It is becoming more common to see foxes at night, in your garden and even roaming the streets. They are opportunistic creatures; with their sharp teeth and claws they can get into all sorts of places and can leave a trail of destruction behind them. If you want to protect your garden from being torn up by unwanted visitors, we’ve got five ways to fend off foxes.
1. Don’t give them an easy meal
Foxes have very sharp teeth and can be very persistent. If you keep any pets outside like rabbits, guinea pigs or chickens make sure they are kept in hutches that are secured with a bolt latch and not simply a wooden twist hinge that a fox can gnaw at. They can also get through chicken wire so make sure it is made with a low gauge wire they cannot chew through. Most foxes can fit through a 12cm hole so if you’re trying to stop them from entering the garden in the first place, make sure you use something with smaller holes too.
2. Clear away your rubbish
Foxes have a keen sense of smell and are attracted to areas where they think they can get a meal. If you’re having a barbecue or a party make sure you clear away any left over food as quickly as possible. Also, make sure your bins have a lid and are emptied regularly. Overturned bins, or bags ripped open in the street are often the fault of urban foxes scavenging for food.
3. Make them think the area is marked by a predator
There are some products available online and in garden centres that are made to be spread around your garden to make it seem as if the area is the territory of a bigger mammal. One such product that people claim to have had success with called Silent Roar is made of pellets soaked in lion dung! Some people also claim that male urine does the trick – just make sure the neighbours aren’t around when the man about the house is marking his territory!
4. Cover up your pond
Pond water can be considered drinking water to a fox and your garden might be the perfect pit-stop after an evening’s walkabout. If you can cover up your pond at night then your garden might be be considered too much effort to get a drink.
5. Send them a high frequency message
There is also the option of using an ultrasonic machine which emits a high frequency noise only audible to animals. They are based on motion detection – so operate only when there are animals around. This sort of deterrent is generally considered the best method for having a fox-free garden as it is a humane way of dealing with unwanted animals.
For more information visit thefoxproject.org
