There's a fox in my house..and it seems quite comfy!

[maeb]

So there we were on Saturday having a tea break from the DIY in the front room, when I noticed in the corner of my eye something garishly reddy orange...it was a FOX! In my house! It had come through the back doors, through the kitchen, and was walking through the dining room toward us...not frightened, not shy, just kind of popping in for a chat stylee.

When we jumped up it didn't flinch. When I went to shoo it out, it wasn't too bothered. After it left (in it's own time) it just sat outside on the patio staring at us, slowly inching closer to the doors for another attempt. This happened again on Sunday.

I actually quite like foxes, and this one is rather sweet with half a tail, but I don't want it in my house and I'd also like to leave doors open without fear of a fox stinking up the joint or worse trying to eat someone.

The issue is our NDN is a friend to the local wildlife. She feeds the foxes and badgers (and crows and rats) with cat food (leaving it strewn over her garden ) as well as the pigeons and 'stray' cats (even if they're wearing collars and have big well fed tums).

A few weeks ago I thought I was hallucinating as I saw the broken tail fox casually walk into her kitchen through the back door. But obviously I was right.

In the past I've asked her nicely if she would she stop feeding the pigeons (gnarly rock/feral pigeons) as they perch on our flat roof and shit on our windows waiting for her to appear but she won't as she thinks she's helping wildlife. Although she said she was leaving out more food for the crows as they would chase the pigeons . Since then it's gone from 2/3 flying rats to about 12, all hanging around waiting for the food.

Is there any amicable/non-amicable way to successfully resolve this and curb her nurturey nature? I don't want to upset her but she obviously doesn't care about us.

FYI she's 50ish and lives with her elderly mum in the same house she grew up in with about 6 cats so I'm thinking we don't have a chance.

Any advice appreciated!

[Cyw2018]

I think we need I photo of the fox in your dining room before advice can be offered

[MrsElizabethShelby]

Get a big super soaker for the fox? Spray with very cold water whenever it appears?

There's all sorts of fox deterrents you can buy.

Personally I'd poison the pigeons.

[stucknoue]

Unfortunately it's really hard to get people to stop, environmental health at the council is your best source of advise

[Wildboar]

Water pistols? Use them every time they perch. Or is there something spikey you could put on your roof to deter them from sitting there.

[MyHeartIsBrokeButIHaveSomeGlue]

We have a fox who frequents our garden and is getting a bit too friendly, sunbathing on our patio. I've done lots of googling and it would seem that human male urine is a natural deterrent! No joke! Something about the smell!

[MrsElizabethShelby]

Oh no, maybe not. Just had a quick read and pigeon poisoning is illegal in the uk.

[Mumtoboy123]

Fox with half a tail strolling into the house?! Its clearly unwell. Next time it happens, call the RSPCA and report it. They'll come out to check its ok. When theyre there, tell them miss havisham next door thinks shes percy the park keeper and they might knock on and advise her that the animals shes attracting with her feeding habbits shouldnt be in the area at that time of day (assuming this fox is doing the rounds in a residential area during daytime) and she might realise shes hindering more than helping them.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

I would try environmental health. If the food is attracting rats, that is a genuine health concern. Pigeons aren't great either.

[AndOutComeTheBoobs]

Photo or it didn't happen

[Pinkyyy]

I couldn't deal with that neighbour. If she's enticing pests into your home then I think you should report her to the council. What if your next visitor is a rat? Then all of its friends will follow. She needs to get her own pets and if she wants to play zookeeper with a load of vermin then it's going to have to be far away from your home.

[EssentialHummus]

Scoot or male wee helps.

[DonPablo]

Eh have got an interesting piece of legislation they can use... The prevention of damage by pests act 1949. If the pests are being attracted through feeding, they can serve a notice. Worth talking to them because they'd always rather resolve things like this in formally before goi g to a notice, so call them and see what they think...

[bigbadbadger]

Please keep the fox out of your house. Humans are the biggest risk to wildlife and habituating them to people, as your misguided neighbour is doing, is lethal for them.

[Blinkingblimey]

Yep, get your dh to wee in the garden, a super soaker for foxy and some of those anti bird spikes for your roof. I would look into DonPablo’s suggestion - ‘cause soon enough you’ll have a rat problem too😬

[Chesneyhawkes1]

Get a terrier 🐶

[MashedSpud]

I love foxes but as mentioned it’s dangerous for the fox to be comfortable around humans (who have a tendency to destroy rather than appreciate) so maybe make a loud noise when the fox approaches your home.

[MaudeLynne]

I'd be more worried about the rats that come out at night to clear the garden of all the food scraps.

[Thatnovembernight]

This sounds awful. I’m with the other posters who have suggested water pistols and the roof spike things. I’d also consider calling your local council and asking for their advice.

[Patroclus]

Usually foxes do this when they've been attacked/hit by a car and go a bit mad, but the neighbour feeding thing probably rules that out. Might be worth checking anyway.

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

I love foxes, but my word, they STINK! Really, really rank!

But I too would be more worried about rats -even their urine is highly dangerous as it carries Weil's Disease, which can affect both people and animals, including pets. If there are children around they could easily touch something rats have peed on, and then put their hands to their mouths.

Weil's is a horrible disease. Contact the environmental health department. I totally see why your neighbour wants to encourage wildlife, but rats can infect other creatures, too, and that doesn't do them any good, does it?

www.healthline.com/health/weils-disease#symptoms

[Windygate]

Think of all those fleas the fox will have brought in to your home 😫

[Nousernameforme]

A fox with no fear of humans my first thought was rabies tbh. Are we sure that's still eradicated?
Phone and report to rspca and hopefully they will send someone out or know who to call at least.

[NotWithTheProgramme]

I have an absolute nut job sausage dog puppy you can borrow if you like as a deterrent? Frequently launches himself very waggily at every creature in the garden - squirrel, bird, fly, grass seed...

[cantfindname]

this is a bit outing but hey-ho. 2 or 3 years ago we had a fox problem. Not only was it decimating local guinea pigs and rabbits plus chickens, it was also terrorising an elderly lady (88 years old) by going into her house and sitting on the sofa refusing to move. It had no fear of humans.

Anyway it got injured. It had a big suppurating gash in its neck, got very thin and was obviously unwell. I borrowed a humane fox trap and within 15 mins it was in the trap. We called the RSPCA to come and take it away and treat it to then hopefully release somewhere more suitable. Guess what the RSPCA told us?

If they came out not only would they release the injured fox where it was but they would also prosecute us for trapping it!!! I literally couldn't believe what they were saying.. we were trying to help the poor thing. Ironically we know people who would have happily shot it for us and disposed of the body. Ultimately it was taken to a wildlife sanctuary where it's wound was treated and they decided to keep it as it was a danger to itself walking into houses.

[SilentSister]

Definitely contact the local environmental health officer, if you have seen one rat, then there are probably 20 you haven't seen. Pigeons also carry lots of diseases in their poo, and as for the fox in your house . Does she know that crows steal and eat baby birds as well, they are evil buggers. So, all in all, not one of things she is feeding are welcome. Get the council involved asap.