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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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Bluesmartiesarebest · 25/02/2018 16:42

I'm a terrible cook. I once left some leftover scraps from a meal I'd cooked out for the birds and hedgehogs in our garden. I saw a fox sniff the food, jump over the fence and we've never seen him since! They are obviously very intelligent creatures.

MichaelBendfaster · 25/02/2018 16:43

That’s because they’re little. They won’t always be tiny and then they will go outside by themselves. And then they'll be big enough that a fox won't approach them.

On cats, round here there are loads of cats and I don't worry about them at all around the foxes. Foxes and cats seem to have reached, if not an understanding,then an uneasy detente. They basically leave each other alone and just look warily at each other from a distance.

Booie09 · 25/02/2018 16:47

Don't feed them they are wild animals they can look after themselves!! I would trust one as much as I would trust a wild dog!!

Thierryhenryneedisaymore · 25/02/2018 16:49

Hundredmilesanhour

You mention appalling ignorance on this thread. I agree. It is amazing how many people become so indignant about things but they don't actually know some basic facts and are ill-informed. But i think there is ignorance and intolerance on quite a lot of these threads!

I live very rural, surprisingly i dont see many foxes. I agree with a pp, they are just trying to survive and are sadly horrendously persecuted in the UK by bloodhungry bastards. But that is an entirely different thread!!!!

Also agree with those saying it is humans who more often than not have stolen their space!

I am not sure if i would feed... i think i might if they were a distance from my back door😂 I would be a little (irrationally) scared.

FeedtheTree · 25/02/2018 16:52

We feed our foxes. I love them. As a PP has said, it stops them raiding the bins and strewing rubbish everywhere. I don't actively buy food for them. Just recycle meat bones and scraps. They eat the stuff that's gone out of date. Better than leave it to fester in council tips.
They rarely scream round here. I've heard them about four times in twelve years, but they come through our garden a few times a day.

Just leave the food as far from the house as you can so they don't scent mark too near you. I love foxes. Beautiful creatures.

UnicornRainbowColours · 25/02/2018 16:54

Sigh don’t feed wilde animals it’s encourages them.

HarrietKettle · 25/02/2018 16:55

Encourages them to what?

5plusMeAndHim · 25/02/2018 17:07

These twin 9mo babies were upstairs asleep in their cots when the fox slipped in through the back door went upstairs and mauled them!

HundredMilesAnHour · 25/02/2018 17:08

I knew very little about foxes until a year ago when I started volunteering at a wildlife charity that rescues and rehabilitates wild foxes (as well as providing humane deterrence advice to councils across the UK, as well as the general public). Since then I have learnt a huge amount and continue to learn. It is an absolute pleasure getting up close and personal with these wonderful creatures.Such scare-mongering and ignorance from some people on this thread. Trust me, the majority of foxes are more scared of you than you are of them, and there are a lot more foxes attacked by dogs than the other way round.

These are some of the patients I've looked after in the last few months (and yes, that includes cleaning them out - you get used to the smell!) Hardly the savage beasts some people seem to be implying. And no, I've never been bitten (although I've had my shoes nibbled a few times!).

To leave some food out for the fox in our garden.
To leave some food out for the fox in our garden.
To leave some food out for the fox in our garden.
HarrietKettle · 25/02/2018 17:09

Yes, so the parents say. I never thought that story rang true, to be honest. But I was wondering how long it would be before it got rolled out.

HarrietKettle · 25/02/2018 17:10

HundredMiles I remember you from my fox thread Smile lovely work Flowers

awaynboilyurheid · 25/02/2018 17:10

I feed "our" urban fox its been a really cruel winter and he looked starving, he's no bother doesn't poo in our garden doesn't attack us or bring his friends round, just comes in looks for his food eats then goes If I'm out in the garden he runs away and only comes over when I go back in, think he's lovely!

FeedtheTree · 25/02/2018 17:13

Hundred they are so beautiful!

ohhereweareagain · 25/02/2018 17:13

Op queen is right in that if you feed them they won't go through your bins. Ignore the negative fox views as they are generally based on bullshit they have read and no naf all about them from personal experience ie foxes attacking cats..i regularly see cats bullying the foxes. Those of us who have foxes in our lives know them to mostly be VERY different to how they are portrayed by haters. And they are NOT fucking vermin. They will spray their feeding territory though so be prepared for a pungent pong Grin. I live by a forest so they are rife. The best thing is watching them ay at 3am in the neighbours builders sand bags ❤❤❤❤ dancing

retirednow · 25/02/2018 17:14

Our fox used to just come and eat the food then scamper off, occasionally she'd sit on the back door step but easily spooked, I think they are wonderful to see,

Sparklingbrook · 25/02/2018 17:15

We have a visiting fox who comes for their dinner every night. It waits at the top of the garden, we put the food out, it comes and eats the food then off it goes again.
It was quite unwell when it first started coming and we managed to hide the medicine in the food after taking advice from the fox welfare people.

Last night a while after the fox came and went a massive badger arrived looking for food. Shock

alltoomuchrightnow · 25/02/2018 17:18

I feed a couple but I am v rural and they don't come near the house. It's bleak here and v cold right now. I feed them about half a mile from the house

5plusMeAndHim · 25/02/2018 17:19

are all the fox attacks on babies and toddlers that come up when you google, all lies too Harriet Hmm

RollTopBath · 25/02/2018 17:19

These are wild animals and feeding them places them as well at risk.
Your food will encourage rats too.
If I had a neighbour in an urban setting feeding wildlife I’d call environmental health to put a stop to it. If you want a dog buy one. These are not pets. They are beautiful wild animals.

Sparklingbrook · 25/02/2018 17:21

The food we put out is on a huge plate. The fox eats the food and we bring the plate in. And we have a cat. So rats not a problem.

My neighbours think it's lovely.

winterinmadeira · 25/02/2018 17:22

Don’t feed them. I’ve seen the damage foxes (even super cute ones) can do. They are wild animals and will act like that however ‘humanised’ they may seem

Dancingmonkey87 · 25/02/2018 17:26

www.bbc.co.uk/news/10251349

ClaryFray · 25/02/2018 17:30

I would. There not dangerous animals. And in fact people are the vermin. Breeding and spreading over the planet like poison. Killing everything in our paths.

ohhereweareagain · 25/02/2018 17:32

I don't leave eggs out anymore as it used to annoy a neighbour as the fox used to bury them in her window box Grin. I watch them though if i cant sleep. They hang out playing in our street. Weirdly i find the streaming relaxing..i found some monkey nuts buried in my windowbox yesterday ❤