- Jun 10, 2013
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I copied the information below.
From http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/foxes/tips/solving_problems_with_foxes.html
"There are several scare devices that are both humane and effective at keeping these extremely sensitive animals out of areas where they are not wanted.
Noise-making devices, ranging from transistor radios to motion-sensitive alarms, work well when combined with repelling and harassing strategies.
A motion-activated sprinkler can be an effective deterrent in lawns or gardens.
Using a loud voice or banging on a pot or pan can frighten foxes."
From http://www.nwco.net/08-AppendixBNuisanceSpecies/8-04-Foxes.asp
"Scare them away -
This is most likely to work when you have access to their den. It's easy to harass a red fox enough to convince them to move their pups (this also works with gray foxes and coyotes, although not as easily).
Make noise near their den site. Run motors, shout, increase your activity in that area.
Use slingshots or a shotgun loaded with rubber buckshot to frighten a fox that's further away (45 ft). You don't have to hit it to scare it off, but if you can, that will more effectively train the fox to stay away (this refers to the use of the less lethal projectiles mentioned above).
Experiment with noisemakers, such as bangers and screamers. You may be able to use predator calls (such as the Coyote Howler
) to frighten foxes away from their dens.
One scare device, the Critter Gitter
, combines a siren and flashing lights. It's triggered by a motion detector. The device switches patterns, so it should be effective longer than a scare device that doesn't vary.
Remove artificial food sources (garbage, compost, pet food):
If anyone is feeding the foxes, persuade them to stop.
"Fox-proof" garbage cans or dumpsters with a tight-fitting lid. Secure garbage can with heavy-duty straps or bungee cords, or attach it to a post, or keep it out of reach in the garage (close garage doors at night), or place the can in a covered and locked bin.
Enclose compost piles in a framed box using hardware cloth or welded wire; in a sturdy container, such as a 55-gallon drum; or in a commercial composter.
Feed pets indoors. Any food left outdoors should be removed at night. Bring pet food dishes inside, too.
Remove and properly dispose of livestock carcasses.
Keep foxes out of yards, prevent them from denning under porches and decks, and protect vulnerable livestock:
Close and tightly fasten the doors to poultry houses.
Bring livestock into sheds or paddocks when they're ready to have their young.
Well-trained guard dogs, usually Great Pyrenees or Akbash breeds, may prevent predation on sheep.
Fences will help a great deal, but foxes will try to climb over, burrow under, or squeeze through fences. So build them right and keep fences well-maintained. You can fence the whole yard, or just the area underneath the deck, porch, or around the poultry house or other vulnerable spot.
Use a 2" net wire fence, hardware cloth, welded wire, or galvanized sheet metal. (You may wish to recommend the use of smaller mesh because this will also prevent other animals, such as skunks and woodchucks, from gaining access). Create a "rat wall." Attach the hardware cloth to the bottom of the deck. Then bury the bottom of your "wall" 6–12", with a foot-wide shelf that sticks out, to prevent animals from digging underneath the barrier (this will look like the letter "L").
Three-wire electric fences, with wires spaced at 6, 12, and 18 inches, can repel foxes.
Combination net wire and electric wire fence: If there's an existing net wire fence, add an electric strand that's placed 6–8" above ground and 8–10" outside the fence, using an offset bracket. If the foxes are climbing over the fence, add a top wire that's also outside the fence.
Invisible fences may be an attractive solution for keeping pets within an area but they will not keep wildlife out. To protect pets from predators, switch to a traditional fence design.
If young are present, remove the entire family before blocking the entrance to their den:
See fur or feathers outside the den during the early summer? That shows the adult fox is bringing food to young pups.
Can you wait it out? They'll leave on their own once their pups are old enough (usually 12–14 weeks old).
Cage traps may be effective in capturing young foxes. Place the trap near the den's entrance.
A device called a "mechanical wire ferret" may help you chase the young out of the den. It's a long piece of steel wire that has a spring and wooden plug on one end, and a handle on the other. Twist the spring through the den to flush out the foxes so you can capture them directly, using a a dip net, net bag, or cage trap as they leave the den. The mechanical wire ferret can become entangled in a young fox's fur, so use it carefully.
If young are separated from their parents, you can place the pup in a different litter. As long as that female is nursing, she'll probably adopt the pup.
Trapping strategies:
Live capture:
Trapping foxes requires great skill. The amateur is likely to simply educate the fox, thus making it difficult for even experienced trappers to succeed later.
For adult foxes, use foothold traps, #1 1/2 or #1 3/4 coilspring. For pups, use a cage trap or #1 coilspring. Offset, padded, or laminated jaws may reduce injuries.
You may be able to use a cage trap to capture a young red fox in an urban area, but don't expect to catch adult red foxes in cage traps. This may work to remove young from a den, too.
Set traps along trails or at entrances to fields.
In the fall and winter, a dirt-hole set may work best. Flat sets and urine post sets are generally more effective during the summer.
Traps should be dyed and waxed, or cold-dipped in a commercial product."
Best of luck and sorry for your loss.
From http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/foxes/tips/solving_problems_with_foxes.html
"There are several scare devices that are both humane and effective at keeping these extremely sensitive animals out of areas where they are not wanted.
Noise-making devices, ranging from transistor radios to motion-sensitive alarms, work well when combined with repelling and harassing strategies.
A motion-activated sprinkler can be an effective deterrent in lawns or gardens.
Using a loud voice or banging on a pot or pan can frighten foxes."
From http://www.nwco.net/08-AppendixBNuisanceSpecies/8-04-Foxes.asp
"Scare them away -
This is most likely to work when you have access to their den. It's easy to harass a red fox enough to convince them to move their pups (this also works with gray foxes and coyotes, although not as easily).
Make noise near their den site. Run motors, shout, increase your activity in that area.
Use slingshots or a shotgun loaded with rubber buckshot to frighten a fox that's further away (45 ft). You don't have to hit it to scare it off, but if you can, that will more effectively train the fox to stay away (this refers to the use of the less lethal projectiles mentioned above).
Experiment with noisemakers, such as bangers and screamers. You may be able to use predator calls (such as the Coyote Howler
One scare device, the Critter Gitter
Remove artificial food sources (garbage, compost, pet food):
If anyone is feeding the foxes, persuade them to stop.
"Fox-proof" garbage cans or dumpsters with a tight-fitting lid. Secure garbage can with heavy-duty straps or bungee cords, or attach it to a post, or keep it out of reach in the garage (close garage doors at night), or place the can in a covered and locked bin.
Enclose compost piles in a framed box using hardware cloth or welded wire; in a sturdy container, such as a 55-gallon drum; or in a commercial composter.
Feed pets indoors. Any food left outdoors should be removed at night. Bring pet food dishes inside, too.
Remove and properly dispose of livestock carcasses.
Keep foxes out of yards, prevent them from denning under porches and decks, and protect vulnerable livestock:
Close and tightly fasten the doors to poultry houses.
Bring livestock into sheds or paddocks when they're ready to have their young.
Well-trained guard dogs, usually Great Pyrenees or Akbash breeds, may prevent predation on sheep.
Fences will help a great deal, but foxes will try to climb over, burrow under, or squeeze through fences. So build them right and keep fences well-maintained. You can fence the whole yard, or just the area underneath the deck, porch, or around the poultry house or other vulnerable spot.
Use a 2" net wire fence, hardware cloth, welded wire, or galvanized sheet metal. (You may wish to recommend the use of smaller mesh because this will also prevent other animals, such as skunks and woodchucks, from gaining access). Create a "rat wall." Attach the hardware cloth to the bottom of the deck. Then bury the bottom of your "wall" 6–12", with a foot-wide shelf that sticks out, to prevent animals from digging underneath the barrier (this will look like the letter "L").
Three-wire electric fences, with wires spaced at 6, 12, and 18 inches, can repel foxes.
Combination net wire and electric wire fence: If there's an existing net wire fence, add an electric strand that's placed 6–8" above ground and 8–10" outside the fence, using an offset bracket. If the foxes are climbing over the fence, add a top wire that's also outside the fence.
Invisible fences may be an attractive solution for keeping pets within an area but they will not keep wildlife out. To protect pets from predators, switch to a traditional fence design.
If young are present, remove the entire family before blocking the entrance to their den:
See fur or feathers outside the den during the early summer? That shows the adult fox is bringing food to young pups.
Can you wait it out? They'll leave on their own once their pups are old enough (usually 12–14 weeks old).
Cage traps may be effective in capturing young foxes. Place the trap near the den's entrance.
A device called a "mechanical wire ferret" may help you chase the young out of the den. It's a long piece of steel wire that has a spring and wooden plug on one end, and a handle on the other. Twist the spring through the den to flush out the foxes so you can capture them directly, using a a dip net, net bag, or cage trap as they leave the den. The mechanical wire ferret can become entangled in a young fox's fur, so use it carefully.
If young are separated from their parents, you can place the pup in a different litter. As long as that female is nursing, she'll probably adopt the pup.
Trapping strategies:
Live capture:
Trapping foxes requires great skill. The amateur is likely to simply educate the fox, thus making it difficult for even experienced trappers to succeed later.
For adult foxes, use foothold traps, #1 1/2 or #1 3/4 coilspring. For pups, use a cage trap or #1 coilspring. Offset, padded, or laminated jaws may reduce injuries.
You may be able to use a cage trap to capture a young red fox in an urban area, but don't expect to catch adult red foxes in cage traps. This may work to remove young from a den, too.
Set traps along trails or at entrances to fields.
In the fall and winter, a dirt-hole set may work best. Flat sets and urine post sets are generally more effective during the summer.
Traps should be dyed and waxed, or cold-dipped in a commercial product."
Best of luck and sorry for your loss.
