Foxes - dont think 'dog' think cross between cat and squirrel (but with big Teeth)

Foxes in spring - dont think 'dog' think cross between cat/squirrel (with big Teeth)

Bumping up this old thread as NOW is the time that young cubs will be born and the vixens will be ranging over a wider area and also becoming bolder as they need to find more food . . .

Just a reminder to everyone . . . .

Foxes CAN (easily) climb 6 ft sheer fences (or 8ft upwards if there is a seat, table, shed etc within a metre or two)

Foxes CAN (easily) walk on sloping, pointy, and even glass roofs

Foxes CAN very very quickly dig under fences and runs even if you cannot see a gap - they just need a scoop of earth removed and under they go . . .

Foxes CAN squeeze through impossible looking gaps (I was told by a fox expert 10 cm is all they need - go find a ruler and see how small that is!)

Foxes CAN get through your cat flap (unless its a special one needing a microchip etc)

Foxes CAN get through windows

Foxes CAN shake, pull, tear , move and throw around 'light weight' hutches - and tear off mesh and roofs

Foxes DO have a fantastic sense of smell and hearing and can smell your bunnies from the other side of the street/field/fence

Foxes ARE 'clever' in terms of figuring out how to get into things (latches etc) - if you can train a dog to do it a fox can do it without training!

Foxes ARE superbly equipped to do what they are designed to do - scent, track down, force entry, and kill.

Foxes WILL come back night after night after night after night after night after . . . . just in the hope that one night . . .

Foxes DO come out in the daytime ALL the time - but especially in March/April/May

Foxes can live in your area for years without you ever seeing them - unless you live on a fox free island - they ARE in your neighbourhood!


IF A SQUIRREL OR CAT can get into your garden or house then so could a fox - but a fox comes equipped with MUCH bigger teeth and stronger claws etc and an inbuilt desire to eat your pets.

NEVER underestimate a fox. CHECK YOUR SECURITY NOW!!! Bolt, concrete slab, and place all hutches WITHIN runs if at all possible

(PS this is NOT aimed at anyone in particular - most people will know I give out regular 'fox warnings' and I felt that it was time for a general reminder as we have a lot of newish members).

I also give advise on protection against foxes if anyone needs it then do PM me or look at old threads.


ACT NOW check your meshing, check your runs are on impenetrable surfaces, check your bolts, check your hutches - do NOT rely on 6ft fencing -

End of Newsflash!!!

Very good advice.

For this, and so many other reasons I am so thankful Stephen lives inside.

Very good advice. People do please remember though that foxes are only doing what comes naturally to the - hunting for food

Good advice...thankfully I dont have a cat flap (except on Poppys shed but the run is attached)..but never considered they could get into the house that way:shock:

Thanks for the reminder, Some advice please? I was told my runaround tunnel to my shed and run are fox proof, am worried now- has anyone had any problems with foxes and these?

which sort of runaroundrun run do you have? and what is at the other end?

The long black plastic ones are a bit too small for a fox as although they can theoretically squeeze through a hole that big it would be difficult for anything except a cub to actually manoeuvre themselves along it once in. Looking at ours I would say they are safe if you have a nice long length - however I am assuming that you do shut off one or the other end at night if it is open to the lawn or whereever.

If the metal ones then unless it has metal at base or is on slabs I personally would treat it the same as 'free range' during the day.

Have you tried personally pulling it up? if you can pull it up sufficient to leave a 5cm gap, or can scrabble at base to get a gap, then so can anything else.


However dont get me wrong - I do not advocate totally locking up buns all the time - I still let my own buns free range during the day when I am around in the rooms that face the lawn - its just that I do it in the knowledge of where and how danger might come and not thinking that I am 'safe' because it is daytime or because we have a 6 ft fence.

Good advice but I think you need to make it sound more like a warning about fox behaviour rather than portraying this amazing, adaptable animal as some rabid beast that will come and kill all your animals. :?

I have always had foxes in my garden, I had one in my garden at half 9 yesterday morning sniffing around Hoodwink's run. I've had outdoor piggies and rabbits in the past and never had a problem. My current bunnies are indoors and my window is always on the latch unless I'm in, they have free range time in the garden on nice days but never unsupervised (as in I follow them around the garden) or they go in their run but ONLY when I am in as well to keep an eye on them. I think the big plus I had on my side is that all my "outdoor" animals lived in my garage and so were VERY secure, although they did occasionally have visits from the local mice. :lol:

Its scary....but one cant go round with a "It wont happen to me" attitude.....

parsnipbun said:

which sort of runaroundrun run do you have? and what is at the other end?

The long black plastic ones are a bit too small for a fox as although they can theoretically squeeze through a hole that big it would be difficult for anything except a cub to actually manoeuvre themselves along it once in. Looking at ours I would say they are safe if you have a nice long length - however I am assuming that you do shut off one or the other end at night if it is open to the lawn or whereever.

If the metal ones then unless it has metal at base or is on slabs I personally would treat it the same as 'free range' during the day.

Have you tried personally pulling it up? if you can pull it up sufficient to leave a 5cm gap, or can scrabble at base to get a gap, then so can anything else.


However dont get me wrong - I do not advocate totally locking up buns all the time - I still let my own buns free range during the day when I am around in the rooms that face the lawn - its just that I do it in the knowledge of where and how danger might come and not thinking that I am 'safe' because it is daytime or because we have a 6 ft fence.

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I have a black plastic 8ft tunnel, one end attached to my shed the other to a large heavy 8x6ft run. I only put the run on grass when I know I am going to be at home. I shut down both ends at night and put the bunnies inside (much to their dismay) as I worry about foxes. They don't free range at the mo as I need to bunny/escape proof the garden. My rabbits I had years ago used to free range but only when I was home and keeping an eye on them.

Great advice Twigs.

Do you mind if I copy this for a flyer/fox handout for TRC and for Facebook? I will credit you of course.

sorry duplicate, please remove

great post, to me as a rabbit owner, foxes ARE nasty horrible things. I think its also worth remembering that even the presence of a fox can be enough to scare a rabbit enough for it to go into shock. The fox doesnt even have to have got into the rabbit enclosure. And even if it doesnt go into shock, a scared rabbit can panic and injure itself

claire** said:

great post, to me as a rabbit owner, foxes ARE nasty horrible things. I think its also worth remembering that even the presence of a fox can be enough to scare a rabbit enough for it to go into shock. The fox doesnt even have to have got into the rabbit enclosure. And even if it doesnt go into shock, a scared rabbit can panic and injure itself

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I think that its best to keep opinions about foxes off the thread (much as I know its quite tricky) in case it turns into a for/against nature and foxes thread

The way to help stop the panic is to ensure the hutch is placed well INSIDE the aviary run so that the fox cannot get right up to the hutch. Too many are just joined to the run - making both vulnerable.

The Duchess said:

Great advice Twigs.

Do you mind if I copy this for a flyer/fox handout for TRC and for Facebook? I will credit you of course.

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I would be very proud!!!

You can tweak it to be better if you like!

Vegan_Bunny said:

Good advice but I think you need to make it sound more like a warning about fox behaviour rather than portraying this amazing, adaptable animal as some rabid beast that will come and kill all your animals. :?
:

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I did include thees:

Foxes DO have a fantastic sense of smell and hearing and can smell your bunnies from the other side of the street

Foxes ARE 'clever' in terms of figuring out how to get into things (latches etc) - if you can train a dog to do it a fox can do it without training!

Foxes ARE superbly equipped to do what they are designed to do - scent, track down, force entry, and kill.


which I personally think covers that nicely . . .

I did not mention rabies at all . . .

The post is not designed to be wildlife information on the wider behaviour of the fox - it is designed and aimed specifically at rabbit owners who often underestimate what foxes are capable of. There are fox websites if people want to know more about fox behaviour generally

Ive got visions of foxes carrying my wooden chairs over to the stable door.....

:thumb: Great post. People do need to know the risks and know how to reduce them.

claire** said:

great post, to me as a rabbit owner, foxes ARE nasty horrible things. I think its also worth remembering that even the presence of a fox can be enough to scare a rabbit enough for it to go into shock. The fox doesnt even have to have got into the rabbit enclosure. And even if it doesnt go into shock, a scared rabbit can panic and injure itself

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Why are they horrible? They're only following their instinct. A pet rabbit is the same as a wild rabbit to them.

Maybe some rabbits are scared of the presence of a fox but probably not very many are unless the fox is clearly trying to get at them. i know people on another forum i'm on who have pet foxes and pet rabbits and other prey and they've had no problem with terrified rabbits. In fact some of their prey animals go right up to the pens. I plan on getting foxes but I wouldn't let the foxes see the buns. The rabbits will be kept in separate rooms and most likely i'll only keep fennecs indoors, the rest will probably be outdoors...except possibly swift and north american gray. But i'd probably have the reds, arctics, and bat eared outdoors in spacious aviary like enclosures.

parsnipbun said:

I would be very proud!!!

You can tweak it to be better if you like!

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Thanks Twigs. I don't think it needs tweaking. It's spot on. I shall produce hard copy for the next event, but also soft copies for FB.

William said:

:thumb: Great post. People do need to know the risks and know how to reduce them.



Why are they horrible? They're only following their instinct. A pet rabbit is the same as a wild rabbit to them.

Maybe some rabbits are scared of the presence of a fox but probably not very many are unless the fox is clearly trying to get at them. i know people on another forum i'm on who have pet foxes and pet rabbits and other prey and they've had no problem with terrified rabbits. In fact some of their prey animals go right up to the pens. I plan on getting foxes but I wouldn't let the foxes see the buns. The rabbits will be kept in separate rooms and most likely i'll only keep fennecs indoors, the rest will probably be outdoors...except possibly swift and north american gray. But i'd probably have the reds, arctics, and bat eared outdoors in spacious aviary like enclosures.

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Hi:wave::wave:

Can we keep our opinions of whether foxes per se are god or bad of fthe thread please?? This is an information thread

parsnipbun said:

Hi:wave::wave:

Can we keep our opinions of whether foxes per se are god or bad of fthe thread please?? This is an information thread

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Ok, but I think it is good information because there are a lot of myths about foxes and I don't think fox threads usually get heated like the cat and dog ones do.