ALTHOUGH foxes can be cute and welcome visitors for some, the truth is they can leave a big mess behind them.
From digging up lawns to digging through bins, foxes can cause havoc in gardens.
Luckily, you don’t need to spend a fortune to keep your garden fox-free, there are a few simple tricks to keep them out, including certain plants to keep them at bay and spruce up your beds.
The key is to think about the potential ways foxes could find their way into your garden in the first place.
According to the pros at Combat Pest Control, foxes don’t like having to move through uncomfortable surfaces, meaning dense or thorning plants are great deterrents.
This means plants including holly, gooseberry, pyracantha, blackthorn and brambles can be added to garden boarders and any other spots you think foxes could sneak in.
Rose bushes are another good option, although it should be noted they will only help once they’ve grown in properly and can spread.
And unlike potentially harmful chemical sprays, these plants are a permanent fix, as long as the plants are kept healthy.
Better yet, plants like pyracantha can be pick up from B&Q for as little as £8.99.
To keep you out of trouble, the RSPCA has issued a warning: “It’s illegal to poison foxes. The government’sWildlife Incident Investigation Schemelooks into the deaths of wildlife where pesticide poisoning may be involved.”;
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 banned the poisoning of foxes and made any “unnecessary suffering”; illegal.
However the RSPCA, the largest and oldest animal welfare charity in the UK, won’t capture and remove healthy foxes.
They say this could “harm the fox”; and usually won’t “solve the problem.”;
According to the charity, this means removing easy food sources like leftover pet food, compost scraps, and bird food.
It might seem obvious if you’ve fallen victim to a bin-raiding fox before, but you’ll want to remove any access to rubbish.
Keep plastic bags well out of the way and use securely sealed dustbins or composters instead.
Speak to yourto find out if they have been feeding the foxes, and explain the situation before asking them to stop.
If you’re feeding other animals, such asor hedgehogs, make sure their food isn’t being left on the ground.
And if you’ve got your own fruit or vegetable crops, use fences of solid weld-mesh to protect them – don’t use flexible netting, as wildlife can get stuck and tangled in it, causing unnecessary stress and pain.
