Foxes in garden - good or bad?

[guessmyusername]

Hi, I live in a city and while I saw a fox wandering a couple of streets away a few years ago. Twice this week early morning I have spotted one actually in my garden, or rather on my shed and then walking along the top of the fence. I don't know if we should do something to discourage it or what. There are no young children or pets in this household. Anyone have any idea?

Personally, I'd set myself up at the window at dawn/dusk with a blanket, a cup of tea and some cushions nd sit and watch!

What a blessing.

They’re virtually impossible to keep out, they’re attracted by food in the trash that many of your neighbours will be tempting them with. Some people say that getting a man to urinate around the perimeter of the garden puts them off but I’m not convinced. Apart from pooping in the garden sometimes they don’t tend to cause much harm. Best to live and let live.

If you don't have pets such as rabbits to worry about I would leave them be and count yourself lucky to have them! And think that they will hopefully keep any vermin under control. They won't do any harm. And will be grateful for any fresh water you might want to leave out for them.

They are our native wildlife and were here before we built the cities and towns. We are the ones invading their habitats. Live and let live, I say.

Why would you want to discourage them?

Lovely! I remember my mum waking me up at dawn once to see the fox cubs scampering on the lawn. The poo is horrific and you have to make your compost bin inaccessible if you put food waste in it, but otherwise they’re heaven.

You’re obviously not a Londoner city foxes are a daily menace.

You can try and keep them out but nothing works - fox spray, LED pest lights, not even lion pee.

They shit on our lawns, rummage thro our bins and keep us awake at night screeching. We can’t shoot’em in urban areas for reasons of public safety.

We have them in my neighbourhood. Have done for years, but they've got progressively bolder and their behaviour has changed e.g. they used to be seen rarely and at dusk/dawn only, but now lie on shed roofs and in gardens in the sun like cats!

I like them in some ways, and applaud them for making a success of city living. But this year particularly they're a real nuisance. There are two (I assume) adolescent siblings who hang out together and they have, among other things, left reeking shits right outside my patio doors; brought parts of a dead pigeon into a garden and left them there; dug up people's flower beds/lawns/potted plants; stolen shoes from just inside doors left open; taken a run at the small birds feeding on the ground in a neighbour's garden (I don't think they'd catch them, but am hoping they don't scare them away from feeding in the area).

My DP and male neighbours have tried urinating around the perimeter of the gardens but it doesn't seem to work.

I don't want them gone entirely but I liked it when they had a healthy fear/respect and kept a slight distance. I don't know what the answer is.

I'm a Londoner too and I'm on your page!

I am all in favour of live and let live, I just didn't know! My dh found some poo a couple of weeks ago which I now think was them, but at the time he thought a dog had got into the garden, but I didn't think that was possible. We have only seen the one and I have no idea if it is an adult or a youngster. Can you tell I don't know much about them. And no I don't live in London.

I’d be over the moon to have foxes in my garden 😍

I have foxes in my garden. I actually suspect they live in dens at the bottom. They're a PITA the poo stinks, the wee stinks and they destroy the fences to keep their routes open (which means my dog can't be off lead in the garden at all).

I don't do anything to deter them though, other than scare them off when they approach the house end of the garden.

We had them in our last garden and loved watching them and their babies. They never disturbed us nor the group of squirrels we fed daily. You are lucky.

Sometimes foxes can be vicious , as reported recently .. so take care
www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/12/mrs-wolowitz-oldest-penguin-edinburgh-zoo-killed-by fox

Another one here!

They’re such a pain in the arse. I constantly have to pick up the rubbish they leave strewn over my front garden and the screaming at night drives me insane.

Last week one had shat on my front steps. I cannot even begin to fathom why - or even what would attract them to the steps in the first place!

I’d do anything to keep them out, frankly.

Link didn’t work , but you can see what I mean

Enjoy them. Since we had foxes visiting us (we leave water bowls out for other wildlife) the mice and rats, which come for everyones bird feeders, don't last long. Double blessing in my view.

I had one that went to the effort to shit on my front door! On that sort of shelfy bit that sticks out at the bottom.

Yes, it's all part of the London experience, for sure!

We had 2 in our garden I thought how lovely. They then dug a tunnel from next doors garden under a wall and out through the middle of our lawn. They must have been persistent as we had recently had the garden slope levelled ( so lots of stones underground) and had it turfed. We wouldn’t have minded if they had done it before when it was in a state. We had to block off the tunnel to discourage them.

@SoupDragon What on earth is it all about?! Little dickheads.

I got some citronella-smelling stuff that you sprinkle which works a little bit but the effect doesn’t last. I do it on bin night when I remember.

The sensor I have seems to do absolutely nothing.

Are you sure that wasn't a hedgehog? They dig out under walls so they can forage/eat. So many people block them out from gardens now and they are in serious decline due to this.

Oh I can send you some and then you’ll realise why!!
they raid dustbins, steal things that are left outside in gardens (shoes, dog toys etc), make a noise when they’re shagging like someone is being murdered and get up with the sun and like everyone else to know about it! They’re cute but if they’ve got cubs you will get woken up at 5am daily!!

Oh, and they shit on your lawn!

London foxes are a menace. I hate them. They shit everywhere. Destroy and steal stuff in the garden. Drop random bits of rubbish, bones and rotting food and other peoples stuff in our garden. So fucking noisy as well.

Not at all scared of people - don't move when you approach them.

Nothing deters them much but motion activated water sprayer helps a little.