foxes & what to do about them

[unclefudgly]

I have a plot on an allotment in south london, and our resident fox population is at least 8 individuals on a site size of about 1.5 acres (approx 24 plots). Anyway I have always suffered with foxes digging things up, sometimes leaving huge pits in the middle of my veggies. This week I even found a whole chicken egg buried in my manure pile, again courtesy of the foxes.

Some of the plot holders I know even feed them in the spring and summer, which I find really annoying as I would dearly love to get rid of them or at least some of them.

Don't get me wrong I really like foxes I just don't like the amount of them running around our allotments and causing chaos.

So any tips for keeping them away from my veggies would be greatly appreciated.

[Ananke]

That's a shame you are having problems with the foxes. We have a den behind one of my greenhouses but we've never had any bother from them, well at least not yet.

Not sure how you could go about reducing the numbers.

[Corris]

Shoot them?

[rustylady]

Link here from Wandsworth Council http://ww3.wandsworth.gov.uk/moderngov/Published/C00000362/M00002595/AI00004807/$PaperNo07161Appendix.doc.pdf

As the other plotholders seem to encourage them, I think the only thing you can really do is fence your plot.

[Nicos]

If you do fence it- make sure there isn't anything within a good 8ft on the outside of your plot that a fox can springboard off and land in your plot!

Oh- scrap that- looks like they can climb up the netting!
Foxes can climb - YouTube

Hmm...- electric fence would do the trick- but it'd probably get pinched

[bearded bloke]

Pop over to your local zoo & scrounge some lion poo,rumour has it that scares foes off

[stella]

I have the same problem and they drive me mad. I have tried fencing the veg area off but they seem to be able to jump very high if they are determined enough. I must admit they do seem to be a bit better if I let the dogs into the veg area it must be the scent of other animals.

[oldie]

I don't know where he got it from but a friend has an electronic device, also works from battery, that has two eyes that flash when the IR sensor picks up heat or movement. Apparently works well with foxes as they think it is another animal. I'll try and find a link, I don't think it was horrendously expensive.

[lottie dolly]

I think i read on here a while ago about if our males scent the perimeter of our plots,topping up as and when,it was said to deter them,

[FoxHillGardener]

I have wooden framed chicken wire cages that I move around to freshly planted or favourite spots. They also work to keep off squirreles and pigeons

[Helgalush]

I looked in to these Fox Watch detectors a while back: Fox Repellers

I was thinking of using oneto deter foxes from my garden (as the sight/smell of them is enough to give a pet rabbit a heart attack); however I had some concerns about the distance at which they could emit a signal and whether that would have an effect on neighbour's dogs/cats in the area, and that I think any movement (not just a fox) could set them off. Perhaps I was being over-cautious I dont know but didnt want to risk it.

[oldie]

They only emit an ultrasonic sound so they don't do any harm to animals. I've tried cat ones but you have to move then around as the cats do get used to them. The one my friend has is shown in the link above as the solar predator animal deterrent. The little red lights flash when the PIR is activated. They have to have a clear line of sight to work, so any plants,netting etc. in the way stop the signal.

[donnakebab]

A guy on our site has a problem with foxes. They dug all his beans up this year rooting for insects. I think it's because he uses too much manure (He keeps animals but the land is no good for veg growing), so he has access to lots of manure and bedding straw. Just MHO.

I have heard that lion poo keeps them away. When our garden was assessed by Dogs Trust I was discussing keeping chickens with the lady that came and she said we wouldn't have any problem with foxes if there was a dog scent around.

[veggiechicken]

Dog scent does not deter foxes. I had 2 small dogs - fox took my chooks. My neighbour had 4 big dogs, including 2 alsatians - fox took his chooks. I rest my case.

[Scarlet]

I also have a dog and I have asked the OH leave his male scent(!) and we still get trouble from the fox