Topic: fox on the plot

[adrianhumph]

Hi all,  :D
              Went to the plot yesterday to do a bit of pottering about  ::)  While wandering around I found what I think is a fox hole, recently dug, in the bank at the side my plot. Should I leave it  ??? should I fill it in  ??? Any thoughts please would be welcome.
                                 Adrian.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'd leave it myself, they're useful predators to have around, and you could end up with a litter of fox cubs which would be nice, at least from my perspective.

[windygale]

Hi adrian, keep filling it in, then what ever's trying to dig the hole will move on to another plot, could be rats, rabbits,foxes or badgers (depending on the size of hole made) trying to make a home and all will become a pain in time, if you can, start to put up wire mesh around your plot, dont ever let animals make homes under sheds, greenhouses, in rubbish heaps, under your waterbutts,  or compostbins/heaps, try to keep your plot tidy, move thing around and dont leave rubbish laying up beside your shed or fencelines as this can encourage wildlife into your area, and loads of trouble to get rid of.
hope this helps
windy :D

[BAGGY]

We have foxes and rats/mice on our plot.  I would love to have a fox on our plot.  I know he comes out visit as there are paw prints on the membrane.  Think he sunbathes when it warms up.  I am told that the plot is rife with rats but I have never seen one.. I think the fox eats them so that is fine by me.  He certainly doesn't do any damage so he is welcome.

[redimp]

We have a resident fox at our site - keeps the rabbits in check so is very welcome except for the bloke who keeps chickens and geese who keeps threatening to kill it.

[wardy]

This is the problem Clang when there's no live and let live.  A fox is more useful on the plot from a vermin point of view and it's up to poulty keepers to secure their animals so the fox can't get them rather than selfishly wanting to shoot the poor fox.  To do so upsets the balance of nature.  Poultry keeping often brings rats so the fox would be doing the keeper a favour

[redimp]

I suppose that is the one downside of lottying.  If you want to garden with nature rather than against it, it really needs the majority, if not all, of the site doing the same thing.  It's not really much use encoraging frogs and toads if the neighbouring plottie scatters slug pellets around willy nilly.  Luckily for me, the nearest scatter happy plotty is about four plots away from me and my nearest neighbours are all with nature not against it.

[wardy]

My lotty neighbours profess to be organic yet they are horrified at the thought of wildlife on their plots.  Tut  :o  Can't have studied the subject much

I have a sparrowhawk on mine and he's deterring the pigeons.  We watched it one day take a blackbird, it dropped it but then went after it and got it again.  We have a sparrowhawks at home and my husband saw one take a pigeon off our front lawn.  They must be hungry to tackle something as big as a woodie  :o

I had a bit of a polite set-to with my lotty neighbours (those above, plus another bloke) who were annoyed with me as I put up a bird table on my plot.  They didn't want me to encourage birds as they would eat their crops  ::)