Fox problems

[wamtazlady]

Ok I will try to find someone to kill it.

First you have to catch it. As I have said earlier, it's not easy to outwit and catch a fox in a trap. Good luck. In the meantime make your coop and pen as predator proof as possible.

 

[IceAngel]

PLEASE try find someone who can shoot and ask them to shoot it after you've trapped it! Drowning is a slow, torturous death. As for CO poisoning, before the days of emission control on cars it may have been effective, but nowadays vehicles emit much lower levels of CO. It's even not cited as an effective method to commit suicide anymore.

I agree that drowning is cruel and unwarranted. The Fox is only being a Fox. However, Allears you are wrong about carbon monoxide. It is a product of combustion and binds to our haemoglobin preferentially to oxygen. All you need to do is burn a camp stove or run a generator in a small, unventilated space. Death is painless. If you do decided to go this route make sure you don't asphyxiate something else accidentally. You can also turn it into the Fish and Wildlife department, Animal Control or the S.P.C.A. and let them deal with disposing it.

The best advice you received was from @wamtazlady . Predator proof your chicken run because this fox has a family and they will find your chickens sooner or later. And when those foxes are gone another will fill that niche.

 

[Allears]

If the CO levels are high enough it will work, but it takes time and we are talking about a wild animal. Trapping (stress), confining (stress) and then introducing a poisonous substance (stress) for an extended period of time (stress). Some may argue and say its going to die anyway, so why worry about the stress? For me, if it can't be euthanased humanely then shooting, by someone who knows how to shoot, is the quickest, most 'humane' method. I do rehab with wild animals and have received far too many animals that have been poisoned or badly shot and left to suffer.

The foxes and other predators will keep coming as long as there is food and its in our best interests and the foxes if we predator proof our coops.

 

[shortgrass]

If the CO levels are high enough it will work, but it takes time and we are talking about a wild animal. Trapping (stress), confining (stress) and  then introducing a poisonous substance (stress) for an extended period of time (stress). Some may argue and say its going to die anyway, so why worry about the stress? For me, if it can't be euthanased humanely then shooting, by someone who knows how to shoot, is the quickest, most 'humane' method. I do rehab with wild animals and have received far too many animals that have been poisoned or badly shot and left to suffer.

The foxes and other predators will keep coming as long as there is food and its in our best interests and the foxes if we predator proof our coops.

X2

 

[12321]

I've never been able to catch a fox in my live trap, but caught quite a few skunks. CO works great on them. I think it's the least stressful. Haven't had any of them release any spray. The key is to get a good seal over the cage. I use a large black piece of plastic over the trap with boards around the edges to seal it to the ground. A flexible length of aluminum dryer vent tube to go from the exhaust pipe to the trap and hold the gas pedal at about 2000 rpm for about 15 minutes. Make sure to use a long enough vent tube, or other pipe, so that you don't melt the plastic. I think mine is about 6 feet. I've tried using an old tarp, but they seem to let air in. The better your seal is, the better it works.

 

[Allears]

Average size fox is between 3-11kg I think, average size skunk between about 1-6kg. If it takes about 15 minutes for an adult skunk to die, it will probably take longer for a heavier fox to die. I just hope you decide to shoot if you don't predator proof your coop, it's quicker for you and the fox.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Average size fox is between 3-11kg I think, average size skunk between about 1-6kg. If it takes about 15 minutes for an adult skunk to die, it will probably take longer for a heavier fox to die. I just hope you decide to shoot if you don't predator proof your coop, it's quicker for you and the fox.

I would argue that drowning is not cruel. If you have a large enough trash can fill it with water and drop trap, fox and all into the drink. While I myself would rather shoot a fox caught in a so called "live" trap all you are accomplishing by tarping in a predator beneath a black plastic sheet is sparing your own self from having to watch the death throes of the fox.

Both shooting and drowning are quicker and thus more humane. If you go the shooting rout use a rifle with a keen (slim) enough barrel so that you can poke the rifle barrel through the trap cage and deliver the Coup de Grace up close and personal.

Good live death traps are to expensive to risk a bullet damaging your trap or to take the long shot of a ricochet.

 

[IceAngel]

I would argue that drowning is not cruel.

Any death that isn't instant is cruel. I agree with Allears that just prolonging the stress of being captured is cruel in itself. Carbon monoxide just puts the animal to sleep but that takes time. The animal will be struggling to get out of the trap until it is exhausted. A good shot is instantaneous. We don't have that luxury in Canada because most of us don't carry guns. While you are allowed to defend your livestock without a hunting license you still need to have your firearm licensed here.

 

[123RedBeard]

Put a "body grip" trap at the exit of the cage type trap, it will break the foxes neck when it goes to leave!

 

[shortgrass]

Put a "body grip" trap at the exit of the cage type trap, it will break the foxes neck when it goes to leave!

Oh boy, do make sure conibear traps are legal where you are... They're illegal here in CO....