Skunk life expectancy varies greatly. Out in the wild, they tend to only live two to three years. Domesticated ones average, I believe, around eight years, but some live for twenty-plus. A lot of it depends upon diet, genetics, and various environmental factors, but there's also a big cosmic unknown at play. Hobkin's from an excellent breeder who's careful to ensure their skunks aren't prone to any of the major genetic problems the ones from the fur farm/mill are--like seizures and misc. tumors--we're very careful with Hobkin's diet, and he stays inside our house nearly exclusively, protected from the more egregious environmental risk factors. I'm hoping our little guy will be with us for a very long time. |
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