'Hella Crazy': Chaos Ensues as Children Pick Up a Skunk and Bring It Inside

A video of some kids picking up a skunk and taking it home has been met equally with exclamations of horror and hilarity online.

Jaxon Cohee managed to film what appears to be local children finding the animal on the street.

Cohee, who's thought to attend Western University, in Vancouver, Canada, shared a clip to his TikTok page, @jaxoncohee, as he spotted the spectacle outside the window.

The on-screen captions say: "kids [are] hella crazy. This is a whole skunk LMFAO."

The two boys make several attempts to pick up the mammal at the roadside, with one boy eventually managing to grasp the black-and-white creature, covering his hands with his sweater. The pair run up the street with it, and appear to go into a house.

The clip, shared on Friday, has racked up more than 10 million views, and can be seen here, as people theorized the children were trying to help the skunk, which appeared to be injured.

Roberto rivera668 commented: "That poor skunk got hit by a car and they're trying to save him that's why they look desperate bless they young hearts."

Chelsea Leigh Channe agreed, saying: "I feel like they are trying to help it because it's hurt!"

Alexia Sederquest observed: "That's adorable though at least they're out interacting with nature such a beautiful moment."

Cosmic_Engineer thought: "Skunk is hurt and it looks like they want to help. But dude, rabies is all I think about."

While DrPrepper pointed out: "Why is no one talking about how he has his hoodie on backwards so he can cover his [face emoji]."

To which Cohee replied: "Lmao didn't even notice... so smart."

Numerous people also claimed they wanted to see the parental reaction to the latest addition to the household, with Cohee uploading a part two on Sunday.

He films the house the kids ran into, showing a man dashing out with his T-shirt covering his face, suggesting the monochrome creature may have sprayed its infamous stench.

In the background of the clip screaming can distinctly be heard, as the door then opens and the skunk emerges on the porch.

A woman, holding what appears to be a snow shovel, uses the broad plastic to try and direct the skunk away from the house.

The animal's limp is apparent in the video, in line with the theory that the children were trying to tend to an injury.

Maria_slingerland commented: "The skunk was injured or sick them kids must of noticed and wanted to help she should have called animal hospital they would have rescued it."

Dani admitted: "Poor thing but that scream was the exact reaction I expected."

Tattooedblueyes88 said: "Poor skunk! I hope she didn't hurt it but hilarious how that kid is screaming lmao."

Angela Cole Ashley pointed out: "We can't assume things. Stuff happens in the wild. I didn't see anyone hurting the skunk."

Ashley added: "Oh lord no knows how anyone would react to a skunk being brought into a house. I know I probably would of freaked and ran it out too. Then called help."

As many TikTokers referenced, skunks are infamous for the revolting stench they spray from scent glands near their tail.

Britannica explained there are two ways skunks can release the noxious odor, saying: "When a skunk is being chased by a predator but cannot see it, the spray is emitted as an atomized cloud that the pursuer must run through. This usually is enough to deter most predators.

"When the skunk has a target to focus on, the spray is emitted as a stream directed at the predator's face. Although accurate to about two metres (more than six feet), its total range is considerably farther."

However there are warning signs the animal usually displays prior to spraying, including stamping its feet, hissing and even playing dead.

The site noted: "The chemical composition of skunk spray differs among species, but sulfur compounds (thiols and thioacetates) are primarily responsible for its strength."

Going into more detail about thiols, and how to rid yourself of the stench should you be sprayed, Healthline stated: "The noxious scent of skunk spray can be long-lasting and overpowering. Skunk spray contains sulfur-based organic compounds called thiols. These compounds let off an immediate blast of acrid scent, reminiscent of rotten eggs.

"Skunk spray also contains thioacetates. Thioacetates remain dormant at first, but can morph into smell-producing thiols when they come into contact with water or humidity. This can happen days or longer after the skunking occurred. It's the thioacetates in skunk spray that give it its staying power."

An immediate shower with deodorant soap or grease-busting detergent is the best course of action, or a bath with baking soda.

Some skunks, characterized by the recognizable white stripe, are sometimes kept as pets.

Website The Spruce Pets claims when raised in captivity they make "friendly, intelligent, and unique" companions.

"They can learn to be comfortable when handled by people and can be quite playful and cuddly. Native to North America, skunks are known for their scent glands that can spray foul-smelling chemicals at predators.

"However, captive-bred skunks typically have those glands surgically removed," it wrote.

Newsweek reached out to Cohee for comment.