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AIBU?

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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
HarrietKettle · 27/02/2018 15:44

Of course they can eat cooked meat, and bones, a lady who cares for foxes day in day out at the fox rescue charity told me that.

They are scavengers, you know?

Jayne35 · 27/02/2018 16:12

It was on a wildlife programme, apparently they digest raw meat better and they are wild animals so would usually eat that. I am aware they are scavengers yes, rather like Vultures, which are also not very nice.

HarrietKettle · 27/02/2018 16:13

What's your issue with vultures?

purpleleotard · 27/02/2018 16:21

Do feed the fox.
Occasional food will keep them used to your garden. Their presence will deter other rodents, like rats, mice and squirrels.
Nice animals.
Live and let live

Raybon · 27/02/2018 16:24

There has been no misconception on this thread. Just a lot of different people with different opinions and experiences of foxes. Not one of these posts is definitive. Even harriets Wink

HarrietKettle · 27/02/2018 16:27

There have been huge amounts of misconceptions! The lack of understanding on cache killing a pretty big one....

derxa · 27/02/2018 16:27

What's your issue with vultures? Grin I don't think I would be too happy about a row of vultures sitting on the garden fence. The end might be nigh!

Clem7 · 27/02/2018 16:30

I’d rather have a neighbour who fed a fox than one than kept a dog. Go for it OP.

Raybon · 27/02/2018 16:36

Harriet, you have no idea if a fox enjoys killing chickens or not.

HarrietKettle · 27/02/2018 16:37

Yes, I do.

MichaelBendfaster · 27/02/2018 16:57

There has been no misconception on this thread
There has, unfortunately.

neverundersold · 27/02/2018 18:55

We were woken up one night by an animal screaming in the back garden. We opened the door to find a fox with our daughters rabbit in its mouth. DH walked towards him and he held his ground, as he got closer he dropped the now dead rabbit on the paving slabs and fled. The fox had dragged the rabbit out of the cage. I can still hear the rabbits screams, that will never leave me. The DC were distraught, I would definitely not be encouraging foxes into my garden.

cariadlet · 27/02/2018 22:31

The fox had dragged the rabbit out of the cage. I can still hear the rabbits screams, that will never leave me

I can see why it would be very distressing to hear and upsetting for your daughter to find out what happened to her pet. But I'm curious. Are you a meat eater? If you're a vegan then it's morally consistent to be upset by the rabbit's death, but if you are a meat eater then it's double standards to see some animals as food and other animals as pets.

Raybon · 27/02/2018 23:02

but if you are a meat eater then it's double standards to see some animals as food and other animals as pets.

This is batsjit

Raybon · 27/02/2018 23:02

*batshit!

cariadlet · 27/02/2018 23:08

Why?

Either animals feel pain and fear (in which case why eat them just because you like the way their bodies taste) or they don't (in which case why be upset that the fox followed its natural instincts and killed the rabbit).

HarrietKettle · 28/02/2018 00:16

Sorry about your rabbit, that must have been distressing. But rabbits are prey animals and a fox is a predator. Of course a fox will eat a rabbit if it's able to. It doesn't go 'oh, I better not, it's someone's pet'.

Upsidedownandinsideout · 28/02/2018 07:19

So HarrietKettle you'll believe it about the rabbits and the like but not about a baby lying still in a pram, when they have no fear due to humans feeding them? Surely still prey?

HarrietKettle · 28/02/2018 07:31

Of course I believe foxes eat rabbits Confused it's a pretty major source of food for them in the countryside....

Raybon · 28/02/2018 10:04

cariadlet so you think meat eating humans have no right to feel distress if a pet animal gets killed by another animal?

Are you a robot? Do you apply this type of logic to other life situations?

Busybusybust · 28/02/2018 13:32

Anybody who has seen a henhouse after a visit from Mr Fox could not fail to loathe them. They kill for fun!

HarrietKettle · 28/02/2018 13:41

They do not. Really astounded by the ignorance on that.

ohhereweareagain · 28/02/2018 14:04

they don't bloody kill for fun. so many posters don't read other peoples bloody posts Angry. the same bollocks gets carted out.. & fwiw i love foxes AND chickens. foxes kill all with a view to coming back and taking them away one by one as they don't have a bag to hand to put them all in

MichaelBendfaster · 28/02/2018 14:06

They kill for fun!

Fucking hell. Still this?

MarthaArthur · 28/02/2018 14:11

I have lived where rural foxes roamed and they were beautiful wild fluffy ginger things. I also lived in london where there was so many foxes that were so mangy and rabid looking with gross fur likely due to human food scraps.

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