Oh No - Foxes are back - how to deter?

Gers

Littleweedj wrote: »

I also have foxes constantly coming into my back garden at any time of the day or night. However, unlike the ones you mention the ones up here, in my area of Glasgow are not in the least bit bold and will run a mile if you knock the window or open a door. During the warmer weather recently they would enjoy 'sunbathing' on the grass on for hours!

I had thought of putting up 6ft fences surrounding the garden but was reliably informed this would not keep them out. Have looked on the internet and there's quite a few gadgets mentioned to deter them, but I haven't tried any of them yet.

Yesterday I was driving up Kirklee Road towards Great Western Road and a fox just strolled across the road in front of my car - in broad daylight. And the other day I saw a three legged one in the private gardens just at Northcote Surgery. Again, in daylight.

andygb

We live in an urban (in the middle of a rural area) village in Kent, and last week, when everyone had put their rubbish out for the next morning (stupid idiots), I took a walk around the village at 10.00PM, just to see what havoc the little blighters had started to cause.
Sure enough, on one 100 metre stretch of well lit street, I counted at least half a dozen foxes going for the black plastic refuse sacks - I even got within ten paces of one, which when startled, walked towards me, then scampered away quickly, skulking behind a wall.
Just the other day there were three foxes playing on the local sports field in broad daylight, despite the fact that a couple of people were walking their dogs there.

lostinrates

andrewf75 wrote: »

Thats not the proper definition of "feral". I guess its one of those words that has been used to mean different things, but in this context its quite an important distinction, which is why I mentioned it. A feral animal has no real biodiversity value because it shouldn't be there - its a domestic animal living wild like city pigeons and stray cats. A wild animal, like a fox, does have value. The term "urban" is more appropriate for the foxes that have moved into cities.

The easiest term, used to cover both feral animals, urban foxes and various borderline or unusual situations is, should anyone be interested 'free living'

Its also not always clear about biodiversity value. Feral dogs, for example, might fulfil a role of wolves in an area where they have been hunted out of existence. Similarly, cats might in some sit auditions it be argued fill a role of absent wild cats.


In many parts of UK biodiversity is very very unnatural, not just by what has been introduced ( and we have relatively good control of dogs, less control but better by far than many places of cats and rabbits, well.....:( ) but by what is absent.

dorsetlady67

Not sure if it really matters if the fox has been labelled Feral,Wild or otherwise..
Why do you want rid of the foxes?
They dont cause any real harm,& if you leave a little food out & watch them play you might just like millions of use come to love the fuzzy little criters.

I lived in London & I fed my foxes every night.for 10 +yrs
Same time,same place in the center of my lawn so I could see them.
The only time they dug in my garden was under the shed to make a den which my husband swiftly with some old corregated sheeting made them a den.
Just leave a few balls or plastic bottles for the cubs to play with.
They lived their lives happy & I was happy to watch them..:)
Now a move forced me to countryside I have NO foxes to watch as they have enough food/shelter in the feilds.:(

My Brother also lives in London & has been feeding foxes & their cubs now for over 10 yrs.
Last 3 summers Mummy fox with her cubs lay out on the garden step sunbathing with my brothers bullmastif dog sunbathing on the other step..

rum1

Just do a google searh for fox spikes they fit along the top of your panels

doodle-bug_2

I feed a couple of foxes every night (live in the town, but near railway lines so assume they may be from there). I normally mix dog or cat food with biscuits, but supplemented by the odd bird/mouse that my cat has killed but refuses to eat. Every morning, the dish is clean. I seem to be lucky in the fact that the fox does not seem to mess in my garden.

Fox has to be careful though - my cat has taken a dislike to one of them, and sometimes rushes up and sinks his claws into the rump of the fox! Evil cat. Strangely enough, the cat has met his match in the hedgehog, who heads for him and bashes into him if he is sitting in the middle of the lawn minding his own business:D

andrewf75

lostinrates wrote: »

Its also not always clear about biodiversity value. Feral dogs, for example, might fulfil a role of wolves in an area where they have been hunted out of existence. Similarly, cats might in some sit auditions it be argued fill a role of absent wild cats.

In many parts of UK biodiversity is very very unnatural, not just by what has been introduced ( and we have relatively good control of dogs, less control but better by far than many places of cats and rabbits, well.....:( ) but by what is absent.

Fair point, but even if they superficially fill a niche, they more often than not cause a lot of damage in other ways. Feral cats are causing the extinction of true wild cats in Scotland. The term "free living" doesn't make a distinction between those animals that are naturally part of the econsystem and those that aren't and I think that IS important when it comes to deterring or controlling them.

Elsewhere

dorsetlady67 wrote: »

Last 3 summers Mummy fox with her cubs lay out on the garden step sunbathing with my brothers bullmastif dog sunbathing on the other step..

I think it is a very bad idea to encourage foxes into your garden. Though it is rare, they can spread diseases such as mange to dogs, and can even carry the ticks that cause Lyme disease. Their faeces, like dog faeces, can transmit toxocara canis to children.

There was also an incident last year of a fox attacking a baby. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21399709

MissMoneypenny

Elsewhere wrote: »

Their faeces, like dog faeces, can transmit toxocara canis to children.

And cats faeces too.

In fact, although dogs and foxes can spread this parasite, the only known host (only animal it can breed in) is cats. Interestingly, it hasn't been found in cats that are kept indoors.

It's a zoonosis, so can be caught by adults too, not just children. The reason children are at greater risk is that they are more likely to come in contact with the eggs and ingest them i.e. playing in sandpits where an infected animal has left it's faeces.

UnluckyT

I don't know how true it is, but someone told me if you put your wee around the garden, its supposed to deter them.