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How to deter foxes from my garden
Owners of livestock such as chickens will already know the havoc which can be caused by foxes. These red-faced raiders will cause chaos and calamity around your garden too if given half a chance, with their propensity for digging and pungent scent marking being the main annoyances.
Whilst foxes can be a headache to anyone with livestock in the garden, they can be wonderful animals to look at. But if they are doing more harm than good in your garden, then keep reading to have a look at some solutions to make your garden less attractive for foxes.
What Damage do they Cause?
Apart from the obvious risk to any livestock which may be living in your garden (and we should include innocent wildlife like hedgehogs in that list), foxes cause all manner of collateral damage too. This ranges from the mildly irritating things like knocking over dustbins and scattering their contents, to the madly infuriating stuff. This includes digging up plants and flower beds and making holes in the lawn, usually when searching for juicy treats such as Chafer Grubs in their search for snacks underneath. They are also known to bury stashes of excess food under lawns or out-buildings and are not known for their tidy workmanship!
On top of all these unpleasant issues, foxes can make the most disagreeable of visitors and will make their presence known by one of two methods. They are unusually smelly creatures, leaving behind a highly distinctive, pungent odour wherever they go. If you’ve had a visitation, you’ll be in no doubt whatsoever as who has been calling as their urine can cause brown scorch marks on your lawn similar to the domestic K9! Despite being known for their guile and cunning when hunting their prey, they can be extremely vocal at other times. Their vocalising takes the form of chilling, blood-curdling shrieks, which sound exactly like a young human in distress. Being awoken in the middle of the night by this sound kicking off in your garden can be startling.
The Solutions
Chemical
TLike many animals, foxes are susceptible to territorial scent-marking. There are various products on the market which replicate the scent of a dominant male fox, usually sold as a powder which can be dissolved and either sprayed or sprinkled using a watering can. ‘Marking your boundaries’ like this will scare off any intruder foxes, though effects will wear off over time (particularly in times of bad weather) so repeated applications may be necessary before the would-be intruders get the message.
Audio – Visual
Foxes have a naturally nervous disposition and are focused on one thing -survival. We can use this to our advantage and startle them out of the lawn by installing security lights or ultrasonic noise repellers triggered by motion sensor. If a fox feels uneasy or in ‘fight or flight’ mode it is unlikely to linger on your lawn. Generally, its reported that the effects are gradual rather than instant, with users reporting fox visits tailing off over time before stopping altogether.
Taste aversion
There has been anecdotal and more recent scholarly research into possible taste aversion conditioning in animals, and specifically in foxes as a deterrent method. You can give this a try at home by leaving a small plate of food outside the chicken coop covered in mustard powder or extra-hot tabasco. Many have reported no further night-time visits following the fox sampling the spicy snack.
Removing fox scents
Like many animals, foxes often return to the same area to do their business as a way of marking their territory. These smells can really linger, especially on hard surfaces, and cleaning with chemicals like bleach often only temporarily masks the scent.
Animal control companies advise instead using a biological washing powder mixed with hot water to break down any residue left by the waste. Although you will need to make repeated applications over a few days, this tends to be the most effective way of removing the lingering scents.
Mechanical
If none of the above proves successful, you might prefer a mechanical solution in the form of ‘Dig Stop’ netting. This is a plastic mesh, with holes large enough to enable plants to grow through it and water to pass in the opposite direction. Spikes are moulded into the mesh at frequent intervals, creating a bed of points which are uncomfortable for any animal to walk or sit on. They are available on a roll and can be cut with scissors to fit any size or shape of location. These products are designed to provide a deterrent not just to foxes, but any animal with a propensity for digging.
However, remember the pull of food/ prey can be so strong that the more determined fox may not be dissuaded. If you have pets or livestock outdoors, it is better to invest in making sure that their enclosure is secure rather than relying on deterrents alone.