Fox deterrant

[GlitteryPink]

I am just about to put my rabbit out in the garden for the summer. We have built her a large outdoor pen which the hutch is going to go inside so she can run round the enclosed pen or go in the hutch during the day, then I will shut her inside the hutch for the night. Altho it is very secure does anyone please know of any fox deterrants as we have quite lot around our garden during both day and night?

[Drusilla1S]

This is expensive, but it might help and would not appear to affect rabbits. (Though I doubt that claim.)

http://www.conceptresearch.co.uk/fox_2.htm

[Catso]

Don't forget stoats, as well. You need quite a small gauge netting to stop them.

[andy-hughes]

I hate to worry you, but if you haven't put your rabbit out before, consider that a prowling predator like a fox or stoat copuld stress her so much, she could die of fright with them being no-where near her. Do think before you put her out if you know these predators are in your area.

[GlitteryPink]

Oh no! She is going to be right outside our patio door whereas the foxes only tend to pass through the back of our garden - about 30m away and not come down to the house. I am worried that a rabbit being there will tempt them down tho. I will only let her out in her pen when there is someone around in the day and then at night she should be safe if she is inside her hutch which is also inside a 4m square pen shouldn't she? Our neighbours have a rabbit outside in a hutch that has no extra protection around it and that has always been fine, am just worried that they might sniff out my new addition...

[blue eyes ;)]

also i reckon you should put chicken mesh wire on the top of the enclosure as a roof just in case the foxes jump in xx

[Catso]

Good grief, yes! I hope you were going to wire over the top. Foxes are almost as agile as cats. A 3 foot high mesh fence won't stop them.

[ruthann58]

Yes one managed to chew its way through my friends hen house roof, roofing felt, wood, the lot in one night dont need to tell you what happened to her hens

[bruno40]

hi Glittery pink

we used to dip a rag in what i think was called 'renadine' a creosote based solution, The rags were then hooked on the perimeter fence by a piece of wire around the perimeter of our animal enclosures at about every 5 ft intervals.

This is supposed to do 2 things. one; the smell would deter or repel a predator, and two; the smell would disguise or hide the smell of the enclosures occupants. renadine as i remember smelt and looked just the same as creosote so maybe try that!! we used to re dip all the boundary rags every 5 days.

Maybe try this around your garden perimeter, i have no evidence of how effective it is, but it was alway standard practise for us, so dont rely on it take all other precautions as advised regards bruno

[Catso]

And an 'old farmer's tale' I've heard is that the smell of human urine keeps foxes away!

[jan44]

Hi
Please be very very careful we had 2 baby lops for 6 weeks but unfortunately the foxes got to them the night before last. We thought it was a very secure hutch with fox proof wire but they managed to break the catch of the door completely, I can't beleive it. My son is so upset, I thought they were safe.

[tony189]

After regular nightly fouling in the garden I have just discovered that foxes never come near when they hear a human voice. I have bought a shower radio (£10 in Argos) and set it up quietly (foxes have good hearing!!) to run at night in the garden. Set the radio to BBC5 extra where there is 24 hour conversation. From the day I started there has been no fouling at all.