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Foxes: Reinstating fear of humans

JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
in Wildlife gardening
So we’ve always had a lot of fox activity here in suburban London but one just nibbled my ankle while I was asleep in the hammock!

Something must be done.

This summer they’ve been more bold than most, I let the cat in a few weeks ago and while my back was turned to make coffee a fair sized fox came into the kitchen and started on the catfood.

Also they seem to think my patio is their toilet, which is just annoying but also maybe indicative of how at home they feel.

I know I’m not supposed to hurt or torture them, just ideas to scare them away or remove whatever is encouraging them is what I’m after.
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Posts

  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 22,275
    It’s not a new problem.

    A friend in leafy Wimbledon put the family’s lunchtime roast chicken on the dining table one sunny day in the 1980s and went to call the family in. Got back to the table with the veg just in time to see a fox leap off the table and out of the french windows with the chicken in its mouth.

    As for nibbling your ankles, try wearing boots. 🙂
    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,458
    A light charge electric wire might discourage them?
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    edited September 2022
    nick615 said:
    A light charge electric wire might discourage them?
    We have tall fences to mount them on, although I’d expect a negative effect on squirrels and birds also.

    Can you get tasers for animals?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 85,976
    Pump action water guns would be a start … but in that situation I’d get one of these …

    https://patterdaleterriers.co.uk/patterdale-terrier/



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    pansyface said:


    As for nibbling your ankles, try wearing boots. 🙂
    Boots for snoozing, sounds like a niche market you could exploit but rather too specific to address the problem :)
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    Dovefromabove said:
    Pump action water guns would be a start … but in that situation I’d get one of these …

    https://patterdaleterriers.co.uk/patterdale-terrier/


    Swapping one dog for another doesn’t do it for me, although I’ll admit it reduces the risk of disease.

    Water pistols are an idea though, I think I have some old kids “super soaker” somewhere. 👍
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    UK Gov has been helpful:

    “You can’t use the following for foxes, moles or mink:

    • self-locking snares
    • bows and crossbows
    • explosives other than legal ammunition for a licensed firearm
    • live birds or animals, as bait or live decoys”
    There goes my land-mine-garden project.
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 8,447
    My choice would be a water blast of some sort, whether it be from a hose or a 'Super Soaker' gun.  If people simply had the common sense not to feed them the problem would diminish greatly.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,530
    KT53 said:
    My choice would be a water blast of some sort, whether it be from a hose or a 'Super Soaker' gun.  If people simply had the common sense not to feed them the problem would diminish greatly.
    you seem to assume that those who feed them HAVE any common sense
    Devon.
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,249
    That’s because these days everyone goes to university and has their common sense removed ! I know ! It happened to both my sons! 
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