Life Cycle
Striped skunks breed from mid-February to late-March. Males usually breed with more than one female during the season, meanwhile the female will mate with only one mate. The female builds a nest under a wood pile, a den in a bank,or inhibit an abandoned den from another animal.The babies are approximately two months later. An average skunk litter has five to six babies. Skunk babies are born blind, deaf and covered with fur that already has the tell-tale markings. The female is protective of her young, even carrying them around in her mouth. After four weeks, the young open their eyes. Weaning occurs from six to eight weeks of age. They will nurse in the den for about a month and a half. After nursing they may stay with their mother for up to one year. The female skunk becomes
sexually mature at the age of one
year.