the litter box in that spot

A pet skunk will sniff out the best spot to do its "business." Put the litter box right there and keep it clean; a skunk will avoid a dirty box.
9. In 2019 only 17 states allowed skunks as pets. What is a main reason for this?

Answer: No vaccine for rabies has been approved for skunks

Skunks don't respond to medicines and treatment like dogs or cats, so no government-approved vaccine or quarantine period has been developed for them. In an unfortunate majority of the time, if a pet skunk bites a person, it's euthanized by animal control so that its brain cells can be tested for rabies.
10. Pet skunks will stay in their own yard so it's ok to leave them outside for extended periods of time.

Answer: False

Like ferrets, pet skunks don't have "homing instincts" and will roam. Wild skunks use scent markers to recognize their own territory, but pets will get lost easily. Most of them have also lost their most powerful defense mechanism: their spray glands.
Source: Author H53

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor rossian before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
10/31/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us