Pesky Foxes

[DarceyK123]

I've had a few foxes coming into my garden, they live next door I think as theirs is a bit of a jungle.

Mine is mainly lawn with flowers beds and seems they come into play, they run on and off the raised beds and play fight with each other on the grass.

I didn't really mind but they are getting a bit cheeky now, I thought they would be too scared to come close to the house during the day at least but no, they wander around bold as brass, one even looked in my door the other day and at the moment with the hot weather I'm scared to have it open.

I don't leave any food out or anything like that.

Blocked up the hole I thought they were coming from but they just jumped the fence.

Someone suggested urine but I don't like the idea of that as I think it might attract rats and mice.

So as a last resort I got some of that Scoot deterrent but half hour after I had sprayed it, they were back.

They poop on my paved paths also, I have to hose them every day now, wish if they were gonna go they would go on the lawn, fertilize it a bit.

Any help appreciated.

[Georgiesmum]

Its hot weather. They are probably just looking for a nice cool drink of water, not much to ask. Id love to see them in my garden!

[kvalidir]

We have them prancing around bold as brass and tearing the bin bags open despite having 5 dogs, so not really sure what you can do Darcey :/

[Georgiesmum]

Sounds like they are looking for food then, poor things

[Sam1960]

Googled Ultimate Fox Deterrent, and quite a lot of options are avaiable on line ranging from a fiver to nearly fifty quid. Maybe your local grden centre might have something that is known to work ? Good luck, hope you can find something to solve your problem.

[237SJ]

If they are not doing any harm and you dont have animals that could be a risk I would't worry too much. The foxes won't do any harm

[Davemano]

Don't leave any kinds of food or water as all this does is encourage them, and their numbers are likely to grow. Your garden will become their 'local'.

[vetuste_ennemi]

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a man in possession of a garden laid to lawn with flowers beds must be in want of a few foxes.

[DarceyK123]

Vetuste - I only said that to explain that I don't have any undergrowth or messy areas for them to live.

Next door are abit slovernly with lots of overgrown areas so they must live there but come over to find a nice flat patch to play in!

I don't mind them really but it's worrying me they are coming up to the house and obviously I don't appreciate clearing the poop off my paths. Why don't they go in the lawn? Would have thought they would prefer that.

[237SJ]

Much as I don't want to give AB any kudos for finding answers anymore, get a water spray such as you would use for hydrating plants and fill with water and Jeyes fluid and spray in the area where the foxes are.

[vetuste_ennemi]

They certainly can be a nuisance, Darcy. Cause quite a bit of mayhem in our less than tidy (now that the principal gardener - my wife - is in poor health) garden.

We have cameras in the garden and enjoy watching them. And accept the downside of that. But I understand the frustration of people who spend time and money in order to make their garden look good and then have foxes coming in doing their trashing act.

By the way, re dustbin/recycling bags kept the back garden and being torn open - this was when we first knew that foxes were looking in over night. Solution to that was to keep the bags inside the conservatory.

Having said that I've seen foxes at the front of the house - this on collection day, early hours but still light - walking past and examining the "waste" followed by "that looks interesting - let's rip it open and find out what's inside".

[jno]

yes, they're insanitary, you don't want little kids playing in your garden with foxes around.

Do they just play in your garden or are they en route to somewhere else?

[shoota]

Pesky foxes?

Use a peskicide....

[237SJ]

I have read (on here, mainly and probably from Googlers) that if a fox moves out of its territory for whatever reason, then other foxes will move in. We used to have loads of foxes around here but they seem to have disappeared recently. We hardly ever see them nowadays. Why is that?

[shoota]

Peskicides?

[237SJ]

I don't know why they have gone but my point is that when they do go, other foxes don't necessarily move in

[Maydup]

I'd hate it Darcey, not only the poop to clear up but the the feeling of intimidation that these foxes are bringing to your home and garden. I'm not sure much is going to deter them, and you might need some professional help. Perhaps its worth contacting a pest control company. In the meantime spray them with the hose pipe and bother the life out of them rather than let them get on with it.

[jno]

maybe they lost their habitat, 237SJ? We used to have them living in the jungle next door, but a new owner cleared it and laid a lawn, so the foxes (I assume) went in search of better dens.

[237SJ]

Jno, maybe but it is very urban around here an nothing much changes as far as the environment is concerned.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Last few posts generalising about and demonising foxes as insanitary pests who need to be "controlled".

Not the kind of language these fastidious posters would use about Travellers.

[rowanwitch]

Rather foxes than badgers at least you are allowed to move foxes on.

I would agree with jeyes fluid but only if there are absolutely no cats around as if it gets on their fur and they wash it off it could kill them..

you could try scattering loads of thorny prunings over your lawn for a while so it is no longer an appealing place to play. Throw a bucket of water over any that come close enough to be intimidating.