Fox’s

Pinoy adventure

Hi all

we have discovered we have a family of foxes in our back garden.there is a wooden shed up the back of the garden with a large amount of overgrown bushes (the neighbours) behind it.

we believe and have seen at least 4 foxes there over the last couple of months.

today we noticed a large amount of poo in our back garden and we don’t have dogs.

our neighbours have a pet birds which they keep in there back garden.

we would like too get rid of the foxes somehow but don’t know where too start.

we are Dublin City based so who should be call or get out too help us get rid of them.

thanks

Jim_Hodge

Try Urban Foxes - Wildlife Management

Discodog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118338036#Comment_118338036

And maybe get a guy with a rifle in your garden.

It's funny old World. One person wants rid of foxes & I have just fed mine. They are territorial so, when they are shot or trapped, more will move in to occupy the free territory. I feel really honoured to have such beautiful, amazing wildlife in my garden.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118348506#Comment_118348506

I'm exactly the same, but I can understand if somebody isn't comfortable with them in their garden too.

phonypony

I'm not too keen about the couple times I've stepped into their mess on the way out of the house to work early morning, or having to shovel up their mess in the back yard, or the 3 or 4 times a month they wake me up screaming and barking at 2am...

But they're fascinating creatures to watch, out on the street or nesting in the garden. They've been in my area for about 25 years and, if they help to keep mice and rats away, I wouldn't be in a rush to get rid of them

ec_pc

Yes, they are fascinating creatures. At the start of this year I noticed a fox regularly came in across the front garden at night time (we live in country side). Then we noticed she used to approach one of the patio doors at the rear at night and look in at us, not sure who would get the bigger fright when we noticed her through the glass.

I googled was it appropriate to feed wild foxes and apparently it is, so we feed her very night. Some nights I can hear her rustling in the shadows waiting for the food and other nights it could be 4:30 am before she comes to eat the food. I place the bowl of food just under one of the cctv cameras so we can check her if the kids ask. I have been within 3-4 feet of her and it was amazing, she seems to be quite relaxed in our company.

Just last week I noticed her in the garden one morning about 10 am. I went out and gave her some food and she came and ate it just beside the window. She finished and spent about 15 minutes sitting half way down the garden. It was amazing to see.

billyhead

There becoming more urbanised these days. My Mum lives in a build up housing estate in Dublin and often sees a fox walking along her back wall. There's a park nearby so there must be a den their. They keep the rats away anyway.

Discodog

My Vixen turned up with a boyfriend so I have had to buy double chicken :)

matt.v

I agree with everyone else. I'm not sure if when you say birds you're referring to poultry or an aviary, but both hugely draw rats. A fox is a good deterrent for them.

cnocbui

Pinch Flat

I live in suburban dublin 15. Lots of foxes around us. Unfortunately lots being killed by cars as well. Been lucky enough to see adult foxes as well as cubs. They've definely become more prevalent and braver over lockdowns. I'd love to have them in my garden, especially since our resident hedgehog left us :(

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118362048#Comment_118362048

Yep, Foxes are fantastic Rat killers.

Have a look at them on youtube videos doing the job.

billyhead

The only problem with them is they carry diseases and they kill birds when they get the chance.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118362531#Comment_118362531

So do humans, on both counts!

ec_pc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118362087#Comment_118362087

Surely there's a good story behind that pic?

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118362977#Comment_118362977

Just another cat that showed up for a free feed from the farm down the road. 😉

He would come around for a feed and was pretty fearless. I had my phone and wondered how fearless and stretched out my hand while awkwardly taking the photo with the other. Last seen a year or so ago with a vixen friend off out in the dark, possibly with offspring, then unfortunately he stopped coming around. Poor things don't live long in the wild - a couple of years in his case I'd guess, but can live 24 or so years as pets.

billyhead

The Government should be more proactive in banning fox hunting. It's a horrendous hobby.

dotsman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118338036#Comment_118338036

Not sure what to make of that website. From the language, they don't seem to be very wildlife-friendly, nor have much love for foxes. Not sure if they are the good guys some might be led to believe they are. Have a nasty feeling they take the foxes away and just kill them.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118363474#Comment_118363474

I'm surprised that he'd not getting hassled by the cats! Usually, cats are quite territorial and will get all uppity with a fox if he comes into their garden and bully him away. The only time I've seen foxes and cats get along is (similar with dogs) when they have been raised together from a young age etc so have gotten used to each other's company.

Pinoy adventure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118362048#Comment_118362048

Oh they have an aviary with budgies inside which is located in there back garden

Living Off The Splash

We have a Fox that visits us on occasion. He likes to leave a dump in our garden. We have about 8 pigeons who are eating every berry off every tree in our garden and leaving nothing for the other birds.

How do I train the Fox to eat the pigeons?

iknorr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118404319#Comment_118404319

wHAT KIND OF TREE IS IT?

Well, I have a house in the rural estate and have yet to see any wildlife at all in it apart from a few songbirds. I'm very envious of your foxes.

Deub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118363851#Comment_118363851

But they would need to implement measures to control the population. Otherwise it would impact the rest of wildlife foxes prey on.

Discodog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118502192#Comment_118502192

Hunting doesn't control foxes. As soon as you remove a fox, you provide a vacant territory for the next one to move into.

archer22

Correct, Foxes breeding rates are dependent on available territories and food supplies, they are in effect a self regulating species.

There is no such thing as an over population of Foxes, only a natural population based on local resources.

Supercell

A few years ago I was doing a night course in TCD and was absolutely astonished to see a fox walking though the campus as calm as you can be, not bothered at all by all the people all around. I've often wondered how they got right into the city centre and somehow survived there. Pheonix park maybe?,though thats a long way to TCD.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118502192#Comment_118502192

Yes, yes of course the stupid animals need the smart humans to help them keep population in check, not like they were doing it before us.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118540647#Comment_118540647

There was a fox that was constantly seen on Grafton Street during lockdown. I wonder if they have a den in Stephens Green or Merrion Square Park.

SuperBowserWorld

Fox walked past our back door the other day, broad daylight. Couple of chicken coops and lots of rats around so I hope they help get rid of them. The rats I mean. Also I see quite a few dead ones on the roads. They are hardy creatures that manage to survive somehow. They give me hope.

Deub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118540669#Comment_118540669

Did I say this? I didn’t

Foxes are in populated areas for a reason: they find food (rubbish bins, rats, people feeding them)

In normal circumstances (no human impact), the fox population should fluctuate with the prey population. A lot preys, the fox population will go up. Foxes eat them, the prey population goes down which brings down the fox population.

Humans feeding foxes breaks the natural cycle because even if the preys are scare, the fox population doesn’t go down.

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118542509#Comment_118542509

So what if Humans do break the natural cycle by feeding Foxes...you could say the same thing about feeding birds.

It's a pointless argument.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118542509#Comment_118542509

So basically like cats, dogs and budgies. Organised hunts for cats and dogs that people feed, by ego's with guns?

hamburgham

I’m in the Dublin suburbs and see them all the time. They are so thin though, I don’t know how they survive. I leave a bit of food out for them as well. I always think they must have a hard life, spending their whole time scavenging for food. I don’t know how they survive.

Deub

Indeed it is the same issue with feral cats and dogs. To be clear: I am not pro hunter/gun and I don’t want foxes to be exterminated. I am just saying the population shouldn’t be left unchecked as it would impact other wild animals foxes prey on.

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543093#Comment_118543093

Foxes don't have the impact on other wild Animals that you seem to think they have (except small rodents where the Foxes agility trumps the prey's lack of speed).

You might be surprised to learn that the bulk of a wild Foxes diet is Earthworms and in the Autumn Blackberries.

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543317#Comment_118543317

You want to bet? I'm a longtime member of a local birdwatching club.

We have a hide at a small nature reserve where we have (had) a breeding population of several groundnesting wild bird species.

Couple years ago local fox population went into over drive and we watched as foxes decimated nesting birds and their young.

Foxes are known to scavenge and are predators of a wide range of animals including rabbits, rats, wild bird and even the odd domestic animal and fowl. In years when there is an increase in numbers and competition increases in the numbers of Foxes is often to be to the detriment of other species. Other issues with increases in the fox population include endemic mange and parvo.

I believe there are several wild life reserves worldwide including a number of islands where fox numbers are strictly managed and in some cases Foxes have had to be removed entirely due to the damage done to wild bird numbers.

And btw no I've nothing against Foxes - there is a very healthy population here. The trouble occurs when there are larger numbers of foxes than available food. Afaik this is one reason foxes started to move into cities in large numbers over the last couple of decades.

From the Conserve Ireland website

(Foxes) are highly opportunistic feeders who use a variety of hunting techniques. Species which they have a preference for include rabbits, young hares, rats, mice, hedgehogs, pigeons and ground nesting birds, when such prey items become scarce they will supplement their diet by foraging for earthworms, beetles, crickets and insect larvae. Apples and blackberries are also eaten on occasion. 

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543396#Comment_118543396

What species was the ground nesting bird mention?

I am not denying that in certain rare circumstances Foxes can create an issue, what I am saying is that in general they are not any problem and shouldn't be persecuted the way they are.

I think you will find Foxes did not move into cities....the cities moved out into Fox territory and Foxes adapted.

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543437#Comment_118543437

Main species impacted were Redshank and several species of duck.

Foxes are very plentiful in Ireland but periodically do create havoc for other species when their population increases over and above nomal levels. From what I've read the fox is the most widespread carnivore worldwide with population denisties here of up to 20 individuals per km2.

Afaik foxes are not considered endangered in Ireland or elsewhere in Europe. 

Good article on urban Foxes which have only been observed in urban areas such as London in the last 100 years or so

https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/questions/answer/when-and-how-did-foxes-come-to-live-in-our-towns-and-cities

archer22

There is no way that there is 20 individuals per km2 in the rural area where I live, I would hazard a guess at much less than a third of that.

BTW do you not find Magpies and Hooded crows to be a far greater threat to your ground nesting birds?

Especially Magpies which are notorious nest raiders and everywhere.

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543513#Comment_118543513

Thats the upper limit quoted btw ie "up to" that I quoted. Around here atm I'd say it would be around easily half that if not more allowing for the fact that a sq km is equal to 100 hectares or 247 acres

In my experience ground nesting birds generally tend do a fairly good job at camouflaging nests against magpies and crows. That's not to say that there would be some loses.

However the only time I've seen breeding wildbirds effectively wiped out here was when the local fox population went into overdrive. I suspect Foxes mainly used scent to find or waited for the young birds to leave the nests

Foxes are known to be a problem with wild ground nesting birds such as lapwings and curlews being particularly vulnerable to predation by foxes

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543537#Comment_118543537

Isn't the problem with Lapwings and Curlews caused by loss of habitat caused by Human activity.

Obviously Foxes and those species coexisted fine for thousands of years so this is not a problem of their making.

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543547#Comment_118543547

Predation by foxes is a major problem listed by conservation bodies for groundnesting birds here and around the world even including conservation areas with little or no human activity look it up. That's not to say there aren't other significant issues to do with habitat loss etc. But as in the example I've given - the birds had bred successfully for several generations with a a lot of work to ensure that the habitat and conditions were right. I know what happened is not at all unusual and this type of predation places extra pressure on native and migratory wildbird populations

The main problem I see is when fox numbers get of control. I'd reckon in previous times fox numbers were more strictly controlled compared to now and / or had their own predators.

As detailed foxes are highly opportunistic and do breed very successfully.

So back to your original point fox numbers can and do impact on other wildlife populations

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543560#Comment_118543560

Back in the 70s Curlew were a very common sight here and so were Foxes. in fact if I remember correctly Curlew numbers started to collapse during the 80s and 90s when Fox numbers were low owing to the fur trade ....so we will agree to disagree about Foxes being a cause of their demise.

BTW thats an interesting article on urban Foxes you put up at post 38.

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543571#Comment_118543571

Fair enough.

I remember back in the '70s there was a bounty paid for dead foxes. That's gone a long time now and around here foxes are a lot more plentiful now.

Btw curlew and lapwing are just two of the species in decline. Predation as a result of periodic overpopulation by foxes hasn't helped this.

But not my opinion about ground nesting birds being vulnerable to predation by foxes - that's what conservation groups have found and I've seen it myself here with local ground nesting birds being effectively wiped out.

But hey no problem.

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543580#Comment_118543580

There was a small bounty paid for Fox tails in the 70s but almost nobody bothered with it.

It was the big prices paid by fur dealers in the 80s and 90s that decimated the Fox populations...there were even calls at the time to ban the trade as it was feared Foxes might become extinct, an estimated 70,000 were slaughtered one year. Thankfully this trade died out on its own in the end.

This is also the time the Curlew population started to decline so if Fox predation was a big factor in Curlew numbers...then during this period Curlew numbers should have exploded not collapsed.

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118543587#Comment_118543587

Notwithstanding the vagaries of what was happening in the 80s or 90s. The issue here is what's happening now between a large fox population and already declining bird numbers.

On the curlew - there just one of the bird species mentioned by conservation groups as under pressure. The ground nesting birds I detailed were directly impacted and without doubt by a spike in the local fox population.

The predation happening now with a much larger number of foxes, is having a big impact on a smaller bird population (not just 'curlew') and that can be a significant problem for wildlife especially where their numbers are already in decline. This is one issue that conservation groups are concerned about.

cnocbui

Perhaps someone could start a kill all the garden foxes thread now that they have done their job and killed all the joy in this one.

magicbastarder

well, i dunno if a fox decided he wanted a bath or not, but i looked out the front window this morning and the water in the little pond in the front garden is all muddied and something - i.e. a fox - bit all the leaves off the water lily and threw them around the garden.

cnocbui

Two nights ago, my son opened tha back door and there's a fox standing there. I came to have a look and fox is only 1.4m away, not scared and looks at us expectantly. My son opens a pouch of cat food and dumps it on the step. Fox consumes it and then pads off into the darkness.

ec_pc

Here's a picture of our nightly visitor. I noticed she has a mate now, we saw the too of them playing the field during the week in broad daylight. She's very comfortable around humans.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118583128#Comment_118583128

Foxes aren't shy animals.