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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To leave some food out for the fox in our garden.

407 replies

MrsMotherHen · 25/02/2018 15:23

We have a fox that frequents our garden last few occasions hes been out in the day and DH has just seen him sunbathing on the patio. We are not rural but live about 50m away from the beach front along a promenade with a park quite close.

To leave some food out for the fox in our garden.
OP posts:
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5
Angrybird345 · 25/02/2018 15:26

No, don’t do it. It will be a frequent visitor and will come to expect food. If you have neighbours with little kids, it could be dangerous. And once they come often, they will start their screaming at start which is a bloody pain.

HolyMountain · 25/02/2018 15:26

I wouldn’t because I wouldn’t want to encourage it.

HarrietKettle · 25/02/2018 15:28

Oh he's GORGEOUS

And really healthy looking. I feed to feed a whole family. Well it started off just one then he brought round his heavily pregnant mate....

Foxes are not dangerous to children, despite what the Daily Mail says.

user1493413286 · 25/02/2018 15:28

I wouldn’t encourage it and you’re neighbour won’t thank you for it. They are wild animals and not safe.

Whatshallidonowpeople · 25/02/2018 15:29

No, they are disgusting vermin. Would you feed a big rat?

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 25/02/2018 15:29

He might be after your chicks, MotherHen, be wary of letting the Fox in the chicken coop.

HarrietKettle · 25/02/2018 15:30

What's disgusting about foxes? Genuine question.

Original poster
MrsMotherHen · 25/02/2018 15:30

I have two small children 8 months and 3 . Hes out there quite often he was last seen on friday out there.

OP posts:
Tainbri · 25/02/2018 15:31

I agree with PP. once they start marking territory you may live to regret it, the stench of fox urine and even worse poop is just vile and they do end up reliant. Keep wild animals wild is my personal view and yes, whilst they have adapted to towns and scavenging, actively feeding them shouldn't be encouraged in my view.

Parrothead · 25/02/2018 15:31

Ugh, we are infested with foxes in my area and it’s disgusting! (We’re in London Zone 2 so not exactly the countryside.) They poo everywhere and scream in the middle of the night. We’ve even found a dead one in our garden. Did I mention they poo everywhere? We do absolutely everything we can to AVOID feeding them!

Queenoftheblitz · 25/02/2018 15:31

I used to feed the foxes as it stopped them raiding our dustbins. They used to take lids off and pull everything out, leaving food strewn over the garden.
A well fed fox will leave you and your rubbish alone although the nightly screeching is a pain.

Flutterbyeee · 25/02/2018 15:31

They are not dangerous ti children Harrietkettle? What a ridiculous and inaccurate statement .

DullAndOld · 25/02/2018 15:32

no, because they get enough food from people's bins and empty market streets where the rubbish has been left after the market.

it is essentially vermin. Would you leave food out for the rats or pigeons?

If I were you I would phone your local hunt and see if they can make your garden into a temporary covert..:)

OKOK the last sentence was a joke. I don't approve of foxhunting. Or foxes.

HolyMountain · 25/02/2018 15:32

I’d be wary of letting my children out in the back garden with a Fox confident enough to sleep on the patio.

HarrietKettle · 25/02/2018 15:33

Well why would they be any more dangerous to children than a cat or a dog? They don't prowl around looking for babies as a tasty snack you know

AnotherPlaceAnotherTime · 25/02/2018 15:33

The hysteria that some people experience about foxes baffles me.

Same with rats. What’s the problem? Humans probably have more diseases than your average fox. Also, far more young children are harmed by humans per year than foxes. I can guarantee you that.

ItsLikeSputnik · 25/02/2018 15:33

My neighbours left food out for a visiting fox. They ended up with a family of rats nesting in their garden, feeding on the scraps left out. It took pest control weeks and weeks to get rid of them, and during that time they couldn’t use their garden (not that they wanted to anyway, the rats were huge). Please don’t feed the fox.

StripeyDeckchair · 25/02/2018 15:34

You would be very unreasonable to get in the habit of feeding it if you ever want to use your garden. It will bring its friends and they'll shit all over the place - toxic, smelly shit that you will have to clear every time you want to use the garden.

When it comes to the mating season you'll have vixens screaming all over the place - they sound human and are very loud.

AdaColeman · 25/02/2018 15:35

I wouldn't encourage it, it will quickly become a frequent visitor, leave it as a wild animal.

ThisLittleKitty · 25/02/2018 15:36

Foxes are not vermin so no it isn't a "big rat."

DullAndOld · 25/02/2018 15:36

it is not 'hysteria' thank you Anotherplace, it is genuine dislike of over-bold foxes making themselves at home.

They shit in sandpits where children play and are so bold that they will just out stare you if you walk up to them.

Original poster
MrsMotherHen · 25/02/2018 15:36

The kids would never be alone out in the garden and if we were out there so would our dog so I would like to think he wouldnt be that cheeky to come and join us. I think the most sensible thing would not be to feed him i suppose. Am going to see if hes out there now through the window Grin

OP posts:
elQuintoConyo · 25/02/2018 15:36

It is a wild animal, albeit fluffywuffy.

Don't feed it, it isn't a fucking pet!

HolyMountain · 25/02/2018 15:37

Still wouldn’t want a fox rocking up in my garden regardless of whether they’re ‘misunderstood’ or not.

GiddyGardner · 25/02/2018 15:39

If you are getting pleasure from feeding him and seeing him, then carry on. I think they are magical. I just wouldn't feed him all the time though as he might become too reliant.