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Her brother asked her to "take care of my skunks"...she still is...

"From us to you, with love!!"

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The day I picked him up May 14 2000, I was shocked at what was placed in my arms. A bald back, smelly, fat, 20 lb, year old, unneutered, male skunk.  Since this was my first skunk, I was quite skeptical to say the least. What had I gotten myself into? I had spent the last 6 months learning about them from chats and private emails with Ms. Bone and had learned many things but wasn't prepared for this skunk I had received. 

I bombarded her with emails when I got home, so full of questions and doubts. Of course she reassured me everything would be fine and that I would have a handsome skunk in short period of time. He wasn't fed the proper diet, so we faced many health concerns, yet with each step I took she was right here with me encouraging me on. 

So he was neutered, finally eating a good diet (after much disagreements from him-but Jane had told me don't give in, he would eventually eat the right foods), and the pounds started shedding off and the fur started growing back in within the first three months. Suddenly, after living here 5 months he changed; he became unfriendly, started being aggressive with the baby skunk we had gotten, and not eating. Then, after a week and following Jane's suggestion of what to give him, I got my darling boy back again.    

 Throughout this time he showed symptoms of kidney problems from his previous diet and that battle finally ended . In November of 2000, it just disappeared - all the symptoms he has been showing were gone. By January of 2001, he was no longer chubby at 11 lbs and people suggested changing his name. No, I couldn't do that, since I didn't want to forget the condition he came in and the JB on his name was for Jane Bone. 

In March 2001, he finally got to meet her at the 14th National Skunk Show. What a SHOCK that he took 2nd Reserve Grand National Champion at this show!  Knowing  that, only 10 short months ago the condition he was in, for him to reach this level was astounding. Thank You, Jane Bone for saving this one  and for always being there for us.      

Chubby JB and his mom 

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On September 15, 2000, I lost my first skunk to distemper. I was devastated. A few days later, I was talking by email to Jane. I told her maybe by the time baby season came back around  I would feel up to getting a baby. She told me that sometimes, it helps to get another one right away, that it helps you heal. Knowing baby season was over, I wondered what she had in mind for me. I waited a couple of more days and asked her. Little did I know what I was getting into.

She told me of a baby boy out of state (FL) that needed a new home or he was going to be put to sleep. So I got the information and made the contact. My heart was telling me that this was right.

He was 5 months old, had been in 4 homes, hadn’t been neutered, hadn’t had his shots and was being kept penned, because he couldn’t be "trusted". His owner had been trying to sell him for a while and had had no luck. So they were going to have him euthanized, the very next day. I asked them not to, because I wanted him and would do anything to get him out of there. His owner said, "you may not want him, he’s mean.  He bites." Well, being a little boy skunk and not being neutered had a lot to do with this.  They said, "he’s not really pet quality" He had been kept penned with 3 other unneutered male skunks and one had ended up being killed. So he had a death sentence. The owners had been in contact with Jane, she had been offering suggestions, which they said weren’t working.  In my opinion, they just didn’t like him.

I wanted him, had to have him. So his owner took him down, had him neutered and put him on a plane to me. They hadn’t already had him neutered because  "why pay to neuter an animal you are going to put to sleep?"

After a long plane ride and car trip, he came home. His first real home. He climbed into my lap his first night here, looked right into my eyes and fell asleep in my arms. This was an animal that wasn’t pet quality? Sure seemed like a pet to me. I made him a promise in that instant, that as long as he drew breath he would have a home with me. He never would have to worry about that again.

Yes, it’s been hard. Yes, it’s been a challenge. I have cried, I have worried, ranted and raved. What has kept us going all this time and kept my faith that it would get better, is Jane. She has been my cheerleader and my rock. She kept telling me it would get better, not to give up.  It has gotten better. He is my love. He sleeps with me nightly.

Jane has been available to me 24 hours a day. She never treats my questions like they are the dumbest she has ever heard. She has helped us solve biting problems, illnesses and diet troubles. She offered him safe haven when my state wanted to get rid of them.  Luckily, we didn’t need it, because of her tireless determination  and that of others. She was determined I would not break my promise to him.

In April of this year, I got to meet Jane. It was a dream come true. I got to hand her "her" baby to hold for the first time. I got the opportunity to sit with her and listen to what she has gone through for me and skunk owners everywhere. She has sacrificed and given so much for us. She has fought, she has spent big bucks and she has cried. She cries with us when we lose our babies, she rejoices when we pass milestones. Some of these milestones don’t seem like much to others, but to moms of rescues they are truly mountains. The first kiss, the first hug, the first nail trimming without screams. The loss of weight, the gain of weight. The first night when your baby crawls into your bed and wants you and only you to hold him. I have never admired anyone like I do Jane. She is truly a special lady. Thank you Jane for all you have done and continue to do for us.

Thank you especially from your special Peep boy. Without you he wouldn’t be here.

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My skunk had stopped walking and would only crawl very little around the house. I took her to the Vet and they did x-rays and sonograms trying to find problem. They decided it was a large heart condition and couldn't find anything else wrong, but they had told me to change diet (was BARF diet), which I did.

 Fortunately I found Jane and she told me skunks have large hearts and to get her off the medication the Vet had prescribed and how to get her walking. I unfortunately didn't believe her about the inability to walk and was thinking someone had hurt her tail, so I was a bit skeptical about that; but I did take her off the heart meds. 

Jane had someone for me to talk to that had been through the lameness of a skunk. After a visit with this lady, I immediately started what Jane had suggested and in a little over a month, I got my skunk back. I regret not listening to you in the beginning. She's running and playing in my home like she never had a problem. 

Thank You Jane for sending someone to me, at a very difficult time in my life. I do not know what the long term affects would of been on her heart, but sure it would of been disastrous had you not told me to take her off the medication.

Please remember, if you ever get near here, please stop by to see this girl running through the house because of your knowledge.  Thank You

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I was kept in a cage in the garage and never dewormed.  I was abused by the man in the house.  The lady in the house had a soft voice when she fed me, but her voice is all I got.  She never held me or cuddled me when I was a baby and when she tried, it was too late.  The man had me too afraid to trust.

Jane talked to the lady and talked to her and talked to her some more and FINALLY she agreed to come to one of Jane's parties with other owners and skunks.  She even took me with her.  She put my cage on the floor and Jane opened the door to watch me.  I noticed she looked at my eyes very closely, I don't know why.  I slunk out of my cage and ran frantically under a low thing with 4 sticks under it (my lady called it a table) and stayed there.  

There were a lot of people there all laughing and talking and bunches of little furry critters running around.  Anytime one would come close, I could smell that it smelled a LITTLE like me, but I smelled MUCH STRONGER than they did and I would scream and stomp and they would run off.  They really looked funny with their bright white stripes and shiny fur, all cuddly and sitting in their people's laps, wrapped in their arms, getting kisses and good things to eat.  I know those things were there, I could smell them, but I was too scared to come out.  Jane brought some good things to ME, but I wouldn't eat them.  I wanted my bowl of dogfood.

At the end of the party, my lady had water running out of her eyes, but she left....without me.  Jane put me in another kind of cage and put me in the smelly machine and took me to her house...and right THROUGH the garage into the real house...and opened the door of the cage and took it away.  I ran under a table and hid again...and Jane let me hide.  She put down a plate of brightly colored stuff for me and left me alone. 

I began to get really hungry and listened and looked around.  I was alone.  I could smell those strange, colored pieces from here and my tummy began to rumble, so I snuck out and ran quickly and grabbed one and came back to my table.  Jane walked by and I thought she was going to hit me for taking it, but she called me a Good Boy!  Wow, that sounds like a good thing!  She walked out again and I tasted a little piece of that thing.  Uh oh, it's better than dogfood!  So I got some more, then curled up in the corner and went to sleep.  It felt funny not having my cage...but it felt good, too.

I'll make this short.  Jane said that my eyes would always have those great big black dots in them.  She said that a baseball bat or a two by four had done a number on me.  Is brain damage a good thing?  The doctor told Jane that it can't be changed...just to feed me right and to love me.  And she did.  Til the day I died, happily cuddled up with all those other critters who love Jane so much.

THANK YOU JANE......  Duke 

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In December 2000, I was asked to foster a skunk by Jane Bone. She was unable to take skunk in herself cause of it being black and white and therefore illegal in Jane's state and the owners wanted someone closer to adopt the skunk. 

When I got her home, I was immediately on the phone with Jane cause this little girl was having tremors and was unable to walk - would fall over just trying to sit up. She weighed 3 lbs, was merely shell of a skunk and her eyes told of many tormented moments. She told me to "feed her", but she couldn't eat...she wasn't strong enough to even drink water. 

My Vet was out of town and unfortunately you can't find just anyone that will see a skunk. They have to have a special license here. So I called Jane back many times throughout the next few days and if she didn't hear from me, she was calling us. She told me all the things I needed to get this girl going. I remember begging her to find someone else to take her in , but she calmly told me "she's in the best place she could be." 

She advised me I needed to feed this girl, by syringe if necessary, every few hours and to get her in Hydrotherapy to build her legs and muscles up.  She suggested what supplements to add. So I did as she said and noticed small improvement within the first week in her attempts of holding herself up and she was eating fairly well by syringe. 

A few weeks passed and she was still eating with the syringe and I didn't understand why she could lick the mess we made, but wouldn't eat by herself. Jane laughed and told me, she was "pulling my leg", but to keep feeding her like this cause "she needed to know someone cared about her." She was physically able to get around now and trying to bear weight on her back legs for short period of time.  Within two months this girl was running the house. 

Thank You Jane for seeing that I could do this and for saving this skunk that was knocking on "deaths door" and for finding her a home that she knows she will spend the rest of her life living happily here. She has the will to live now and has that sparkle in her eye, and the stomps to match....    Sug and her Mom

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SNOWBELLE

MY LITTLE ANGEL

With the passing of two baby girl skunks came so much heartache that my intent was to leave the Skunks Are Us mailing  list. Miss Jane, Shelor and Viv encouraged me to stay on.

Then unexpectedly a post arrived from Miss Jane 'there is a skunk in Georgia that needs a home, do you know someone who would be interested"? Glenn said it was up to me so I said YES.

When I met the owner of SnowBall she had the skunk in a cardboard box and pulled out this wild, kicking, white ball of fur. We have a dog named SnoBall so I named her SnowBelle. My Belle had been kept in a cage in an outdoor building so she was antisocial. She was fed only cat food, was never wormed and had to go potty in the cage and then live in it.

For the first month Belle hid behind my curio cabinet and only came out to eat. Gradually she would come out at night and run repeatedly in circles under our bed. I felt this was because of her being caged. During one of my many phone calls to Jane she said ' sounds like she is in heat to me'.

So at three years of age SnowBelle was spayed, wormed, and got all her necessary shots. I keep a large cage on the lanai per F& G regulations. One morning as I got up for work I found blood all over the dining room and the kitchen. I immediately called Miss Jane at 5 am. She told me what to do and said 'she will be fine'. It seems my Belle saw the cage and just knew in her heart that she belonged in that cage. With the sliding door shut Belle caught her toes and therefore pulled out several.

SnowBelle never trusted humans enough to cater to being held. But she would hear the microwave or the fridge and come running. She would lay at my feet till her dinner was ready. This grand little lady was so loving that even after we got Blossom from Becki, Belle watched over her new sister. My two ladies bonded and slept side by side under our bed.

When my Belle got sick we had her to the vets twice. The last night at the emergency clinic her nose, ears, eyes and even her feet had turned yellow. I called Miss Jane who posted for prayers for our little girl. This was my birthday and my precious Belle waited till the next morning to pass over so it would not be so bad. My Belle died needlessly cause of her diet of cat food from her previous home.

The tears flow as I daily remember my Belle. But my life was so enriched with Belles sweetness that I wish to say THANK YOU MISS JANE. Thank you for caring and thank you for loving these little skunkies. You are doing God's work as you continue to care for 'your brothers skunks'.

God loves you Miss Jane and so do we,

Blossom, Lil Eagle and SnoBall

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Flower's original Mom had contacted Jane about finding a suitable home for a three year old skunk, because she was having personal problems. Jane sent me the lady's number and I talked with her.   She was having difficulty letting her go but knew it was for the best. Jane talked with her owner again, telling her I could give her a suitable home, if that was what she wanted. 

So she came to live at this house under the bed, one very shy and scared, unsocialized girl who was not making any kind of adjustment living here, after being here 4 months.  At her previous home, she had lived her life in peace in her own room alone, only being bothered  when someone fed her and never seeking anyone out for attention. 

I spoke with Jane, telling her of the problem.  She told me to block the hiding places that she was living in. With this done, she slowly started coming out of her shell, became less fearful of us and started doing some interacting with us and the other skunks. A couple of months later, I was taking her to the doctor for her check up and she grabbed my jacket between her teeth and pulled it in to the car cage, tugging at it. Seemed like she was saying "No, don't take me somewhere else, I wanna live at your house." 

A few days later, we were going on a trip which included taking the skunks. Upon returning home this girl turned totally around and really started initiating interaction with us.  She would get up in the morning, come to kitchen and see her Daddy off to work and stomp edge of couch wanting attention from me; of course, I had to ask Jane about this transformation and what had occurred during this trip and on returning home. She told me she thought Flower understood that she would always be returning to this home and was finally learning to trust humans. She has only been here 10 months and hopefully she will continue to progress. 

She wants to Thank You Jane for improving her quality of life, and educating her Mommy and Daddy on how to reach her through that wall she had built around herself.      Flower's Now and Forever Mom

Update:  Flower lived a happy, healthy life due to ALL your help, Jane,
Thank you for five wonderful years!!

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At three years old Co-Co's previous owners were searching for home for him. I was told by one of Jane Bone's friends that she was searching for a home for him because of his possible biting behavior and was afraid of placing him just anywhere because of the possibilities of his being tested for Rabies if a bite occurred. 

Jane knew of these skunks because she herself had rescued skunks out of this house. He was included with another skunk and they had to stay together.  The other was black and white, which is illegal in Georgia.. So Jane contacted me about them. Of course, being new into skunk ownership, I had no idea of a TRUE biting skunk. He weighed 20 lbs, was barely able to walk, the underside of his tail was totally lacking hair and there were creases in the sides of his body that were missing hair. 

He was abused by previous owners by being finger-thumped on his nose every time he was picked up, and who knows what else was done to him. He was owned by a male and when he came here didn't want anything to do with me. Would bite at me just for thinking of petting him, let alone trying to pick him up.  He did tolerate my husband picking him up when we had to; of course he would bite and then flinch as if he knew was gonna be struck.  From studying Skunk Stuff and talking with Jane,  I knew in time that this would change...that, with time and understanding, this would eventually stop if we let him come to us, and not force ourselves on him. She also told us how to get his weight down.

 Well, seven months later, he is down to 10 lbs, able to walk and run around the house, his coat has almost grown back in and I am able to pick him up and hold him anytime I want without any attempts of being bitten by him. He still will bite at my husband for attempting to pet or pick him up, but I know in time this behavior will stop too with the love and understanding of abused skunks we have learned from Jane Bone.

Thank you from Co-Co  (now with a new name) and Mom

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She was kept in a tiny cage, fed hog slop and poked with cattle prods to keep her away from the backyard breeder the few times he bothered to open her door. She felt without hope for herself or her babies the breeder was going to "get rich quick" from selling. 

Then a savior appeared and took her away. She was finally able to walk on solid floors, not wire and she was fed good food. She lived there for a while, then went to another home. 

Even though she had many health problems and had to endure painful treatment, this gentle soul never offered to bite the hands that cared for her. She knew she was loved. 

Big Mama, we'll all miss you and never forget Jane for rescuing you and sending you to us.

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Thanks so much Skunklady, for telling our rescuer where she could find us a good home. 

We are no longer are yellow, we are no longer afraid of all the noises-it's quiet here, no children coming to bother us. We also get LOTS of good food now. 

We no longer fight and jump on each other's back, we've got a whole house to run in and we get plenty of exercise now. 

We were both a little worried when we got here, but Momma has promised us we can stay here forever and the thanks goes to you, for telling her how to take cares of us.

HUGS from Roscoe and Shiloh

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He left the breeding farm weighing a whole, big 7 ounces.  He was gorgeous and one other in the batch looked exactly like him....maybe they were brother and sister.  He was one of 6 in that batch of kits.  All six were in new homes within a week.

Time passed.  Two of the six were regulars at the Skunk Parties held each month, but never him.  He seemed to have disappeared.  The others grew and thrived, but no one heard anything from him.

Six months later, she got a phone call.  Someone wanted to "get rid of this blankety skunk.  It's vicious, it attacks every time I go in the blankety room. I had to fling it across the room to get it out of the blankety dog food bag one time and today I had to throw ice water on it to get it to let me in to feed it."   Through clenched teeth she replied, "Fine, SIR, where shall I meet you?"  "Don't worry,  I know where you live.   I'll be there in an hour".  "Great, see you then".

An hour later, the man arrived with the skunk and left it in a cage while he ranted some more.  She tried to listen to the man but was watching the skunk.  She recognized it immediately as one of the two identical ones in the batch of six.

The other "twin" was gorgeous and lushly furred, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. highly active and weighed 6 pounds now.  This boy was climbing all over the cage, even upside down, across the top.  He was scrawny, dull-coated and matted, limp- tailed.....she couldn't get the man out fast enough. This little boy weighed about 1 pound...the same age as the "twin".

She opened the cage, the skunk streaked out, she threw the cage out the door and turned around in time to see the little thing run under a table with a 4 INCH clearance from the floor.  She lay down on the floor with some veggies and tried to feed him.  He turned his head tightly into the corner and wouldn't budge.  Every time she touched him with her fingertips, he flinched.  Through that day and all that night, she offered him little pieces of fresh veggies.....to no avail.  She slid a shallow water dish under there and later heard him lap a few laps, but he wouldn't eat.  She finally broke down and offered a couple of pieces of dry dogfood, which he gobbled down and slammed his head back into the corner.

The next day, she called Jane in a state of panic and tears. Jane, 150 miles away, with that magical voice of hers, calmed her down and started asking questions and making suggestions.  She said that it sounded like the skunk didn't know what soft foods and veggies were....that it probably thought dogfood was all there was in the world to eat.  She said to be patient and teach him.  

The first breakthrough was cheese.  The second was a tiny piece of bread with dewormer soaked into it.  Then her youngest suggested rubbing some of the cheese into a little piece of broccoli.  BINGO!!!!!  And so healing began.

His "viciousness" was actually almost total blindness, whether from malnutrition or abuse, the vet had no idea, but he saw only about 2 inches off the tip of his nose.  When he smelled food in your hand, he couldn't SEE the hand clearly so he would SLAP it to the floor and then eat it.  THAT was the "viciousness".

He finally learned to trust again, but it took a VERY long time.   Once he trusted, he loved anyone who loved him.  He was the most beautiful skunk there ever was, bar none.

His name was Monkey.  Thank you Jane, for holding my hand and leading me to pull him through the horror he had lived.

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I am so tired of moving. You know this is my 5th home and hopefully I can stay here. I have been labeled as a "bad skunk" and "I am not pet quality" makes me so sad when the furless apes say this about me! This new lady whispers in my ear, "that she loves me and I am not a bad girl," she says I'm just "misunderstood." I'm gonna bite her a few times, and she what she does then. She has a kindness in her eyes I haven't seen before maybe this one will really be my "forever home." I can't thank you enough for giving me another chance and not believing those rumors about me, and finding me my new home. XOXOXOXOXOXOXO *stomp, stomp*

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