Females will become significantly more aggressive when they have their litters. They will defend their young at all costs and will spray and bite anyone who comes near them. Because babies are born deaf and blind, the mother will cover her babies in her fur. This is both to keep them warm and provide protection to the young skunks. Once the young reach six weeks, the mother will take them on trips outside of the den to learn how to forage and hunt. Families will separate in the fall and the young will typically travel three to six miles away from their dens. Female skunks can only have litters when they reach their second summer. Older, larger females are able to have larger litters and will create larger dens. If you notice large dens, this means you probably have a female skunk with a litter in your yard. This can be a long-term issue because of how close babies will stay to their home dens.