Dissuading the Urban Fox

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Dissuading the Urban Fox
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cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 4:02 pm Post subject: Dissuading the Urban Fox

There's a fox den three or four allotments down from mine, backing onto a domestic garden. We -think- that seven foxes frequent the whole site.

Being in a city, the urban foxes don't fear people. Officially, we tolerate these foxes. They do some damage, but not much.

Two plots down, someone lost some spuds last year, where a fox cub decided to investigate. On my own plot they've had a dig, around where I'd had a fire (must have been nice and warm). The youngsters are apparently a bugger for nicking bits of string you've tied things up with.

How do I go about deterring urban foxes from playing silly buggers on my plot?

joker

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 188
Location: hiding

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 4:28 pm Post subject:
A 12 G allways does the trick for me but seeing as you are in an urban area try hughs hair in stocking trick also if urinate in strategic places around the alotment this discourages them aswell

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 5:10 pm Post subject:
I'll not mention that a single dog is still legal. Do you wish to keep the foxes? If not the council should be able to help (make sure they are not simply moved). If you don't mind them on the allotment and hope they just dig someone elses ground then scent marking may help. They can be a pain by digging up fruit bushes, eating fruits etc.

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 6:13 pm Post subject:

joker wrote:

try hughs hair in stocking trick also if urinate in strategic places around the alotment this discourages them aswell

I'll try the stocking trick not sure about the urinating though - Lundy still hasn't got over the shock of me asking him to contribute to my composter!!!

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 10:16 pm Post subject:

Lethally dealing with them on an allotment plot isn't appealign to me.

One of the reasons why allotments are tolerated and even supported in urban areas is because they encourage wildlife; we declare war on the fox and we lose a lot of allies. That, and most people there (including me) don't really wish the foxes any ill. If I can find a way of dissuading them, I'd prefer that.

Will the hair bag method work with urban foxes? They don't seem to fear humanity.

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 10:22 pm Post subject:

I've got plenty of hair...and it's quite scary hair even for humans...hasn't worked yet (even though we also package it in old tights, washed of course, but still must carry scent, and nope, the little ************** still ***** all over the place, dig up stuff, and steal fruit.

But then we suspect people round here feed them and certainly we find bones brought in to the garden, which they may have looted from the bins.

I hope it's otherwise but fear a concerted effort by the plotholders will be the only effective method (eg effective fencing).

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 10:25 pm Post subject:
There must be something that urban foxes hate

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 10:30 pm Post subject:

The problem I have with stopping them just on your plot is that it means they will simply go on everyone elses, unless there is plently of other areas where they forrage. Is it fair to simply move the problem on?

Anyway, some things to remember is that foxes eat worms and I've had them dig out plants where worm rich compost is. At least check your plants when you go down to ensure the plants don't need firming in. I don't know if using bone meal would also make them dig in your plot.

Some people say the ultrasonic scarey things work, not tried them myself.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 10:33 pm Post subject:

Cab wrote:

There must be something that urban foxes hate

Hounds! Actually, if anyone has dogs would their scent scare the foxes off? Fur clippings from a pet grooming place?

I just remembered, foxes have also been in our pond and raked out some plants.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 10:57 pm Post subject:
Treacodactyl, that may well be a plan with a hat. I pass a pet grooming place on the way to the allotment plot, so it has to be worth a go!

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 11:38 pm Post subject:

I think if you have decided that you do not wish to harm the fox, but simply discourage it, then you must accept that the guy is now your intimate friend!...He is well socialised to humans in teh allotment, is not scared by our scent, has an abundant food supply, as well as warmth....Pretty much all the requirements for the foxy friendly habitat. His only predator is man and dog. Lets hope the dog clippings work, as I believe they might, otherwise, I'll lend you a rifle!

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 11:49 pm Post subject:
It's the 'official policy' that we tolerate the presence of the fox. Whether I choose to make an enemy of foxes or not, I'm not going to go hunting it down on an allotment site where the committee chooses to do otherwise.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 12:34 am Post subject:
Accept then, that you will suffer shortfalls in your production.

judyofthewoods

Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Location: Pembrokeshire

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 1:20 am Post subject:
We have to accept that the territory of different species overlap and that we can't be the only ones to reap the benefits, but have to share, accept some losses. Other species have to suffer much grater losses at our hand than we do at theirs.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 7:00 am Post subject:
You will probably suffer less mice damage with a fox about. Some of the places he digs in our garden are probably to get to mice as I've seen the small burrows before mr fox dug a larger hole.

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