Methods of Removing and Preventing Fox Problems
Any fox proofing system must be humane. Foxes are not classed as vermin and the law states that they should not be killed unless there is absolutely no alternative.
Preventing foxes generally takes one of two forms - deterrents and proofing.
Deterrents include scented repellents, ultra-sonic sound scarers, and jet spray sprinklers, while proofing measures include fence rollers and ground and fence prickle strips. For specific guidance on how to prevent and deter foxes at your property, please contact us .
Fox Deterrents
Using fox repellents can be an effective way of deterring them from your land or property. They mark their territories with scent, so using an alternative scent can discourage them from a particular area.
If a fox feels unsafe or vulnerable, they will avoid the area rather than risk a confrontation, so repellents work on this basis. If you can identify the point at which they are entering your land or garden, you can make that area particularly unwelcoming to deter them from even coming onto your property.
Scent-based deterrents do need to be reapplied, especially after a period of heavy rain, to ensure the scent remains potent enough to continue to deter the foxes.
Fox Proofing
Fox proofing covers a wide range of techniques, and different properties will need different approaches for an effective solution to problem foxes. Speaking with an expert pest controller is the best way to identify the best tactics for your property.
Utilising the right kind of fencing, and locating and repairing any gaps or damaged areas, is one way to secure your land, focusing on areas where the foxes enter. Ensuring that outdoor pets or animals (rabbits or chickens, for example) are housed in fox-proof shelters or hutches is essential.
Foxes often scavenge through human rubbish to get at food that has been thrown away. Waste management, therefore, is an area where small changes can result in foxes being discouraged from visiting. Heavy lidded bins
Fox Traps
In some cases, it may be necessary to trap foxes and remove them from your property. It is illegal to relocate foxes, due to the distress this can cause the animal and any other animals in the vicinity of the release site, so any trapped foxes are humanely dispatched.
Fox traps need to be checked regularly to minimise the amount of time any animal is trapped, and to release other animals that were not being targeted.
Trapping foxes needs to be done in conjunction with other methods of proofing and deterrent, otherwise a new fox will simply move into the vacated territory, sometimes within a matter of days.
