Skunk removal and flea control in Westcliff, Amarillo (79124)
The Westcliff Greenway gives skunks a quiet corridor through the northwest side, and the ranch and Craftsman homes along it offer the dens they want: under porches, decks and slab edges.When a skunk moves in, fleas often come with it. We handle the animal and what it leaves behind.
ZIP 79124Northwest AmarilloPotter County
How do you get a skunk out from under a Westcliff home?
To get a skunk out from under a Westcliff home, we first check for young, then fit a one-way door over the den so the skunk leaves at night and can't return. Once it's gone, we close the opening with wire mesh buried into the soil. Then we treat for fleas the skunk left behind and deal with any odor or lawn grubs that drew it.
Why skunks follow the Westcliff Greenway to backyard porches
Westcliff is a northwest Amarillo neighborhood of ranch and Craftsman homes built from the late 1970s on, set along the Westcliff Greenway and Parkway with streets like Westcliff Cir and Montclair Dr. The greenway is a long strip of open, grassy ground winding behind homes, and wildlife uses it the way people use a sidewalk.
Striped skunks live statewide and often den under houses, porches, decks and sheds. They breed in February and March, and young are born in May. That puts the most denning activity in spring, right when a mother skunk is looking for a dry, protected spot near food. Lawns along the greenway hold grubs and insects, and a gap under a porch step or along a slab edge on the hilly ground of the 79124 ZIP is all she needs.
Skunks also carry rabies risk. Texas DSHS counted 118 rabid skunks statewide in 2025, including two in Randall County that December. A skunk out in daylight, stumbling, circling or acting unafraid should be kept away from people and pets. TPWD rules let landowners or their agents remove nuisance furbearers, but releasing one elsewhere requires TPWD authorization and the landowner's consent.
Signs a skunk has moved in under your Westcliff home
Skunks are active at night, so you usually find the evidence in the morning.
A strong odor under the floor
A musky smell near a porch, deck or crawl opening, stronger on damp mornings, often means a skunk is denning there.
A cleared hole by the slab
A smooth opening about four inches or wider under a porch step, deck or slab edge, with dirt pushed out.
Cone-shaped lawn holes
Small, shallow holes across the lawn where a skunk dug for grubs overnight.
Pets scratching more
Dogs and cats that suddenly scratch more may be picking up fleas from wildlife living near the house.
Tracks along the greenway fence
Five-toed prints in soft soil or dust along the fence line facing the greenway.
Pest problem in Westcliff?
Call and describe it. The phone is answered 24 hours a day.
How we remove a skunk and clean up after it
We handle the animal, the den and the fleas in one plan.
Check for a litter
From late spring into summer, our technician checks for young before closing any den. Sealing a mother out while babies are inside causes a worse problem.
Fit a one-way door
We install a one-way door over the den opening so the skunk can leave at night but can't get back in. Trapping is used when a one-way door won't work.
Seal the den
Once the den is empty, we close it with heavy wire mesh buried into the soil and bent outward so the next skunk can't dig under.
Treat for fleas
Wildlife under a house leaves fleas behind. We treat the den area and, if needed, pet resting spots indoors, after the animal is out.
Cut the draw
We point out grub-damaged turf, open pet food and other attractions, and can treat lawn grubs that keep skunks digging.
What changes the cost of skunk removal in Westcliff
Every den is different, so the price depends on what we find.
- Where the den is
- A den under a low deck or a slab edge on a slope takes more work to seal than an open porch step.
- Young in the den
- A litter means more visits, since we wait for the young to leave with the mother before sealing.
- Length of barrier needed
- Sealing a whole deck skirt or crawl opening takes more mesh and labor than one hole.
- Flea and odor follow-up
- Treating fleas indoors and out, or handling odor, adds to the visit.
We quote after an inspection, or over the phone once we know where the den is and how big the opening is.
Pest control services for Westcliff
Skunk Removal
A skunk denning under your porch, deck or shed brings odor, holes and a rabies concern for pets.
Flea Control
Fleas biting your ankles in a house you just moved into, or a dog that will not stop scratching, usually mean a flea cycle...
Lawn Grub Control
Brown patches that peel back like loose carpet in midsummer often mean white grubs are eating the roots under your lawn.
Raccoon Removal
Heavy thumping in the attic at night, a torn soffit or a chimney full of chatter usually means a raccoon has moved in.
Snake Removal
A snake coiled by the back door, in the garage or under the AC unit needs to be identified before anyone gets close.
Dead Animal Removal
A sweet, rotten smell that gets worse every day usually means an animal died in a wall, attic or crawlspace.
Pest control questions from Westcliff
Can I trap and release a skunk from my Westcliff yard myself?
You can remove a nuisance skunk on your own property under TPWD rules, but releasing it somewhere else requires TPWD authorization plus the consent of the landowner where it is released. Trapping a skunk also risks getting sprayed and handling a possibly rabid animal. A one-way door is often safer and keeps the skunk from coming back.
Why does my Westcliff home have fleas when my pets are treated?
Fleas can come from wildlife living under the house, such as a skunk denning by a porch or deck. Flea adults can wait in their cocoons and emerge later, which is why fleas seem to appear out of nowhere. The animal has to be removed first, then the den area and pet spots treated.
What should I do if my dog gets sprayed by a skunk along the Westcliff Greenway?
Keep the dog outside and check its eyes; rinse them gently with water if they look irritated. Check for bites or scratches, since skunks can carry rabies, and call your veterinarian if there's any wound. Then call us so we can find and close the den near your home.