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Do I need to worry about family of foxes?

archie

Posted by archie over 3 years ago
Last active about 1 year ago 31 responses

The other night I was concerned to hear creatures manically scurrying around at the end of my garden and worried that there was a seething den of rats down there, vermin who would soon work out how to use the cat flap and infest the house and eat my face while I slept.

However, yesterday evening I was sitting in the garden enjoying the last of the sunshine with a beer. The scurrying started again and I saw some largish creatures crashing around in the bushes and disappearing behing the shed. Fucking hell, I thought. Super rats. I crept towards the shed and heard snuffling sounds and movement below it. Suddenly something poked its head around the back of the shed and looked at me – it was an adorable baby fox.

Clearly a fox family has made a den underneath my garden shed. Thank god it’s not rats, but are there any other potential problems that they could cause? Should I try and move them on? I remember back in the LbL days there was a thread about killing them (or getting pest control involved) but after seeing the young ‘uns, I just couldn’t do that.

Anyone have any experience of this and warnings/tips on how to deal?

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31 responses

archie

Shit, I put this in the wrong section. Can I change it?

Posted over 3 years ago by archie

AppleDave

They’re not much fun when they crap on your patio, it REEKS!

They’ll grow up and move out to their own territories, then you have to take your chance to protect your shed!

Posted over 3 years ago by AppleDave

Mockernee

Wait for the shagging to start, they’re not so cute then. Bastards kept me up all hours when I had a garden for them to infest. (I shouldn’t have put out the first time, word got round and priapic vulpines were shoving their tiny foxcocks through my letterbox all night)

And lock your bins, they’ll tear a binliner to shreds hunting for mints and t’ing.

Posted over 3 years ago by Mockernee

Floatykatja

They stink and they’re noisy. Sadly there’s very little you can actually do about them. Don’t (as the silly bitch who lives next door to me did) feed them and, as Mockernee says, keep your bins well shut away.

Posted over 3 years ago by Floatykatja

archie

I’ve already noticed the noise. Last night the cubs (?) were gambolling outside my bedroom window, chirruping and squeaking. When they grow up they make horrific noises – I still have childhood memories of hearing the foxes’ unearthly groans and rasping screams emanating from the murky woods next to my parents house. At least that’s what my parents told me they were…

Posted over 3 years ago by archie

Juvey

Be wary of red-coated toffs on horses, they’ll trample your hedges to bits to rip the little blighters apart with their teeth. Oh no, hang on, it’s banned now isn’t it? That’s a bit of a shame. 

When are we going on University Challenge with BNM and Plum then?

Posted over 3 years ago by Juvey

bendylan

You too huh, I still have my foxes living under our front door steps. I haven’t heard too much noise yet, but they do occasionally leave the remains of their midnight snacks by the door. And they’re living with my lawnmower, and I need that (and am too chicken to get it off them).

Posted over 3 years ago by bendylan

AssumingVakant

I’ve already told you to shoot them, why haven’t you done it yet?

Posted over 3 years ago by AssumingVakant

bendylan

Dunno, I’m just a kinda laissez faire live and let foxes live under the stairs with my lawnmower as hostage kind of guy.

Posted over 3 years ago by bendylan

Knid

Can we have some pictures of baby foxes please?

Posted over 3 years ago by Knid

Natasha

I found a dead fox recently. Someone had propped it up in some broken MFI-style furniture. Of course I took a picture.

Posted over 3 years ago by Natasha

Juvey

The fox in the box. I’m a little upset by that. You sure it wasn’t asleep?

Posted over 3 years ago by Juvey

Floatykatja

I’m a bit disturbed by that picture, Natasha. I’m choosing to go with Juvey’s analysis and believe that it’s asleep. Handsome beast, innit?

Posted over 3 years ago by Floatykatja

plum41premium

Archie – apparently its against the law to disturb the hole/nest/whatever while the babies are there – you’ll have to wait until they leave in september-ish. There’s another thread here:

http://london.fridaycities.com/knowledge/wanted-other/conversations/13584

Posted over 3 years ago by plum41

archie

Thank plum41. Blimey – I’ve got them until September. Little buggers might not be so adorable then. They might also ruin my plans for sun-drenched garden BBQs.

Posted over 3 years ago by archie

Floatykatja

Archie, if you spend lots of time out in the garden being noisy, it’s entirely possible that the mummy and daddy foxes will take umbrage and move their stinky offspring elsewhere. It’s worth a try, anyway …

Posted over 3 years ago by Floatykatja

Mockernee

Reviving the last fox thread’s sage advice, go and take a dump by your shed, and piss all over the area too. Your scent might scare the foxes away, but if it doesn’t it’ll at least be cathartic. I settle most of my disputes, bestial, human or existential, by defecating on my rival’s home turf. The existential revenge is harder to achieve than it is even to imagine, and it’s best to leave the bathroom door unlocked just in case you over-balance and need assistance.

Posted over 3 years ago by Mockernee

Natasha

No, it was very dead. It was a handsome fox though. It was a little bit like coming across a Damien Hirst in the middle of the street.

Posted over 3 years ago by Natasha

Juvey

Ah well, live fast, die young eh? I’m sure he had a good innings. And look, he even has his own coffin. Boom boom!

Posted over 3 years ago by Juvey

BraveNewMalden

There’s something about urban foxes on the telly tonight which might provide a few clues on ways to deter them. But it looks like it’ll be more of an ‘aren’t they cuddly’ fox-fest.

One the little blighters round our way bit a hole in the heel of my new Wellingtons, rendering them useless. And as Mockernee probably pointed out, their poo stinks and foxes shagging sounds like babies being slowly strangled. They are also capable of flight.

Posted over 3 years ago by BraveNewMalden