Topic: foxes

[aquilegia]

Foxes are running rampage through my garden every night.

They seem to be living under the shed. I say they, I've only actually seen one juvenile.

In two nights they've killed 2 potato plants (and others are on the critical list), one courgette, dug up my next tray of salads and ruined some of the current ones, squashes my carrots, blah blah blah  :'(

They seem to be going for the chicken manure pellets - would these be attractive to foxes? How about rotted horse manure? Would they like that too?

What can I do to get rid of them?

I have heard that male urine can keep them away? Does it work? And how often would Mr Aqui need to remark his territory?

[Robert_Brenchley]

They are apparently attracted by chicken pellets. I've never used them so can't speak from experience. I've always been happy to share the plot with foxes, but I'm told peeing on the garden and marking it can deter them.

[goodlife]

Try to leave them something to play with....We've got golf balls everywhere..they found OH's bucket of practice balls and emptied it and played with them.. ;D
Now couple years after they are still moving them about..never had any damage for plants..they have chewed some empty plant pots though...but that I can afford ::)

[aquilegia]

RIght thanks - no more chicken pellets (luckily I was near the end of a tub anyway) I'll  use the hop fertiliser I've got instead.

GL - Funny you should say that as I keep finding balls and dogs toys all over the garden (we don't have a dog!) I tend to clear them away in the morning to stop my 3-y-o son from playing with them, but I'll have to start putting them out again in the evening when he's gone to bed!

[triffid]

I think we have ASBO foxes in our back garden.

They have developed a taste for the various hideous cocktails I've been leaving out to attract and drown slugs (usually sour milk plus whatever unwanted alcohol is around the house).

So far this not-very-scientific study reveals that foxes love...
Slug Snakebite: (dregs of Murphy's stout mixed with ditto of Newcastle Brown)
Red Light District: some truly rank red wine (could have passed as paintstripper)
Evil's Apple: some very nasty scrumpy
... and the latest delight... Smirnoff Ice / sour milk 'cement mixers'.
 
I thought at first it was the slugs they were after but no, it's deffo the liquid (and there's water available in the garden, so it's not that they're parched and desperate for anything to drink). Last night I put out the slug traps late (around 9.45pm). By 10, the foxes had dug up the buried bottle ends, downed the Smirnoff cement mixers and were sitting on the path doing that hissy wailing thing.   ::)

So... Any thoughts on slug-trap slosh that the foxes won't go for?

[manicscousers]

hahaha, got visions of hung over foxes howling at the moon while they wait for their cocktails  ;D

[GrannieAnnie]

The idea that foxes would play with golf balls seemed odd so I passed all your comments on to some neighbors since we have foxes around.  Two of the neighbors said they've found golf balls in their yards and, though we're near a golf course, we're not THAT nearby that one would roll here.  So that may be the answer to the mysterious golf balls!

[Jeannine]

What about puttin a lot of salt in it..can slugs smell salt if not it might get them and the foxes might not like the taste..XX Jeannine

[GrannieAnnie]

What about puttin a lot of salt in it..can slugs smell salt if not it might get them and the foxes might not like the taste..XX Jeannine

On the other hand some mammals seek out salt even to the point of licking road surfaces especially in the Spring. Those wine swilling foxes might really go for a salt-rimmed margarita.

[Unwashed]

Foxes hoard eggs, and golf balls are very egg-like to them, and it's not unusual for them to bury them.

[Jeannine]

I am wondering if the Zoo poos  will work, lion poo is good for cats..maybe you can get something like that... fox or bear poo.

I would leave a couple of doggy chews out for them.. pigs ears etc. They may concentrate on that, mind you they may bring the family..

Get a small  beer barrel and leave it on a steady drip with something boozy in it..

Oh picture the scene.

XX Jeannine