Talkback: Urban foxes

Gardeners' World Web User

I could not agree more about eureka moments as I call them and you will go on collecting more and more all your life because you are observant and enquiring. I hazard a guess you were the kind of child, like I was, whose favourite word was "Why?" Your pictures are lovely.

Gardeners' World Web User

what a lovely little picture of a fox,i have foxes that come into my garden and i enjoy feeding and watching them as they play....the other day i wish i had my camera to hand as the 2 foxes were playing and chasing each other,one lost its footing as it jumped over the pond but he fell head first in,it was very funny as the other fox went running up to the pond [as if to give a hand/or should i say paw]...very cute [arhhhh].

Gardeners' World Web User

Yes lovely to watch at first as were our 4 cubs and exhausted vixen, but they became the enemy in vegetable garden, playing in the beds and breaking onion and potato plants. Neither the electronic device nor spraying dented their enthusiasm for our garden.

Gardeners' World Web User

The first time I ever saw a fox I must have been about seven years of age, my sister came running in the house to say that Rusty (a neighbours corgi) was asleep down the bottom of the garden.

My mum went down and checked and called the RSPCA to take away a body of a dead fox. He said (and please remember, this is 1961) that it was very rare to see foxes in gardens, dead or alive.

Gardeners' World Web User

Just like Annar's comment.A delight to see the cubs, 4 of them playing when small, but they are now fully grown and a real nuisance around our gardens.Our group of 22 houses support 5 or 6 foxes.We are in the town centre. The foxes raid the bins of the many restaurants and drop the wrappings. They dig up newly planted flowers, make an earth amongst treasured plants, howl like banshees in the night.The sonic device has no effect. The worst effect is the mess they make on paths ,the garden and the pavement which inevitably gets trodden indoors.They must be a health risk! They are afraid of my cat though.

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For the last 3 nights we have a fox that sleeps under our bamboo plant - we rarely go out in this weather - we think it's a girl as we can't see any 'dangly bits' - she looks really healthy and she acts like it's her garden!!! she wakes up mid morning and has a stretch and has a wander round the garden, she sits on the lawn watching people walk past and doesn't look bothered at all and then goes back under the bamboo for another nap before the trip out in the evening - we don't hear her come back - she's just there again in the morning!!! She hasn't pulled any plants up so far and she's so good to watch!!!!

Gardeners' World Web User

could someone tell me why my fox that i feed always poos in the same place every night,,,,,is he marking his spot to stop other foxes coming into the garden,,,if so it doesnt work as i always have 2 or 3 foxes in my garden at night....

Gardeners' World Web User

we have a fox in the gardens with a badly injured leg/paw but the rspca can't seem to catch it. I've seen it 3 times over the last 2 days but although the rspca have been twice it's still here. Does anyone have any ideas on how best to solve this. We are going to feed him/her tonight but it's quite distressing to see the poor thing hoobling about then scarpering as soon as there's any human appearance. Please help.

Gardeners' World Web User

hi kendo46,,is there an open wound???
if not perhaps he/she has just hurt a ligament,sometimes my fox come into my garden limpimg and although i get upset for him,i put lots of nice food out for him and normally in a few days/week he stops limping,but i do understand it pulls at your heart strings.i hope he/she will be better soon.
if in doubt ring back rspca or your local vets.

Gardeners' World Web User

Reply to Kendo 46
It may sound heartless, but I suspect you will just have to leave your fox to get on as best it can. Foxes are wild, so unless you find it terribly incapacitated and in obvious distress, it will just have to fend for itself. Injury, disease and death are everyday events in the wild, it's just that we don't usually witness them. On the brighter side, the fact that it runs off and could not be caught by the RSPCA twice, suggests it might not be as badly hurt as you fear.

Gardeners' World Web User

Hello Kendo46
The best people to ask for advice about 'your' fox is 'The Fox Project' good old 'Google' will give you thier phone number. I'm not sure if they still carry-out rescues but are very helpful.
Many years ago there was a very poorly fox living close to our local park. After speaking to them, a 'Fox Project' volunteer came & set a Badger trip-trap/cage. This was baited with raw chicken. The first night the trap was set it caught a very angry (but full-of-chicken) cat. This was released unhalmed & the next night our target Fox took the bait. It was cared for by F/P the volunteer & returned fit & well some weeks later.

Good luck.