Fox problems in my yard

[Scooterzmom]

We love our backyard, and so do our fuzzers. However, it seems now that some foxes have discovered it too and because of our many fuzz balls back there, they've been trying to set up territory here - which of course scares us to death. I mean I love all animals, and I realize the foxes need to eat too, but please, not MY fuzzers!!!

So does anybody know of any tricks to get rid of the foxes, without trapping or hurting them? Anything we can do to discourage them? I must specify that the yeard is quite big (1.5 acre) and wooded, so its not always possible for us to see them coming and going, unfortunately. This week alone I've had 3 ocasions when I spotted some... once there were even 2 of them together! Beautiful animals, yes... but as I said, I can't put my poor guys at risk like that.

[TubeDriver]

You can try human urine along the border. Chasing them off when you see them., mke them undrstand they are not welcome in your yard. More aggressive would be shooting them with something non-lethal like an air-soft gun. If you have large dogs, they will not tolerate having Foxes around (and may not be sneaky or fast enough to get your fuzzbutts). More extreme measures would include trapping

[cava]

My neighbor leaves ammonia soaked fabric in areas she doesn't want critters to den. I don't know how effective it is, or if it's good for the environment, but there it is.

[Scooterzmom]

You can try human urine along the border. Chasing them off when you see them., mke them undrstand they are not welcome in your yard. More aggressive would be shooting them with something non-lethal like an air-soft gun. If you have large dogs, they will not tolerate having Foxes around (and may not be sneaky or fast enough to get your fuzzbutts). More extreme measures would include trapping

Well I suppose I'll have send my son out to pee in the woods If we're talking about the perimeter of the property I think he'll have to be sneaky about it hehehe Or.... I have to start peeing in a bucket - back to my old days at my grandma's cottage with the chamber pot in the corner of the upstairs dorm at her cottage.

Man! You have no idea what memories you have stirred with that idea. Thanks for that I also remember my grandfather's looong lasting fight with "big Red", the fox who came every day and sat there like laughing at him. Must have been 3 or 4 years before that fox disappeared from the grounds. Grandpa didn't want him around because of all of us grandkids, and all the pets we all had. He never would have hurt him, he loved all animals like we do, but man that fox drove him nuts.

Seriously though. I saw the pair again this morning, obviously hunting at the far corner of the yard - which is about 200 feet away - But that was just when my poor fuzzkids were coming to my back door for their treats. I yelled and the foxes ran off, but I know they'll be back. Since they hunt as a pair it's obvious that they have a den somewhere nearby and must be hunting for their babies... which in turn means there will be more.

This gets scary even for my dogs, since one is just a tiny bichon

I wonder if I could get some sort of plain airgun. I mean, just the noise it makes should be enough, no? Maybe I should go ouot and fire it throughout the day, even if I don't see any of the sly guys ... just to make them start to think it could be dangerous here. I don't know anymore. I'm so scared for my new releases of this last summer.

[MyBushyTail]

Earlier this year we also had a Red Fox problem that we eventually took care of permanently. These Red Foxes were hunting only during the day and were killing numerous squirrels everyday for a couple - few months straight. We would see either the entire killing of the squirrels or just the end of the killing with the Red Foxes carrying the squirrels off in their mouths. These Red Foxes took down the squirrels within seconds of seeing them, it was so darn quick. They killed probably well over 100 squirrels over those couple - few months. We did everything humanely possible to deter them. The Red Foxes here are very bold, very clever and just about everything that was done to deter them did not deter them at all. All types of urine was used without success. All types of noises, etc with no success. Chasing with no success. From what I observed the Red Foxes may get nervous or spooked at first but quickly figure out that what is being done to them is really not a threat to them and continue to hunt. The Red Foxes here were not afraid of humans whatsoever. Like I said they were very bold and would take down a squirrel within a few feet of a human. For the past couple of weeks we are now seeing a Red Fox once again hunting (squirrels) during the day. Just the other morning at around 9AM I saw this Red Fox going after a cat/kitten which I did not think they preyed upon? I guess this fox was extremely hungry? I wish you lots of luck with the Red Foxes and if you do find something that works to deter them please share.

[Scooterzmom]

God! I hope I don't have to witness that, 90% of the ones I have out there are babies I have raised and released. It would devastate me!

[MyBushyTail]

Yes it is extremely horrible to witness. I have witnessed it many times and each time it is more devastating than the last. One morning I was taking trash out to my can at the street - I did not know there was a squirrel coming to my house down at the street by my trash can - the squirrel saw me got scared turned around ran back across the street right into the foxes mouth. I ran towards the fox - the fox dropped the squirrel out of his mouth - the squirrel tried to run up a tree but the fox was too quick and got him again and ran off with him in his mouth. Once the Red Foxes know where the prey is from what I have experienced it is pretty difficult to rid of them. If you are seeing the foxes out during the day or hunting during day my bet is that they are getting squirrels and rabbits. They wiped out our rabbit population here, we used to have as many rabbits as squirrels now we don't even have one rabbit left. Also from what I have read it said that foxes are shy with humans and are also transient animals that move from place to place but I have not noticed that here by me. These Red Foxes here by me are super bold, fearless of humans and are squirrel killing machines that weren't moving on.

[Scooterzmom]

I had a little rabbit who hung out in my backyard for 2 weeks late last summer - actually he was quite tame, would let me get within some 6 feet of him even though he was indeed a wild one. I also had 4 or 5 reds in my yard at the time (including my little Timothy whom I had overwintered and released) and not a single grey or black during that same 2 week period. I had thought maybe it was because Timmy was such a little tyrant, chasing all the other reds. But then even our cute rabbit disappeared, and so did all my reds, including my sweet little Timmy... and a bunch of the greys and blacks returned.

I have no idea what went on then, I had not seen any foxes yet.

Timothy's disappearance just broke my heart. He used to come stash bunches of nuts in his indoor cage, using the tunnel we had installed thrugh the window which linked his open release cage and his ex-home (his indoor cage). Even once free he still liked to hand play with me, and let me pet him. God, I loved that little boy. I try to think positive and hope he just has moved away when he saw the greys returning. I can't stand the thought of him having been caught by one of the foxes.

[CritterMom]

Has anyone ever tried shooting them with a paint ball gun? It wouldn't hurt - they are designed to shoot people with, and I would think that actually getting saturated with something they then have to groom out of their fur might actually make them think twice.

[Scooterzmom]

Has anyone ever tried shooting them with a paint ball gun? It wouldn't hurt - they are designed to shoot people with, and I would think that actually getting saturated with something they then have to groom out of their fur might actually make them think twice.

The thought did cross my mind but then I remembered that people who play war games with those do end up with welts. I was thinking also that I wouldn't want to hit them in the face or an eye with those. Beside, they don't shoot very far, I'm told... y the time I'd get close enough they'd be far gone I'm afraid. I dunno...

Hubby came up with the idea of a starter gun. Those make a very loud noise, I wouldn't have to shoot at them but I was wondering if they heard the noise come from different areas of the yard at various times of the day - no pattern to it so they couldn't rely on a schedule might make them think it's not so safe around these parts...?

I'm really grasping at straws but hey! when we say "sly as a fox"... or "yeah, crazy like a fox" it sure does speak of how smart they are.

[Diggie's Friend]

Human male urine in a spray bottle adding white vinegar to give it a kick like unto that of a larger predator!

Just spray it along the ground boarders of your yard where the foxes enter.

If you see the foxes spray them with it directly using the long stream setting from a distance; this has worked to repel raccoons.

This will soon cause them to fear you and think twice before entering your yard.

[TubeDriver]

I have two foxes that just turned up last week. They are outside during the day and attacked a neighbors cat while she was walking it on a lease. I think they live under my neighbors shed, the overgrow back yard where my Mia spends much of her day foraging. I am beside myself, there is very little I can do here.

[stosh2010]

I have two foxes that just turned up last week. They are outside during the day and attacked a neighbors cat while she was walking it on a lease. I think they live under my neighbors shed, the overgrow back yard where my Mia spends much of her day foraging. I am beside myself, there is very little I can do here.

Sorry to hear that there is a new threat to your releases....
I have 2 foxes that only appear at night. Your daylight attacks reflect a total loss of fear of humans.
Here is a link for a home made deterrent. . Don't know if it's effective or not.



https://www.ehow.com/how_6911686_hom...llent-fox.html

It's all natural ingredients. maybe spray it where Mia tends to stay. ???

[stosh2010]

Hubby came up with the idea of a starter gun. Those make a very loud noise, I wouldn't have to shoot at them but I was wondering if they heard the noise come from different areas of the yard at various times of the day - no pattern to it so they couldn't rely on a schedule might make them think it's not so safe around these parts...?

Do you live within City Limits? If so--- the sound of a gun (starter or not) will bring the police...?





79

[Scooterzmom]

Do you live within City Limits? If so--- the sound of a gun (starter or not) will bring the police...?





79

City is a big word for this paace here. Technically it is a town, yes - downtown is the 4-corner stop signs, no traffic liffic light naywhere - but it comes with all its restrictions. However, you hear what sounds like gunshots (or fireworks, which is also forbidden withinh city limits) all the time here. It's very hard to tell where exactly the sound comes from because the yards are so big in this sector and the whole area is so wooded. So I'm willing to try my luck. Heck! I've been hearing everyone else's gunshots all the time and never been able to pinpoint where they came from to send the cops over. I mean, by the time the cops would come over here, you would have put the gun away for sure and they wouldn't be able to uphold any charge unless you'd be drunk and stupid, standing there with the gun in your hand.

Besides... Hey! who would suspect a meek 100 lbs lil' grey-haired 70 yr old lady of playing with any type of gun???? this is not the U.S. ... no gun culture here, and never heard or seen any lil old lady accused of armed robbery or any gun offenses, that I know of Guess I can be the 1st.

[Diggie's Friend]

This is a serious imbalance in nature in your area. Perhaps humans are feeding foxes which would embolden them as predators, and increase their numbers? Or perhaps it is a matter of overpopulation by foxes. This happened in the Northwoods with bears following years that food was plentiful where they produced more young. Then in the years that followed the years of plenty which were leaner, the bears didn't have enough natural food so they began to stalk humans. Instead of fearing humans, growling, and showing an aggressive pose indicative of fear, the bears would approach humans with no evidence of fear, and attack them to eat them. And though the foxes aren't seeing to eat humans, they don't fear them sufficiently as to hunt when they aren't about. This combined with there being so many then resulting in both the lack of fear of humans promoted by their hunger to do more hunting in the day time hours near humans.

Contacting Fish and wildlife may be needful to report this happening, and finding some answers?

[Scooterzmom]

I know that there has been a surge of them - foxes that is - and it was report in the local newspaper. The fact that this town is so wooded and the yards so big - all over 33K sq feet - probably is quite attractive to them. We did move here for a chance to live with more wildlife around since this town is like a unique blend of nature and suburbia. I just had not stopped to think of the downside, such as having to witness mother Nature's cruelty right under my nose. Duhhh

I will contact the ministry of Wildlife and see what they have to say.