1.   A. Try hardware cloth, welded steel mesh with various size openings.

2.   Covering the reservoir with chicken wire or hardware cloth will allow the addition of water yet keep a thirsty critter out.

3.   For the damaged wood-slatted vent, replace it with a new wood vent, then cover the vent on the outside with hardware cloth.

4.   Fold hardware cloth, a stiff wire mesh, tightly around the rim.

5.   Hardware cloth does not keep them from getting in and nesting in odd holes.

6.   If there is no wire lath visible, install hardware cloth, a quarter-inch steel mesh that will hold the mortar equally well.

7.   Or, replace the wood vent with an aluminum one, but also cover that with hardware cloth.

8.   The hardware cloth will definitely keep them out.

9.   The skunks may be unable to dig that deeply into the ground to get under the hardware cloth.

10.   There are no trees nearby, and the hardware cloth keeps out animals.