Foxes!

[Emmad31]

Hi everyone,am currently getting my lawn ready for the piggies (its v patchy so put more seed on) and hoping to be able to put them out there soon but hubby noticed fox living on other side of our fence iv not seen it in our garden but the fact that its there is frightening.the pigs live in garage so are safe in there but as its nicer I wanted them to have grass time instead of being indoors 24/7.Is this impossible now?Does peeing round the edge of garden work?Also will fox keep away if your sat next the run"on guard" or does that not scare them?Help

 

[Fweeper]

From personal experience, it depends on the fox, tbh! If you have urban foxes, very little will bother them really, they're used to people and other animals like dogs and cats, so they're not really fussed if you're sitting there or not. Rural foxes are scared of humans, but will absolutely try for a pig given half a chance because they don't have the readily accessible bin bags and things to feed from, so scavenge harder. It all becomes worse when they have cubs to feed too, of course. Do you know if they have a den in the next door garden or are just using it to sleep in during the days?

I had urban foxes when we lived in London that would let you stroke them, out here, where we're very much in the sticks, I have a family of foxes that I only know I have because they mark my lawn and patio! Sadly it does mean my pigs don't go on the lawn because I can never guarantee it's not been peed on, but they live in my (shaded) conservatory, so I just leave the screen doors closed, open the glass ones and they get their fresh air that way instead. Not ideal, but better than them eating tainted grass/getting worried at by the local birds of prey or foxes!

 

[Emmad31]

Its a urban fox,mangy looking thing and from what I can gather it didn't run away when approached,just walked away like he owned the joint.we live near a supermarket and there's a wooded bit between us and the shop where I think its living,so there could be more than one I think.Its gutting but I think they gonna have to stay inside if can't find solution xx

 

[Fweeper]

Oh dear, sounds like they may well have a den in the woods then. If it's mangy too, I definitely wouldn't put the pigs outside in case they end up catching that, often the really manky looking foxes are carrying a wealth of disease and parasite. One of my friends dogs caught mange from the urban foxes a few years ago now because they didn't realise he'd been playing with them in the garden as if they were other dogs! Could you maybe work out a way to open a garage door or window and net it so they have some safe fresh air that way? Back door, obviously, not the massive up and over one! hehe

 

[Emmad31]

Yeah I'll have to figure something out thanks!its sad but better safe than sorry.my hubby gonna go mad coz he desp to get their run out of our living room as hay is getting everywhere lol x

 

[Lady Kelly]

we live in an urban area and the foxes don't bother with the guinea pigs at all... but then why would they when they've probably just been in the bins of the local takeaways. Food is easily available to them in bins and thrown on the street so they don't need to bother with hunting their own