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Massive fox just appeared... o_o

casu consulto

Mama Doe
My heart is beating so very fast.
I was sat here, and happened to see some movement out of the corner of my eye... and this alarming large fox was making its way down the garden path, towards the back yard. We'd only just decided to put the rabbits out, and had decided (thankfully!) that it was too damp for them to be in the garden, so they were in the garage, in a run. If they'd been in the garden... But it was heading for the backyard, and the garage door was wide open to let them get some light... so I ran to the garage, picked up a broom and was all set to scare it off if it came leaping over the big wooden gate... My mum heard me, asked what the matter was and went to chase it out the garden around the front...

The rabbits were just binkying about whilst I stood there, all armed and ready to play defender... Now the garage door is closed.
 
I've known that there's some sort of fox-run across my grass... But I always feel so surprised to see them at this time. Well, I don't normally see them... Usually, everyone except me does and I complain. I think I saw that one a bit too close up for my liking - he was practically under the window. :shock:
 
:shock::shock: The local fox comes nearly every night and leaves a poo to remind us of him. :roll: The bunnies are covered up when it starts to get dark and they seem fine about it. The thing that worries me is if it comes during the day or if I don't get home in time to put them in their hutch before nightfall. We have a bright security light but it sometimes doesn't scare it enough to shoo it away. I had a rabbit die from shock from a fox bite and it is not pretty and don't want to go through it again.
 
Yeah, we sometimes get poop on the grass from a fox... Often right where the run had been that day... :roll: I'm appalled when I remember how with my last bunny, we'd leave her out in her run until after dark. It seems so stupid now. I'm amazed a fox never got her. At the moment, the rabbits are mostly out in the garage in the smaller of two runs I have. Saves me having to rush out and save them when it rains... but the door is left open, so it's light. I often leave them like this when I go for a walk, for 30 minutes or so... From now on, I'm locking that door. Luckily, the fox(es) have only been making afternoon appearances during the winter... Hope it won't be like this in the spring/summer when the rabbits are in the garden...

I'm so twitchy now. :lol: I'm sat here, and keep spinning to the side at any slight movement in the garden.
 
I want to move to the mainland and thats the one thing thats putting me off really :shock: I just couldnt feel like my buns arent safe in the garden :(
 
I've never, ever felt comfortable putting them out in a run if I, or someone else, is not in the house... Apart from foxes, there are cats, silly people who have over-enthusiastic dogs not on leads, a hawk, kids with a great liking for the rabbits but not much sense... Out of my two runs, one has a very secure lid that cannot slide off, the other is not so stable. I could never, ever sleep at night if I allowed the two of them 24/7 access to an outdoor run... And my family think I'm paranoid, hehe. Next time someone says that I'll start with a fox-story now... :)
 
I've never, ever felt comfortable putting them out in a run if I, or someone else, is not in the house... Apart from foxes, there are cats, silly people who have over-enthusiastic dogs not on leads, a hawk, kids with a great liking for the rabbits but not much sense... Out of my two runs, one has a very secure lid that cannot slide off, the other is not so stable. I could never, ever sleep at night if I allowed the two of them 24/7 access to an outdoor run... And my family think I'm paranoid, hehe. Next time someone says that I'll start with a fox-story now... :)

:lol: I dont think your paranoid ;) The only reason mine are allowed access to their runs at night is because people and dogs cant get in through two locked gates or climb the high fences and walls :lol: If my rabbits were easily visible to people just walking past they would be inside :shock: :lol:
 
I have a very odd garden... We live in a corner house, so we have a front garden - where the rabbits never go - a back garden, and a back yard. The back garden is where the grass is, and it's almost entirely surrounded by a privet hedge, except for where we once had a gate, there's a wall there. It's low enough for dogs/foxes/cats to jump over, and the privet on either side has not covered the gap, so especially during winter when leaves are scarce, any passer-by can see in. The hutches, though, are in the little concrete back yard. There's a tall white wooden gate, about as high as the bottom level of the house, that separates it, and it's all fenced around. No one can see them there, and although I don't doubt a fox could get in there, if it really wanted to, I imagine it might feel a bit trapped with high fences on all sides...

And now I need to go lock the garage door and take a walk to calm me down, hehe.
 
I think we should all assume foxes are always close by.... its good to keep your guard up, and I'd rather be over cautious than not. At this time of year there less natural food around for foxes, so they tend to come nearer and are braver.
 
I think I've always assumed, and been aware, that they'd be likely to be around here... And I've known they wander the streets, it just seemed quite a shock to see one - a surprisingly large one! - so close, heading in the general direction of the bunnies, and at about 2pm. I do hope it's just a food shortage thing due to winter, and they won't be so bold or active in daylight, when it gets warmer.
 
Foxes are also very hungry in spring when they have their young ones. They don't just walk through gardens at night, I have seen one here during daylight several times. Someone at my son's school lived in a house with a walled garden. The wall was about 7 ft or more high, but a fox still managed to jump over it. They thought they were safe and had their bunny hopping around in the garden. The fox had an easy lunch. :(
 
I've known that there's some sort of fox-run across my grass... But I always feel so surprised to see them at this time. Well, I don't normally see them... Usually, everyone except me does and I complain. I think I saw that one a bit too close up for my liking - he was practically under the window. :shock:

I will bring my dogs up to pee in ur garden too see if it will keep it away,thats the second time,the fox near me wont enter cos of my 4 dogs,rick
 
Yea, let me borrow your dogs for a day. :lol:
It is the second time in a month or two, and both times in the afternoon like that... My cats used to chase them, but now I swear it's like the cats and foxes have become friends and now sit by one another, and go off exploring together... Traitors!
 
I will bring my dogs up to pee in ur garden too see if it will keep it away,thats the second time,the fox near me wont enter cos of my 4 dogs,rick

I agree with that Rick..... as revolting as it sounds, if my dog poos early evening I leave it there all night... in fact I try to leave a fresh poo down most of the time, just to give off a bit of an aroma! If you cant get hold off (not literally lol) any dog poo or wee then get a man to wee in a pot, and pour it around the fox hot spots, its yuck but works. Foxes dont like change or disturbance and they dont like dog or man wee.:)
 
Yea, let me borrow your dogs for a day. :lol:
It is the second time in a month or two, and both times in the afternoon like that... My cats used to chase them, but now I swear it's like the cats and foxes have become friends and now sit by one another, and go off exploring together... Traitors!

Ive got 4 so when you want them :lol::lol::lol::lol:smokey said for payment he wants a hide bone,rick
 
Never under estimate Mr. Fox. I lost 6 of my bunnies in late September due to a fox. He jumped a 6ft wall and dug up the lawn to get under and into the runs, believe me the sight will stay with me forever. We have a big dog who pees and plops all over the lawn and it hasn't deterred the fox at all.

I brought the remaining 5 of my bunnies inside until hubby concreted the runs and anchored them down.
 
Never under estimate Mr. Fox. I lost 6 of my bunnies in late September due to a fox. He jumped a 6ft wall and dug up the lawn to get under and into the runs, believe me the sight will stay with me forever. We have a big dog who pees and plops all over the lawn and it hasn't deterred the fox at all.

I brought the remaining 5 of my bunnies inside until hubby concreted the runs and anchored them down.

Oh god thats awful, i'm so sorry.

I've a question for those of you that are aware of foxes nearby. Do you really feel that your buns are safe? If so, what special things do you do to protect your buns? It's just I was going to get some of mine outside earlier this year, until I saw foxes strolling across my lawn adn I didn't think it would be safe.
 
My run is flagged with lid and a cat flap to the playhouse which is padlocked then theres the border collie who is there till i lock them up,get past that mr fox,rick
 
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