Fox proofing a run?

I've tried searching threads but it brings up anything but?! This is my 3rd sleepless night (currently 2.15am!) having woken up from yet another bad dream about crafty foxes and a friends rabbit!! My friend has moved a bunny into a new large double tier hutch and run! The run is sturdy and made from welded mesh! However it is just pushed up to the hutch and not attached! The bunny has 24hr access to the run! How strong are foxes could one pull the run away? And would putting patio slabs around the edge of the run be enough to deter a fox from digging under into the run? I'm such a worrier, thank goodness mine are indoors!

A fox could probably manage to pull it away; they're surprisingly strong - the best thing would be to attach the run to the hutch with some hasp/staple type locks.

Is the run on grass? I'm not sure about the patio slabs & how far it would dig. :? I wouldn't like to take a chance myself but I'm slightly neurotic.

KarenM said:

A fox could probably manage to pull it away; they're surprisingly strong - the best thing would be to attach the run to the hutch with some hasp/staple type locks.

Is the run on grass? I'm not sure about the patio slabs & how far it would dig. :? I wouldn't like to take a chance myself but I'm slightly neurotic.

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Thanks Karen! I'll have a look for some in B&Q at lunch today! The run is currently on little pieces of slate over an anti weed fabric! I don't think she intends to leave it like that! I'm just petrified something will happen!

I'm currently feeding her 'zoo' while she's away so I feel super responsible which makes my paranoia worse ... hence the not sleeping!

A fox is easily strong enough to pull off wire, it wouldnt think twice about pulling a run away from a hutch. They do dig easily too, pheasant enclosures on farm land are dug a foot down into the ground and then at a 90 degree angle inwards to try and fool the fox into thinking they cant dig under.

I wouldnt personally leave my buns in a run on the grass at night.

OK that's enough for me my fears are confirmed! I will have a chat with my friend on her return tomorrow!

nursecroft said:

AThey do dig easily too, pheasant enclosures on farm land are dug a foot down into the ground and then at a 90 degree angle inwards to try and fool the fox into thinking they cant dig under.

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:shock::shock::shock: That's scary. I knew they could dig but just wasn't sure how far they would go.

It probably wouldn't be a bad idea for them to lay slabs or something anyway; not just for safety but I can imagine the slate might be uncomfortable under foot all day long. And poo is impossible to clean up too - I speak from experience. :lol:

I would definatley want to slab under the run and use some hasp and staples to attatch the run to the hutch. Think of a fox as "as agile as a cat but as strong as a dog" and you are on the right lines of what they are capable of.

I think what they will do to get to a bun really depends on what other food source is available. Can you shut the buns in the hutch at night until the run is sorted?

Someone I know lost some guinea pigs to a fox. The run was on grass and its lid was balanced on, but not attached. The fox managed to dig to the point where the run became destabilised, so the lid could be partly shoved off.

SarahP said:

Someone I know lost some guinea pigs to a fox. The run was on grass and its lid was balanced on, but not attached. The fox managed to dig to the point where the run became destabilised, so the lid could be partly shoved off.

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Awe no poor little piggies I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to lose a beloved pet under those circumstances. I'd never ever forgive myself!

Yes its true the cleaning issue would soon become a problem! I'll offer to help with a little 'reorganisation' this weekend!

Im sitting at work so tired.. I must sleep tonight!

I don't think you can really fox proof against them although you can deter them. There are a avriety of things you can use to deter them (although I've never used any of them), it might be worth searching on the forum and also googling too.

Actually, speaking of which, and I don't mean to hijack the thread, how do people fox proof their aviaries? That's what I'm looking at for future bun accommodation, so I wondered if the mesh needed reinforcing etc.

SarahP said:

Actually, speaking of which, and I don't mean to hijack the thread, how do people fox proof their aviaries? That's what I'm looking at for future bun accommodation, so I wondered if the mesh needed reinforcing etc.

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Hijack away I'd quite like to know this too because if I can bare to let my bunnies go outside they would be having a large aviary run on a shed. So Id really like to know in advance if its possible to do it!

SarahP said:

Actually, speaking of which, and I don't mean to hijack the thread, how do people fox proof their aviaries? That's what I'm looking at for future bun accommodation, so I wondered if the mesh needed reinforcing etc.

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I think my runs are pretty fox proof, or as good as you can get anyway.

The best thing you can do is to make sure the whole run is screwed together and has mesh on all sides, including the floor. If your run is attached to a hutch it should be screwed into the hutch. The mesh needs to be proper weld mesh and obviously stapled quite heavily at the edges. The door needs to be held very securely with some sort of padlock, that's the only thing I trust that a fox can't open. I have two security hasp and staples with the padlocks on, one at the top of the 4ft door and one at the bottom.

SarahP said:

Actually, speaking of which, and I don't mean to hijack the thread, how do people fox proof their aviaries? That's what I'm looking at for future bun accommodation, so I wondered if the mesh needed reinforcing etc.

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Aviaries are usually pretty well built and too heavy for a fox to lift so thats one problem solved in the fight to keep foxes out. I have double meshed mine to make it extra strong as Im guessing that would be the weak spot a fox would find. Also remember the roof needs to be fox proof aswell as they climb really well.

Hi :wave: a couple of people have mentioned using a "hasp" and I was wondering what they are?

My OH made our run, its screwed together, the mesh is secured with heavy duty staples, its attached to the hutch and is on concrete, so a fox couldn't dig underneath. Its so damn heavy I don't think a fox could lift it, and I have a heavy wooden board to lay on top of the roof of the run to be extra sure. I would like to padlock the run to the hutch (and the hutch doors too - paranoid also about my buns being stolen!), but don't quite know how I would do that....

This is a small hasp and staple, perfect for a run/aviary door

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=144000&Referrer=froogle

We lost our first 3 buns to a fox so am well aware of the agility of the beasts. Our buns were free range & had access to our garden 24/7. It is surrounded by 6' fencing and as several other nearby friends also had buns living freely in their gardens for a number of years we felt ok about it. The fox scaled our fences like a cat (we saw it come back twice to try & get their bodies). Two of our buns were untouched and just died of shock/fright. The third had a small nick on her back but also appeared to have died of shock. To say we were gutted is an understatement. All of our friends have also since lost their buns to foxes.

Our current tribe have the run of the garden during the day but we always feed them in the cage (a naive mistake first time round) and they nearly always "go to bed" before I ask. They are securely shut in their cage with attached run at night with planks, bricks and noisey plastic sheeting. Not sure if it's entirely fox proof but its pretty good & I'm a light sleeper so any untoward sound has me looking out of the window pronto.

You'll find many scarey stories about the agility & determination of foxes (which is more needy during the cubbing season - ours were killed in May) and although you won't be able to cover every eventuality you should take heed and secure your buns to your satisfaction

I've always said that when I'm in a position to get some hens (having lost some years ago to foxes), I will lay down slabs or a concrete base. I would then build their run (an aviary height one with a meshed roof) and then build the same around that leaving a wide enough gap to walk around (so I can keep it clean and clear) between the two runs. Providing that the roof is secure as well and it's all bolted properly together and you use bolts at least at the top, middle and bottom of the door (with padlocks), I'd be happy to have hens again. Same goes for outdoor rabbits. I still don't know how a fox got our hens and ducks. We'd built that place like Fort Knox and there was no sign of entry or exit. Foxes are far too clever by half.

timb0h said:

The best thing you can do is to make sure the whole run is screwed together and has mesh on all sides, including the floor. If your run is attached to a hutch it should be screwed into the hutch. The mesh needs to be proper weld mesh and obviously stapled quite heavily at the edges.

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Same here - we double mesh the sides & roof, and single mesh the floor. As well as using lots of staples, we actually sandwiched the edges of the mesh between two bits of wood so it would be harder for the staples to pull out. Good bolts are also a must, and definitely at least two per door so that it can't be rocked to come off at the hinges.

Sturdy timber & big screws are also key - there's little point putting a big lock on with tiny screws that will just pull out with a little effort:shock:
We also used metal corner strip (found in the plastering section) to put on the outer corners of the run to make it harder for animals to chew their way in.

The only downside of all this is that the hutch/run weighs a ton!:roll: