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Advice to Householders
The red fox (Vulpe vulpes) is a wild member of the dog family. It is found throughout the northern hemisphere (and Australia) and can be found on farmland, forests, deserts, mountains and cities.
Male foxes are known as dog foxes. They weigh about 6.5kg (14.3lbs) and measure about 110cms (43 inches) from nose to tail. Females are known as vixens and are slightly smaller weighing about 5.5kg (12lbs). Foxes are generally about the size of a miniature poodle.
The Urban Fox
The presence of foxes is well known in towns and cities. Urban foxes are born, live, breed and may spend all their life in the town/city without ever seeing the countryside.
Most foxes are secretive and are only seen fleetingly. Normally foxes are nocturnal - they come out at night and spend the day in their burrows known as earths or dens. Urban dens may be under garden sheds or greenhouses, or even under industrial buildings.
Vixens generally give birth in the den and only rear one family a year. As the cubs mature they leave their parent's home area and disperse to another area.
It is difficult to know how numerous urban foxes per square km. Foxes can live to 8 years or older, but the average lifespan is probably about 18 months. The main cause of death for urban foxes is traffic which probably accounts for about 60% of fox deaths.
Problems with Foxes
Is the fox really a nuisance? Analysis shows that of households known to be inhabited with foxes, probably only 1% experience a nuisance. Most of these are from barking, scattering of refuse and digging, especially during the spring breeding season.
Foxes tend to be nervous and generally fear people. They take every opportunity to avoid humans - however they are adapting to urban life and now seem less afraid. It is inconceivable that a healthy fox would attack an adult or child unless cornered and an attempt was made to grab it.
In June/July young cubs may dig up areas of lawn, searching for leather jackets, grubs or lava. A fish, blood or bone based fertiliser may also attract foxes and encourage them to dig.
Foxes eat fruit, worms, insects, small mammals and scavenged food. There are cases of cats being attacked, although this is extremely rare. Both foxes and cats are active at night and meetings are probably a nightly occurrence - generally the fox is nervous of the cat. To prevent foxes attacking pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs and poultry, ensure that they are housed in secure hutches and coops.
Foxes can carry a number of diseases such as mange, rabies and parasitic worms. Whilst it is possible to contract these conditions it is not known whether foxes pass them on.
Solving a Fox Problem
It is essential to ensure that a fox is the culprit if you have a problem. Cats, dogs, and squirrels are frequent scavengers of dustbins and plastic refuse sacks, and damage to lawns is often caused by birds.
Trapping and killing may not solve a problem as foxes from surrounding areas quickly move into vacant territory to replace an animal that has been killed.
The size of the fox population in a town is held in natural balance by the foxes own system of spacing themselves in territories. The killing of foxes does nothing to reduce the overall population. However, when a fox is diseased or injured there is a good argument for humane destruction.
Foxes can be persuaded to move from your garden although none of these suggested methods are guaranteed. Vacated earths can be blocked up, but care should be taken in the Spring not to seal in cubs already in the earth.
If the fox is merely a visitor to your garden you should remove or protect whatever is attracting them - bird food, domestic refuse, etc. Block access routes, but fencing off an entire garden is may not work as the fence needs to be at least 2 metres with no gaps in or under it.
A number of non toxic products are available from hardware shops and garden centres that produce unpleasant smells and deter or confuse the fox into thinking another animal is within its territory. In this case the fox will try to confront this imaginary animal but if it cannot be found the fox will normally leave the area. Another remedy, which appears to have had some success, is to place a large plastic bottle full of water in the centre of the garden lawn. For some reason foxes avoid strange objects and eventually leave the garden.
Pest Control
Elmbridge Borough Council does not offer a service for dealing with foxes, but we can provide information on |Alternative Pest Control Companies who may undertake this work for you.
For more information: