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Fox Next Door - Fence Height

C

CHH

Warren Scout
I spotted a fox in next door's garden on Saturday so we're looking to increase our security!

The fencing round the garden is currently 6ft high. Is that high enough to keep a fox out? If not, what is? We can add another 2 or 3ft onto that reasonably easily if need be but any higher would be difficult.

There's no way under the fence so that isn't a concern.

Thanks for any help.
 
Good morning, A fox can easily scale a 6ft fence. We've seen them over the back from us, running along a 6ft fence and one even climbed a tree behind the fence we saw the fox, then heard the noise and he took a wood pigeon, the next morning the neighbour over there was complaining about the feathers everywhere. I hope someone will come along and suggest something for you. I just keep my buns well bolted up at night and allow them supervised free run in tge garden during the day.
 
I think you will find it hard to keep a fox out to be honest. Just do as much as possible to secure your animal enclosures.
 
Keeping a fox out is near impossible. It can be done, but it's really not worth the hassle.
Ensure your animal enclosures are super secure (double mesh if possible) and somewhere near the house so you can hear if they start thumping etc.

Foxes don't like to work massively hard for their food, so if they try the cage a couple times and get no where they often give up. (That's always been my experience)

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
 
No 6' i not high enough but I have wire running all round the top of my fence about a foot high attached on the outside and nothing has tried to get in. The wire is about 2" x 2" so you can hardly notice it's there but it's strong enough not to bend. I'd do a photo if I could for you. A wooden trellis wouldn't be any good as a fox could climb over that. I also have a separate piece which goes across the gate at night so the whole garden is surrounded by this wire.
 
If a fox wants to be in a garden, it will get in a garden - there's not a lot you can do to stop it. Just make sure your enclosure is secure, as said before, foxes are actually quite lazy - they'll give it a go, if they can't get in, they'll give up, especially if it's too much effort. They're opportunists too though, so make sure you never leave the enclosure unlocked etc...
 
Totally agree with all the above. A fox will have no problem clearing 6'. I've seen them do it in my garden. They also never give up if they think there is food available. I would look at wire overhangs, electric fences and double up on normal security - check the mesh on the run / hutch etc, put an extra layer in, etc.

If you Google 'cat proof fencing' you will see lots of images of the type of mesh overhangs that will deter animals from jumping over.
 
CHH said:
I spotted a fox in next door's garden on Saturday so we're looking to increase our security!

The fencing round the garden is currently 6ft high. Is that high enough to keep a fox out? If not, what is? We can add another 2 or 3ft onto that reasonably easily if need be but any higher would be difficult.

There's no way under the fence so that isn't a concern.

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

I have a 6 foot + fence and it's not a deterrent.

I am currently looking at electric fencing, as I believe it's the only way to protect :D
 
Thanks for all you replies. I think we'll get extra trellacing (currently just there for decoration) and add it to the top to make it nearer 8ft. We can do that pretty much all the way round and see how it goes.

Hutches are secure but I'll add another layer of wood or mesh on the lower doors too.

Here's the fence through to next door. I don't think a fox would fit between the slats and be able to get through the wire....

96a175f9d6d74269b839f0201e82f063.jpg
 
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I don't knowhow true this is but I read somewhere that a fox can get through a 4cm gap :shock:.
 
Foxes won't hold back. They will jump over the fence via the hutch. They can pull the mesh off the fence around ground level if they can get teeth or claws into it. They would certainly be able to get through a gap the size of a cat flap - our dogs can and they are bigger than an average fox. I've also seen how fast the dogs can dig in fun, and how much damage they can do to a door if they think there is something more interesting on the other side of it. I wouldn't want to see just what a determined or hungry fox could do in a couple of minutes. Try taking a look at your garden from the point of view of the fox. Where would be easiest to get in / out?

Instead of trellis, I would look at weldmesh or chainlink fencing on metal extension poles above the existing fence - preferably with a 2' overhang at 45 degrees.
 
Thanks all. We know there are foxes round here and this is the closest encounter that we've had in 14+ years of keeping rabbits so we'll I think we'll just have to manage it as well as we can. We'll probably just work on the basis of them spending more time indoors and less time in the garden.

In the meantime, seeing as we're here, here's the family.......

Lola and Honey......

dscn9581.jpg



Sophie......

dscn9544.jpg



Sooty......

dscn9537.jpg
 
I no longer have rabbits,however the two I had were house rabbits.We did build an outdoor run for Rio,to be used with us there,however he made it plain he didn't like it,preferred to slob on a cosy carpet.I'm in a housing association property with a good sized garden.At the back there is a ten foot high metal paling fence,the foxes which visit regularly do not climb it but squeeze underneath it,a really small gap,you wouldn't think they had such flexible spines.I'm in an urban area not the countryside.There is no way I thought my two could be outdoor buns.
 
Lovely pictures of your beautiful bunnies. Well, I think you've been swamped with good ideas, it's up to you to decide which way you'll go. Lots of luck to you and your lovely furries.
 
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