Fox Problem

[ferlew]

My sister just rang me saying a fox is 'squatting' under her shed.
It is not scared of people at all, in fact it is currently sunbathing on her patio.
Obviously, she's not keen on it being there, she has rang the RSPCA, but they don't want to know.
Does anyone have any advice on how she can get rid of it, or where to go for help, please.

[Mamyalynne]

Sorry Ferlew, I joined in that joke too - don't be too hard.

[baza]

a relative tried the wee trick but forgot to wait until after dark, his neighbours were not impressed.

[vetuste_ennemi]

"Obviously, she's not keen on it being there".
Obviously? Why?
"get rid of it". Why?
Where can she go go for help?
I leave that as an exercise for the interested(+intelligent+decent) reader.

[ferlew]

Another useless post, have you got nothing else to do VE?

[vetuste_ennemi]

I don't understand why your sister would be upset by having a fox in her garden, Furlew. What threat does the fox pose to her? My wife and I have had foxes in our garden for thirteen years at least and they are a pleasure to us. We would be upset if we didn't have foxes visiting us regularly.

[ferlew]

VE - she has a tiny town garden that she is trying to keep looking nice. The fox digs up her borders nightly. The garden looks unsightly. Plus, as I said in another post, she is scared of animals.
A couple of people across the road leave food out for it, but it prefers to chill out in sis's garden.

[RATTER15]

Fox carry mange, that is why people are concerned if they have dogs.

[Barmaid]

I've heard about male pee having varying degrees of success.

I would have thought the key is to establish how it is getting in and make it impossible to do so. Although that is easier than it sounds because foxes are adept climbers/diggers. Block the holes up, dig wire in quite deep. Then use strong smelling repellants (someone said Jeyes fluid up there which I understand can work) but she can buy stuff from a garden centre.

[RATTER15]

Sorry but I would shoot it or have it shot, obviously this isn't always an option in a built up area. The health of my hounds is more important to me than the fox.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Thanks for your note, Furlew; I see your point now.

[ferlew]

Ratter, she did say it looks scruffy and mangey. Barmaid, from what she says, this thing is a damned good climber. It climbs up her 6ft fence from the garden at the bottom of sis's garden. It even manages to get on shed roofs.
She doesn't have a dog herself, but there is a dog one side of her, and a cat the other side.
Hopefully, she has bought some Jeyes fluid today, we usually chat in the evenings on the phone, I will ask.
VE - thanks for your understanding on this matter :)

[islasmum]

How is it getting into her garden ferlew? Maybe she could block the point of entry. I have to say that I wouldn't welcome it into my garden - we used to have some that would come into the garden and rub round the trees and spread mange onto my dogs, so I'm not their greatest fan.

[islasmum]

we crossposted!

[ferlew]

Well, an update for you.
It isn't bothered by Jeyes, just chatted to BIL, and he says he daren't even leave his back door open, as this thing is so daring. It isn't fazed by humans at all. Seems it has made it den in the overgrown garden next door.. to the right.
BIL says it's a horrid looking fox, skinny - with patchy fur. Neighbours the other side .. to the left have a dog, and also keep rabbits and have an outside aviary with budgies and cockateils. Seems the fox has tried to get in at the rabbits.
Any iseas anyone, please.

[ladybirder]

Poor thing, call the local wildlife rescue. They are very good around here and came out to a fox that got stuck in next door's garden.

[237SJ]

I don`t know what else to suggest ferlew. I know what your BIL means about horrid looking foxes. Foxes that live in the country are healthy looking animals with red hair, white inner ears and plump bodies. In the town they are grey, skinny, mangy looking things (and that mange can be spread to dogs). You can`t keep them out of your property either - they will dig or climb and get in. They are a pest and stupid town folk feed them because they think they are lovely, cuddly animals.

[ladybirder]

237, a wildlife rescue will hopefully relocate the fox. Ours did. However, if it is too far gone as this one may be, it sounds to be in a pathetic state, they won't let it linger. And BTW the fox caught in next doors garden was in a beautiful condition, they're not all mangy in towns.

[237SJ]

I don`t know why a wildlife centre would relocate a fox - where would they relocate it to? You can`t just take a town fox to the countryside and dump it there and expect it to live. It won`t live because it is a town fox and it has never learned to kill for food. It will only have learned to scavenge. Country foxes and town foxes are two different entities.

[ferlew]

Another call from BIL ... he says some folks feed it eggs, hance him finding some in flower pots.
Ladybirder... got a link to such a rescue service please ?

[ferlew]

My typing is awful tonight.....hence.