Damn those Pesky Foxes!

[fractionater]

I just had a new lawn laid last week.

woke up this morning to find that fox's (most probably from Peckham!) had vandalised it!!!

Ok anyone got any good tips for deterrents?

I'm going to look for gaps in the fence tonight but anyone got any other tips?

[Jeremy]

Wouldn't bother about gaps in the fence, the little guys can climb over without problems.

I suggest throwing some tasty looking food into your neighbour's garden every evening, so the foxes hang out there instead!

[Mark]

You can get 'mammal repellent' from a DiY store or a motion detector that will spray water when they come in the garden or get the council to trap it and take it away (expensive).

[Mark]

and you can blame it on the government. They discussed urban foxes in the Lords and the fact that foxes trapped in North London were transported to South London and in a break between lots of guffawing Lord Whitty replied "...I believe that if I were a fox in north London, the leafy plains and delicious food in Dulwich would probably attract me without the need for me to be put into a cage". Here, here, I say. Or is it hear hear? You can read the transcript here

Anyway, here's a DEFRA PDF document about what to do, I like the bit that says you can't use expolsives to control them.

[capt_birdseye]

And they wonder why we want to abolish the Lords.

Do foxes eat cats?

[lofty]

I hope so as I found a little cat surprise waiting for me in my nicely turned over soil at the weekend.

[Mark]

It?s possible but very unlikely that they'll eat cats, they're more likely to eat guinea pigs and rabbits because they're easy to kill.

[mockney piers]

Ha ha, is that for real? It actually sounds typical of an EDF debate!!

I can't for a minute believe people are catching and transporting foxes then releasing them in south london, that's just barking (ooh, double pun).

I'm not sure how I'd go about humanely dispatching a fox I caught in my garden given the tools I've got.

I could force it to watch Contact and bore it to death I guess.

[fractionater]

Here's a tip to get rid of the cat's from your garden.

If you juice lemons daily (like I do), then throw the lemon skin/peel onto your flower beds and leave them there - the cats don't like the smell.

My mate at work suggested that I pee into a bucket and leave it in the middle of the lawn (theory being that fox's don't like the smell of human pee!) - apparently this worked for his neighbour!

[capt_birdseye]

Was his neighbour coming in to his garden then?

[Jeremy]

> Do foxes eat cats?

The "cat vs fox" debate is an old one. The general opinion seems to be that a fox would usually come off worse, as a fox would have no answer to the vicious claws of an adult cat.

[fractionater]

A few years back I used to own a gorgeous Bengal cat that actually used to play with fox cubs (in my garden)! The Adult fox's didn't seem to bothered by this either.

[timtim]

A good way to keep foxes away is to fill a super-soaker (water pistol) with a mixture of water and ammonia.

When the cunning Mr Fox next turns up, give him a dose of the gun. He won't be back in a hurry.

[Cue howls of disbelief at such inhumane treatment of cute little foxes]

[fractionater]

Forget water Pistol - I was thinking of camping out with an air pistol tonight!

Bring back Fox hunting!

[georgia]

Poor little foxes...

I think the ED foxes are partial to a take-away curry - the rubbish bags outside Coriander are always torn open in the morning. Maybe a bowl of Chicken Vindaloo would keep them off the lawn...

[spadetownboy]

fractionater Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> A few years back I used to own a gorgeous Bengal

> cat that actually used to play with fox cubs (in

> my garden)! The Adult fox's didn't seem to

> bothered by this either.

the adult foxs were probably glad of the piece and quiet,getting someone else to look after the kids for them.

[mightyroar]

I agree damn the cats and the foxes and their harassment of my garden.

Fractionater- Next time you lay a new law, can it be to

abolish this continual abuse of apostrophes?

[dulwichmum]

I spoke to a gentleman last summer at the Dulwich fair thingy in the park, and he told me that the favourite food of the London fox is jam sandwiches! Apparently they have a very sweet tooth. This chap was from a special fox appreciation society and advised me to use Saldane or something that sounded like that - to get rid of the fox from our garden - who was keeping us awake at night howling. It worked, but it smells dreadful.

Apparently a fox will have a route that he will stick to and follow nightly for years, and if your garden is a favourite spot for a dig, on this route it will continue for years unless you do something about it.

Perhaps we should rent some horses (not from that dreadful stables in the park - they use those poor beasts to pull those creepy herse thingys at funerals) and start ourselves a Dulwich Hunt. We could meet up in the park on brisk winter mornings - perhaps by the coffee shop. Have a couple of toddys, and then chase Mr Mightyroar's fox all through the landscaped gardents (back and front) throughout Dulwich on horseback.

Instead of attacking the poor fox with dogs, we could get Mr Batdog to coax him into a special fox carrying box, and have him released into the countryside.

What say you neighbours? I am sure we could get ourselves some great outfits in Lilywhites!

[shambles]

not to put too gloomy a spell on the subject - but a fox did kill my neighbours cat. poor thing. it was awful. gruesome.

[fractionater]

Ok - I tried the 'pee in a bucket' method and left it in the middle of the lawn last night.... and not a blade of grass was disturbed!....I'm going to try this every night for a week and see if it works consistently.

[dulwichmum]

Dear Fractionater,

Did I read that correctly? You piddled in a bucket and left it in the middle of your garden all night? Mother of God, Dulwich is going down hill. Surely there is a product you can buy? The fox was probably disgusted at your lack of an indoor privy. This would never be allowed in West Dulwich. You would be expected to apply for a special license from the Dulwich Estates, and just asking for a license for that - would merit the reposession of your home. Disgraceful! Please Mr Fractitioner, assure me your residence is nowhere near Alleyn Road?

[timtim]

LOL... I just love this forum

[blinder999]

Surely there is a product you can buy?

Calvin Klein do a product called EDT spray that might do a similar job - you can get it in

Harrods. You might need a couple of bottles though :))

[mockney piers]

So is the rise of the urban fox directly proportional to the fall of the outside bog?

[dulwichmum]

Well, that seems to be the assumption that Mr Fractionator is working with! I would not like to a spend summer evening at barbeques in his garden. He makes East Dulwich sound like the set for a Borat movie. Mr Fractionator will be marrying his sister next and driving an ice cream van up Lordship Lane with a bear in the back!

Mr Mockney Piers, please assure me that I misread that original post of his?