How can foxes be made unwelcome?...

[Eco-Chic]

Is there any way of making a garden unattractive to foxes? A couple of people I know are struggling to keep their rabbits safe from some very bold foxes. I wondered if Lion dung would be a put-off but any advice is welcome.

One fox sits on top of the rabbit hutch. I've suggested driving tacks through thin wood and tack it pointy side up on the hutch.

Another garden, the fox nipped in and killed Lucy when she was out of the hutch and is now intimidating Ben by sitting on the dividing wall and licking his lips

[HayleyB]

Lion dung that'd do it........ and your source is.........

Sounds like your foxes are bolder than ours in the countryside.

Human wee is meant to be a deterrent but not sure if that is enough for foxes so used to human presence. Seems to me the hunting ban has meant more foxes around than there should be

[MrsC]

Be really careful with foxes if they want to get in they will, we had the kids guinea pig killed by one a couple of weeks ago, it ripped apart the run, it wasn't a flimsy run either, they could rip a cage apart if they wanted to, sorry but I don't how to deter them.

[Eco-Chic]

Hayley,

Lion Dung from Regent Park Zoo (not really) I think it can be bought powdered on t'internet.

Urban foxes are extremely bold because they aren't threatened or frightened by anything as far as I can see. Dunno why so much fuss was made over the hunting bill really cos Reynaud was legging it into town for MaccyD and KFC I reckon.

Mrs. C. Yes they try to burrow underneath the runs

[frias]

Urban foxes are not bothered by humans at all. A lot of "well meaning" people feed them and it just encourages them to live in towns instead of the country. They also have a love of fast food which is plentiful due to so many take aways in towns. My neighbour has lost both guinea pig and ducks to a fox. Took the door off the cage, hinges and all. Since getting my chooks I live in constant dread. Don't think I've had a good nights sleep for months either. My OH insists our run and coop is fox proof but it doesn't stop me worrying. I still let my girls free range too if I'm about as it's quality of life for them, they just love the garden

[Eco-Chic]

Sorry to hear that Frias

I think they will become a problem for another reason soon. My friend's father has an enormous garden in east London and has 3 barns for storage etc. Foxes made a 'nest' underneath one and although it was amusing to watch them playing at sunset it wasn't at all pleasant clearing the fox diarrhoea from the patio in the morning.

They had to call the RSPCA to attend to one which looked very ill. It had mange and was gassed in the van as it was too far gone to treat. The rest of the 'family' had to be trapped and taken away to be treated as they were all infected.

[Marthaclematis]

My MIL has one living in her garden, its dug a den under the last paving slab at the end of her path - and its not that far from the house; about 25 feet tops. She doesn't mind as she has no animals or much garden to speak of... she does feed it too - as long as her neighbour isn't around - the neighbour gave my MIL and everyone around a good telling off. I don't think there's a lot you can do unless you have a big dog in a kennel outside all the time. They're not scared of cats and tbh I'm not sure lion dung would work for long... when has a fox ever come across a lion? It would just be another strange smell to investigate. I would try a scarecrow and a movement sensitive light. Move the scarecrow to different parts of the garden. That might work for a while - I'm sure in time they'd get used to that too though.

[HayleyB]

That's really the problem with the hunting ban, the Darwin theory doesn't get a hope in hell's chance........

[Eco-Chic]

Marthaclematis,

Ben the rabbit was coming out the hutch for his tea when he turned tail and ran back in. Foxy was on the wall behind Lesley

Come to think of it I've never heard of foxes being threatened by anything other than man (& woman).

[frias]

That's really the problem with the hunting ban, the Darwin theory doesn't get a hope in hell's chance........

But the hunt never came through my town anyway!
My sister lives in France where the hunt still exists and so does the fox.

[HayleyB]

Yep but healthy foxes more likely in Francais.

Unfortunately the resultant shooting and gassing because of the ban is not discriminate and healthy/strong genes are lost along with unhealthy/weak, hunting is survival of the fittest (it's those that are weak or unhealthy that are caught) and if we still had wolves and bears and so on then we would have no problem. C'est la vie.........

[frias]

Marthaclematis,

Ben the rabbit was coming out the hutch for his tea when he turned tail and ran back in. Foxy was on the wall behind Lesley

Come to think of it I've never heard of foxes being threatened by anything other than man (& woman).

My son has moved into a house with a massive garden and resident foxes. They sit on his lawn and come up and look into the patio doors. Not frightened at all and sends the dog crazy. His neighbours feed the foxes. (My BIL is a pest controller and as soon as the neighbour goes on holiday he will probably pay a visit.)

[frias]

Yep but healthy foxes more likely in Francais.

I think they are more likely to be rabid over there. At least we haven't got that here. YET!

[Snadger]

A mirror is supposed to frighten them away as they see there own reflection and think it's another fox!

A mirror will also keep the vampires away!

[Hilary B]

The lion poo idea is very likely to work since the foxy instinct tells him that this came from a predator much bigger than himself. The fact that there is no way they would ever meet in nature makes little (or no) difference. The other possible option (brutal and/or messy, but perhaps effective) is to acquire a very dead fox, and scatter bits of it about the boundaries. You may find suitable roadkill, or if you have a friend with a rifle..... I don't know whether the message 'they kill foxes here' would be efective. It works for some other species, but.......