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fox proofing

S

sheridan

Warren Scout
Hi guys

i really need some help.
Please dont be harsh with what Im going to say. It has worked for 3.5 years

my 2 rabbits are outdoor bunnies. Their hutch is in a corner of the porch and is left open during the day. They have free run of the porch which has small fencing to stop then getting to the soil and plants.
the porch then has steep stairs leading down to the rest of the grassed garden. That is where the foxes roam.

No animal ever comes onto the porch and hasnt done in the 7 years I have lived here, which is why the bunnies run free.

yesterday morning, a young fox, maybe a year old got onto the porch through some dense trees and almost killed Furby!!!:cry:
It got her round the neck but thanks to my parents it dropped her and ran off. Furby is ok but now I am petrified of them being outside

how do I fox proof the porch? Is there any way of doing that?
the bunnies hate being enclosed in the small space they will be limited to. how can i make it better for them?

thanks
 
sheridan said:
Hi guys

i really need some help.
Please dont be harsh with what Im going to say. It has worked for 3.5 years

my 2 rabbits are outdoor bunnies. Their hutch is in a corner of the porch and is left open during the day. They have free run of the porch which has small fencing to stop then getting to the soil and plants.
the porch then has steep stairs leading down to the rest of the grassed garden. That is where the foxes roam.

No animal ever comes onto the porch and hasnt done in the 7 years I have lived here, which is why the bunnies run free.

yesterday morning, a young fox, maybe a year old got onto the porch through some dense trees and almost killed Furby!!!:cry:
It got her round the neck but thanks to my parents it dropped her and ran off. Furby is ok but now I am petrified of them being outside

how do I fox proof the porch? Is there any way of doing that?
the bunnies hate being enclosed in the small space they will be limited to. how can i make it better for them?

thanks
Click to expand...

I know it's nice to see your rabbits roaming free but you really shouldn't leave them unattended. I think you'd be best off either buying or building them a nice run. a fox has a collapsing rib cage and can fit throgh a gap of around 10cm. They are also very good climbers. Almost as good as cats. Sonic devices do not work. you could put an electric fence up but that could also hurt cats and birds. good luck with what ever you decide and i'm glad that furby is ok.
 
Oh, no! How awful! I'm so glad he is ok.

I hate to say it but I don't really think there is any way you will be able to leave them free run... the fox will DEFINATELY come back, they are persistant little :censored:.
 
I think the best thing you can do is to give them a fully enclosed run. You can make it as large as you can afford to. Many people do this using aviary panels. You can make them any size you want to, 6ft x 6ft x 6ft, 12ft x 6ft x 3ft (high), multiples of 3 are easier as most panels are 6ft x 3ft.
 
Hey- so glad to hear he is ok, how scary for you and him!

In addition to my buns I have chickens.
I have to say that the fox got in one night and got almost all of them.
I was so devistated, especially as the fox obviously didn't eat them, just killed and left them (my poor little girls). :cry:

Trouble is that the fox then knew that they were there and so kept coming back. He really was pursistant.

I have to agree with everyone, I would def pop them into a nice big run. It would be the safest place for them.
Don't forget that the worst time is dusk and dawn, but they aren't really shy round here and can be seen during the day too!

In order to stop Mr Fox I have created an enclosure that has an inner ring of chicken wire that is dug into the ground and securley fitted to posts. i then have an outside ring that is also dug into the ground. i found that this really helps to stop my chicks from digging and flying (if you can call it that) out and the fox from getting in. I think the key is it is pretty high and deep so he has left my girls alone. He doesn't seem interested in the buns, but they are inside at night and in a secured run during the day. i am currently making another version for my buns- but it seems to be taking my other half ages to make...typical :roll:

Please make sure that your buns are secure :)
 
thought that might be the case. its a shame as the bunnies loved their freedom.

the next problem is attaching a run that is secure but also allows easy access to the hutch as my parents help with the feeding but would struggle to move the run.

does anyone know of anything like the following?

hutch
smaller tunnel that connects hutch to run-can be removed
larger secure run

the reason for the smaller tunnel would be that during feeding time it can be removed or will allow easy access to the other door of the hutch

does anyone know if this is possible?
 
i wud say have a go its worth it when i started breeding one of my rabbits got next door threw a tiny gap in the fence and his dog killed it since then im watching them 24/7
 
Foxolutions

personally I would
1. get excellent bolts and good mesh for the hutch
2. Place hutch in large aviary style walk in run
3. Put aviary run on concrete slabs around the edge at least 2 slabs 'deep' (ie wide). Wire mesh rest of aviary run floor and then turf over the mesh
4. Put a low electricified bungee wrapped twice around the aviary run on the outside and turn on at nights (threading the same over the top if the aviary is optional but helps stop fox climbing to top)
5. Place sonic deterrants (the sort that have sensors and are designed specifically only to be a deterrant to foxes) around outside of aviary run (Yes they DO work - I have used them and have tracked the way the fox gives them a WIDE berth - but they have to be the top quality ones not just the ones that emit all the time).
6. Put high fences round whole garden with huge rambling thorny roses OR attach plastic 'prickle strips' to top of fences or walls that fox comes over,
7. For good measure spray Scoot or male urine (less easy to obtain in large quantities needed) around fenced area of garden perimeter
8. Install high power solar energy light again with detector to surprise fox

If necessary and possible add in the 'scarecrow' that sprays water again on a detection system.

If you have a small garden or hutch only faces in one direction you might also try the new 'Bright Eyes' red light diodes that have good reveiews - but I have not yet tried.

Finally - Only let buns out of aviary cages when you are IN garden, and sleep well in knowledge buns are safe.
 
sheridan said:
hi
where would i get the electrified bungee and sonic deterrants
Click to expand...

I get my sonic deterrants (and a range of other things) from Foxolutions (www.foxolutions.co.uk), I got my electric bungee from a website called electricfence-online.co.uk

I get my aviary runs and hutches from Forsham arks. They also sell (or sold) electric bungee but to be honest its best to go direct to the guy that supplies them!

There was a problem with supplies of electric bungee for a while but if you ring them at electricfence-online and chat to them (the guy is called Andy) they will advise on what might be best for you. I power mine with something called a 'shrike' which takes x2 size D batteries.

I also use their electric poultry netting for my hens.

By the way - I will be writing an article on what you can do to deter foxes for the Spring issue of Rabbitting On (due out in december I believe! - not really spring but thats what they call it!).
 
I have a big rabbit enclosure. Its totally fox proof. I got my first two rabbits from the rspca. The day after I put my rabbits into there new home I saw a fox on the roof. The roof is about 7' high. I wasn't worried for there safety but I went out and could see they were scared so I rang the man (Phil) from the rspca who came round to inspect there enclosure to ask about fox deterrents and he told me not to worry. He told me that because they didn't have a cornetto in hells chance of getting in that they would stop trying and move on to easier pray. I also asked about electric fencing and sonic deterrents. He told me that the sonic deterrents didn't work( I have never used them but I took his word for it) and that if I put an electric fence up and It hurt one of the neighbours cats we'd both be getting complaints. I think one thing we all agree on though is that you need a good run. I picked a 48"x30m roll of 19g weld mesh up for £52 from amazon last week. 2"x2" timber costs around £1 per linear meter. I hope this helps.
07111404.jpg

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08060802.jpg

IMG_0191.jpg

Here are some of my rabbits and where they live.
 
thanks loads guys

the fox is the first animal that has ever got onto the porch so i wouldnt be worried about hurting a cat etc. (although I see your point:?)

At the moment, I have put their small run back against the hutch. But they are both very reluctant to come out anyway at the moment or even venture down to the lower level of their hutch. This means that they stay hungry and only eat when I feed them by hand.:(

the area the the rabbits will be confined to is an irregular shape. I am limited to the area as it is my parents house and they like to sit outside
but I think the sensors and fencing plus a good run is the answer.
I dont care how much it costs as long as the bunnies are safe
 
Simon said:
He told me that because they didn't have a cornetto in hells chance of getting in that they would stop trying and move on to easier pray. I also asked about electric fencing and sonic deterrents. He told me that the sonic deterrents didn't work( I have never used them but I took his word for it) and that if I put an electric fence up and It hurt one of the neighbours cats we'd both be getting complaints. End Quote

We all have different experiences to tell I guess:

My experience and also my vets (who has kept rabbits, sheep, hens and tortoises all her life) is that unless he finds the visit unpleasant (see below) the fox will come back every night regardless on the off-chance that just ONE night he will get in. She lost her ducks that way after years of putting them away, just one night the bolt didn't go across - the fox was doing its 'regular' rounds and got the ducks.

Re sonic deterrants - I know there are lots of different views on this but if you have ever used a 'dog dazer' which is on the same principle but hand held and is used widely by postmen, Rights of Way officers, cyclists etc etc you KNOW they work!!! I have used them when faced with feral ferocious dogs in other countries - it bewilders and makes the dog uncomfortable - like the 'teenage sound deterrants' they are starting to use outside shops. Just make sure you don't get a cheap one that is on all the time and can be heard by other animals. It must be sensor driven so the fox realises that it is setting it off and it must be set to fox specific frequency. The generic ones that say they will keep out rats. mice, cats, rabbits etc are pretty useless if you are targetting foxes.

Electric fencing and cats - the premise here is they deliver a shock but not a damaging one. The cat touches it once - learns quickly and never touches it again. My hens never ever go near their electric fence. Neither does my cat not the other cats in the neighbourhood.. The fox also learns not to go near it. In fact most animals 'sense' the fence well before they touch it as it gives off a slight sort of ;frizz' feeling for an inch or so into the air..

I would add that you cannot beat a secure run for actually security - but as rabbits are petrified from just seeing or smelling a fox you have to deter it from even hanging around.
Click to expand...
 
electric fencing is the answer!

Hey,
I don't keep rabbits but I do rescue wild birds and my place is of obvious interest to the local foxy community. I have found that keeping my aviaries near the house with pavement slabs in the bottom of the aviary to stop foxes digging under and using a cheap electric fence (mine was the best £60 quid I ever spent for peace of mind) around the bottom and top of the enclosure is great. I have touched the electric fence myself without shoes on just to see! It was not that strong at all actually and I wondered whether it was enough. But apparently the sense of the electricity scares most animals way including foxes. It is true that other deterents do not work. I have tried everything from lions poo to a friendly male neighbour urine donor urinating around the aviary! In my experience only using chew proof wire & concrete floor and / or if possible I really recommend electric fence will make it foxproof.
X
D
 
Hello!

I'm glad your bunny is OK! That must of been horrible. Yes, you should not let your bunnies roam free. I would suggest building/buying a rabbit run. As for the fox, and I know people are going to hate me for this, I would buy a fox trap and catch it because it's just going to keep coming back. I don't if killing foxes is illegal where you live but we shoot foxes here in Australia. I live on a farm and they are a nuisance. They kill our new born lambs and calves! Foxes will also dig.

Hope everything goes well!

DarcyLouise
 
hi guys,

a bit of an update.the rabbits are in a big run but now refuse to come out of the hutch at all!!! they only come out if they have free run of the patio.

so my parents have agreed to a compromise. They have put up 7 ft fencing around the perimeter and I am going to buy a sonic deterrant and fox proof electrical fencing to put around all of the fencing. also going to put up the ***** layer? (irregular spikes)

what do you think?
 
I would stick with the secure run idea. They will get used to it eventually. I don't think anything except a full enclosed area would be safe.
 
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