Urban foxes

[RocW]

Does anyone have any idea as to how to deter a fox from coming into our small urban garden? It has to scale either a 6 foot fence or a 7 foot wall but that doesn't appear to be a problem for it. It is digging up plants around the pond (perhaps hunting for frogs?) and leaving disgusting fox poo everywhere. I don't want to hurt it; I just want to make it stay away. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

[Jugglering]

You can buy fox repellents at garden centres - two names that come to mind are "Scoot" and "Rendardine". Another option would be to install an Ultrasonic Pest Repeller (which would probably also keep cats out too).

[Jules001]

You won't find Renardine in any garden centre as it has been banned and it is illegal to sell it or have it in your possession. Sorry but I don't agree that the ultrasonic repellers work either. I believe the best things to stop them are either strong smells or noise. Citronella is supposed to be quite effective, but obviously you would need to re-apply this after rain etc. I'm not sure if making up a solution using citronella oil and water and then sloshing this around the boundaries of the property would work, maybe introduce some windchimes or some other noise maker as well to double your chances of success. Human hair is also said to be a repellant, but I think you would need quite a bit to be effective and then it's not a particularly attractive garden mulch is it? Good luck

[RocW]

Thanks for your suggestions. I tried an ultrasonic device for keeping out cats and they took no notice whatsoever. I'll give the noise thing a go, although I guess the neighbours might not be too keen. I wonder if a PIR light would help?

[Jugglering]

I didn't know Renardine had been banned - thanks for the tipoff Jules ! I've just googled it and discovered it was banned in 2005, so no wonder I'd not seen it around for a while. I just remembered the name because of Reynard the Fox....

I wonder if chilli powder would work ? The large bags you can buy in asian supermarkets are not very dear - it would obviously have to be reapplied after heavy rain.

[vivandorron]

What makes you so sure that it is a fox.....Have you seen it?
Lights won't make any difference if it is a fox; but they will give you good illumination for an exellent photograph; I know that for sure, having taken such a photograph.

There are other animals besides foxes that do damage within gardens. I had a pump in my garden pond that was pulled out by its cable which was then bitten into pieces. I thought it may have been a fox but according to a zoologist from my local University it was more likely to have been an otter. Anyway, I don't think foxes hunt for frogs but they will uproot plants in their search for worm which form a large part of their diet.

You really need a poo professor on this one, if there's any uncertainty about it being a fox.

[Velvetee]

Could be a badger, we have one that keeps digging under the fence on one side and then digging another hole to get under the second adjoining fence. We just leave the holes now, as it always digs at the same spots.