Preventing Foxes from Entering Your Property

Foxes are captivating creatures and watching them is a pleasure, especially when we see a family with cubs. However, it can be bothersome when they make your garden their home. Cubs tend to dig in soft soil, often in borders, while foxes may mark their territory by leaving excrement on your lawn. If you notice a lot of excrement in your garden, it may be that your garden or their territory is being contested and multiple foxes are leaving faeces on your lawn.

When foxes are about to give birth, they seek a safe place and might select a sheltered area of your garden or create a den under your decking or shed. Instead of trying to drive them away, enjoy the sight of these adorable cubs growing up close to your home. Later in the year, take steps to make your garden less tempting to future fox families.

There are many humane ways to discourage foxes from taking up residence in your garden.

Use Scents to Repel Foxes

Since foxes have a powerful sense of smell and will eat nearly anything, gardens containing chickens, rabbits, bird food, accessible bins, and crops will be especially alluring to them.

Certain smells can deter foxes; for example, foxes supposedly dislike the smell of chilli peppers and garlic, so you could try infusing them in boiling water and spraying them around your garden as a fox repellent. Though other animal repellants are available, be cautious about potential harm to other wildlife and always carefully read the manufacturer's instructions. If a fox has marked its territory, it will take a fair amount of effort to persuade them to leave, and if they feel threatened, this may result in increased marking.

Clean Up Your Garden

Foxes prefer to feel secure, and overgrown areas in a garden may provide them shelter. If you're trying to keep foxes out of your garden, you'll need to tidy up. However, overgrown regions also provide sanctuaries for other wildlife, such as hedgehogs, while allowing wildflowers to grow will benefit pollinators.

Use Motion Sensors

As previously mentioned, foxes need to feel secure, so using a motion sensor light or even a sprinkler can help deter them. They are easily scared, so a sudden light or burst of water might make them leave your garden. Be aware that they may get accustomed to this approach, so you can try a range of tactics, with motion sensors being one of them. High-pitched ultrasonic fox deterrents that are inaudible to humans are also available, but beware that other animals can hear them and become distressed.

Foxes will find plenty to eat in your garden, so if you're deterring them, make sure that bird food is out of reach (and clean up any spills), livestock like chickens and rabbits are protected from foxes, and bins are well-secured and tidy. They will also eat fruit from your garden, so if they are a nuisance, pick up any fruits that fall from fruit trees and protect other fruits and vegetables that foxes may easily access.

Bar Entry to Your Property

With some effort, you can prevent foxes from accessing your garden. One way to do so is by checking your fences for any openings or gaps that can serve as entry points. Alternatively, planting prickly plants along your property borders can make it difficult for foxes to gain access. Keep in mind, though, that these measures may also discourage other animals, such as hedgehogs, which rely on openings in fences to forage for food. Moreover, foxes possess an impressive leaping ability, with the capability to jump up to 2 meters high. This means that blocking holes to prevent other animals from entering your garden may not necessarily deter foxes.