Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

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

69 replies

maeb · 21/05/2019 07:42

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. Wink

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 Shock) 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 Hmm. 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!

OP posts:
SchadenfreudePersonified · 21/05/2019 09:16

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!!!

In my many years of experience, the RSPCA are shite!

Littleheart5 · 21/05/2019 09:19

Good God the drama here! Your neighbour is allowed feed/take care of whatever animals she likes. She obviously had a heart for wildlife and I’m sure it isn’t easy living with her mother all her life.
Bar asking her to put the food on old saucers and taking them in in the evenings so you don’t get rats, you can do nothing but leave her be!!
Also surely it was obvious that it’s illegal to poison pigeons Hmm. Humans aren’t the only species who matter

dorisdog · 21/05/2019 09:21

Pics!!! Grin

I love foxes, but they really do smell very strong. I'd be more worried about the rats, though...Some kind of humane deterrent should put the fox off. Can you invite a friend with dog over?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Other pets & animals
TheRedBarrows · 21/05/2019 09:22

Uhg, yuk, flea ridden, tick ridden, scabies ridden thing.

I would chase it away as viciously as possible every time you see it. Have water ready to throw at it (when it is outside, obviously).

dorisdog · 21/05/2019 09:26

...and I second the 'it's illegal to kill wild birds,.' Do people really not know this?! You can't just go around poisoning birds :-/ I get this nonsense with gulls - the amount of people I see on forums threatening to kill them. Most gulls are on the red (endangered) list for a start. And not all pigeon species are common either.

SandAndSea · 21/05/2019 09:27

I'd be more worried about the rats and pigeons. It can be hard to get rid of pigeons once they get comfy and they make a dreadful mess. You need to deter them if you can.

Deux · 21/05/2019 09:28

Male urine has worked in our garden to discourage them. I’d make a massive noise, like banging 2 pan lids together like fox deterring cymbals. And have a water pistol handy too. You need your place to be as u comfortable as possible.

PigletJohn · 21/05/2019 09:33

I like foxes as wildlife, but they are wild animals, not pets.

it sounds like your neighbour has habituated this one to human contact. Maybe the "water pistol" would be a humane way to discourage it without injury.

They do carry fleas, and in London they usually get mange, which is a distressing condition caused by a mite in the skin like scabies. it usually shows in the hindquarters and tail, which lose their hair. Infested animals suffer greatly from the skin irritation and debilitation, and don't live very long. They may wander into traffic distracted by it.

I don't believe it can be successfully treated without a prescription drug. Very annoyingly there are people offering a homeopathic remedy, being a small vial of purified water which of course has no effect.

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 21/05/2019 09:33

As PPs have said, you need the biggest, hairiest, testosteroniest man you know to pee around your garden, and (sorry) near your back door. You can also buy lion poo, I believe.

Your neighbour sounds like a massive liability, but I'm not sure you can make her change her ways.

Kaddm · 21/05/2019 09:39

You can report people to the council for having food on their garden like this.

WellVersedInEtiquette · 21/05/2019 09:42

I knew someone who hand reared three fox cubs. Two went on to be released and lived successfully wild. The third was too ingrained on humans but was still wild and would hide in human occupied areas but fly at any humans. He was reported and brought back several times and ended up being kept in a big pen because it wasn't safe to release him. It's tempting to feel wild animals but they need to still be wild.

RockinHippy · 21/05/2019 09:43

You can report her to environmental health.

I had a similar issue years ago with an ex neighbour throwing food out of their kitchen window to feed birds etc. This attracted rats & stank //if it lasted long enough.--

EHL told them to stop or be fined. They stopped

Sandra2321 · 21/05/2019 09:45

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

6demandingchildren · 21/05/2019 09:49

Maybe fill the water pistol with Male urine
You might need 2 but don't mix them up

Mia184 · 21/05/2019 09:51

My aunt and her boyfriend recently bought an old place in the countryside to spend the weekends. Imagine their surprise when their cat brought his new friend over Grin

There's a fox in my house..and it seems quite comfy!
Pinkyyy · 21/05/2019 09:55

Your neighbour is allowed feed/take care of whatever animals she likes

This isn't really true. She's purposely enticing rats, she is not allowed to do that.

Littleheart5 · 21/05/2019 10:07

@Pinkyyy you’ll note I specifically qualified my statement with regards to rats

Bishalisha · 21/05/2019 10:13

We had a Fox come into our kitchen last year. They stink so bad! My husband wouldn’t pee in the garden so had to get my brother over to pee everywhere

Wallabyone · 21/05/2019 10:24

Your neighbour is misguided in the extreme. Can you move house?!

kateandme · 21/05/2019 10:29

this is why the say NEVER feed foxes as they quickly become 'homed' to you but they are agressive quickly and have been known to attack.

Villanellesproudmum · 21/05/2019 10:31

Can your husband also wee in your neighbours garden, only half joking.

sashh · 21/05/2019 10:58

Yep we need a pic.

Egg shells or something else spikey on your flat roof discourage lots of things.

I'd be tempted to use a super soaker on the fox.

Original poster
maeb · 21/05/2019 13:10

I don't want fleas, ticks or that ungodly fox funk in my house.

Plus remember the media fox panic a few years ago. What if I come home to find a fox has chewed my OHs face off while he's dozed off watching telly?!Shock

I like the idea of the piss gun! Maybe I'll just aim it at her...

She's not being kind to wildlife though, she's doing it for selfish reasons. She feeds other people's cats

I'll try to get a photo evidence...Grin it will have to be at the weekend.

TBH we have talked about moving as she is only going to get worse.

OP posts:
federationrep · 21/05/2019 13:17

I'd try reporting to environmental health. I've got a neighbour who leaves all sorts out for wildlife on the path beside our houses, whole loaves of bread, chop bones, veg peelings etc. Initially the problem was the number of gulls it attracted. They would circle waiting for it to appear, we couldn't eat in the garden. No one could do anything while it was birds that was the problem. However as soon as DD saw a rat one day I contacted them again and they were straight out to tell neighbours to stop.

longtimelurkerhelen · 21/05/2019 18:38

For the fox

Get your carnivorous male to urinate in a jug that you will never use again first thing in the morning, decant carefully into a spray bottle and spray upwind all along your fences, you will need to repeat this a few times especially if it rains.

Get a spray gun to scare the fox, don't phone RSPCA, they would more than likely kill it.

For the Rats

Don’t kill the fox, they will eat all the rats.

For the pigeons

Get the spikes so they can’t roost on your roof.

Nor NDN

Ask the council to send her a letter to stop feeding everything.

Swipe left for the next trending thread