Foxes in the Garden

Traonach

Armelodie wrote: »

So anyway OP.... I think people here are confusing the human traits they instill in their pets to foxes which are not pets...If you want to get rid of a fox...

( and yes the research has been done and proven for foxes carrying toxocariasis which causes blindness in children (although the incidences are low IF treated) and also weil's disease, it's more prevalent in urban foxes due to the proximity in which they live to each other.. but.... if people here want to hug foxes and let their children eat fox s**t that's their business)

So..

Remove areas where there is cover, if you don;t want to chop down a bush then prune it heavily so the chances of hiding are limited.

Urine... (Male urine contains more testosterone than female!), this will help you mark YOUR territory.. (are you reading this people ...it's not the foxes territory.... mark YOUR territory just like they mark theirs..if we count us humans as being part of nature too!).

Human Hair.. didnlt try this but worth a go if the urine doesn't work.. get it from local hairdressers...

You could try these guys HERE if you're in the Leinster area but the above methods should work and shift them to someone else's garden humanely enough.. I think the spring/summer is when the cubs are born so they often seek new living spaces around now

Scaremongering of the highest order:mad:
Blindness from Toxocaris canis infection is extremely rare in people. Most people who have cats and dogs would have some Toxocaris canis larvae in their bodies with no ill effects. You are way more likey to pick infection up from domestic pets than from a fox. If you are that really worried about Toxocariasis get rid of your pets dogs and cats (even when a dog/cat are wormed they will still have have hibernating larvae in their bodies which will not be killed). Also pets are constantly being reinfected especially cats (who have access to outdoors). People should also refrain from frequenting areas where dogs have been. This would mean just stay indoors and never leave your house.

Weil's disease is also extemely rare in peoples. The main hosts are rats and mice. Dogs also can carry the disease. Best keep away from dogs then and get rid of your pet (even vaccinated dogs can theoretically get it). Foxes can carry the disease and transmission to people extremely rare (don't even know has there been a proven case of transmission).

Your are way more likely to acquire disease and dying by shaking hands with somebody than you have from getting these diseases from foxes. Armelodie if you are that worried about getting Weil's disease or Toxocariasis I suggest you live in a plastic bubble you will be safe there.

evolving_doors

Traonach wrote: »

Scaremongering of the highest order:mad:
Blindness from Toxocaris canis infection is extremely rare in people. Most people who have cats and dogs would have some Toxocaris canis larvae in their bodies with no ill effects. You are way more likey to pick infection up from domestic pets than from a fox. If you are that really worried about Toxocariasis get rid of your pets dogs and cats (even when a dog/cat are wormed they will still have have hibernating larvae in their bodies which will not be killed). Also pets are constantly being reinfected especially cats (who have access to outdoors).

Horay, bully for you, your starting to understand the OP's original concern..

Traonach wrote: »

People should also refrain from frequenting areas where dogs have been. This would mean just stay indoors and never leave your house.

Yes that's it Traonach, tell the OP that her sister should fence off her back garden from outside the back door... that's obviously solving her problem isn't it? How about moving on the fox maybe (notice i never mentioned killing the lovely fluffy creature just moving it on, whats the big deal... a fox and her cubs have to move a couple of metres down the road )

Traonach wrote: »

Weil's disease is also extemely rare in peoples. The main hosts are rats and mice. Dogs also can carry the disease. Best keep away from dogs then and get rid of your pet (even vaccinated dogs can theoretically get it). Foxes can carry the disease and transmission to people extremely rare (don't even know has there been a proven case of transmission).

Your are way more likely to acquire disease and dying by shaking hands with somebody than you have from getting these diseases from foxes. Armelodie if you are that worried about getting Weil's disease or Toxocariasis I suggest you live in a plastic bubble you will be safe there.

Yes I am concerned that my child may be sticking her hand into animal faeces and putting it in her mouth.. obviously you would serve it up on a spoon.... would you rather a fox have the run of my garden and let my child enjoy my back garden by looking at it out the kitchen window instead.

Give up the ghost Traonach, humans are top of the food chain, the action I suggested the OP take was perfectly humane and only involved a little inconvenience for your frolicking fluffy friends. Now maybe you could give some advice to the OP besides to 'put up with it'.. that's not advice that's condescension.

Graces7

Traonach wrote: »

Scaremongering of the highest order:mad:
Blindness from Toxocaris canis infection is extremely rare in people. Most people who have cats and dogs would have some Toxocaris canis larvae in their bodies with no ill effects. You are way more likey to pick infection up from domestic pets than from a fox. If you are that really worried about Toxocariasis get rid of your pets dogs and cats (even when a dog/cat are wormed they will still have have hibernating larvae in their bodies which will not be killed). Also pets are constantly being reinfected especially cats (who have access to outdoors). People should also refrain from frequenting areas where dogs have been. This would mean just stay indoors and never leave your house.

Weil's disease is also extemely rare in peoples. The main hosts are rats and mice. Dogs also can carry the disease. Best keep away from dogs then and get rid of your pet (even vaccinated dogs can theoretically get it). Foxes can carry the disease and transmission to people extremely rare (don't even know has there been a proven case of transmission).

Your are way more likely to acquire disease and dying by shaking hands with somebody than you have from getting these diseases from foxes. Armelodie if you are that worried about getting Weil's disease or Toxocariasis I suggest you live in a plastic bubble you will be safe there.

Not so. Prove these theories please?

Taking care and making choices is not scaremongering. What irks many of us in these discussions is the emotiveness and the lack of respect for personal choice in these matters.

I prefer a garden without occupants who damage vital food crops here. My choice and my freedom to make it,Wisely so.

Toxicaris is a serious matter and we are taught to take great care re any animal droppings. Period. Anyone with a young family is wise to ensure. All of us avoid contact with cat and dog faeces. Any additional droppings may go unnoticed.

For a child to lose its sight is a terrible thing.

My dear; by all means make your patch a haven; but please allow others do choose else without criticism. Thank you so very much; and I am being sincere here. There was a time in a long life I might have agreed with you but not any more. I have lived it both ways also.

evolving_doors

Graces7 wrote: »

Thank you; this is what the Op was seeking right at the start.

I assume that this will also work for badgers, deer, rabbits? How about mink?

No Idea, although I have heard that rabbits won't come near foxes soooo.... hmm maybe not go there...

Basically what do all animals mark their territory with? When it boils down to it it's probably the testosterone and other pheremones that repel the animal so it's all probably down to size!!!!(of the animal),,,

gozunda

IrishHomer wrote: »

Utter nonsense!
You also state badgers killed your cat for Gods sake
Just for all you people who haven't a clue on wildlife: Badgers and Foxes don't go around killing domesticated pets or humans!

So my own experience of a fox killing a domestic cat in my farmyard is "utter nonsense"? Interesting logical arguement....

"badgers Killed my cat"??? Did they??? Where? - No def was a fox - red, bushy tail etc etc

Yes definitley a Fox that killed that cat oh and half a dozen ducks, some chickens....

They are not all cute and fluffy in my experience...

Ayla

Good gawd can everyone just get back to reality here?

We're not talking about badgers, or mink, or about mutual co-existance of human vs. nature. We're not talking about foxes attacking cats, hens or ducks, or about them robbing neighborhood bins, or about them pooing in our eyes. We are (supposed to be) talking about the "danger" of a fox around a newborn. :rolleyes:

Now it is realistic to understand that a fox would hunt hens, or ducks, or even cats as they have to eat something to survive. And if they see a potentially vulnerable small animal around the time they're looking to hunt, they will likely go for it.

So the real question for the OP is whether or not the newborn child will be left in a potentially vulnerable position whereby the fox would have the opportunity to think about it as a meal? Are they planning on leaving the child unattended in the back garden while they go inside for a cuppa? Are they - in other words - going to neglect to watch their newborn? Because if they are going to properly supervise their child, there is no way (and I do mean NO way) that a fox who had never been encouraged to engage (via deliberate feeding by humans) would ever consider approaching the child.

I think that this is why this entire thread has become so redundant. Proper supervision trumps trying to rid the neighborhood of foxes any day. So I think the real concern here has nothing to do with whether a fox is residing in the garden.

EDIT: Oh, but while we're still on the subject, why not think about the *good* that a resident fox could do? Like hunt out the local mice & rats, which can pose at least as much a threat to a newborn (and are much harder to catch/eliminate)? Or they could hunt out the local rabbits, who eat any crops/veg that are being grown in the garden? Because if the OP's this concerned about a fox in the neighborhood they probably wouldn't have a cat who could have kept this wild critters at bay (for the fear that the babe would be smothered in their sleep).

evolving_doors

Ayla wrote: »

Good gawd can everyone just get back to reality here?

We're not talking about badgers, or mink, or about mutual co-existance of human vs. nature. We're not talking about foxes attacking cats, hens or ducks, or about them robbing neighborhood bins, or about them pooing in our eyes. We are (supposed to be) talking about the "danger" of a fox around a newborn. :rolleyes:

Actually Ayla if you look at the OP original posting, it was a request for help in getting rid of a fox.... this is what "We are (supposed to be) talking about" ,,,

The lady doesn;t want foxes in her garden, not your garden or anyone elses but her garden...the NHS in the UK cited an estimated 50-100 cases of Toxocariasis (ocular form) each year, by your reckoning then it's not worth worrying about?
Now while we're on the subject of perceived risk, there are between 10-20 deaths from Ecstasy every year in the UK.. so by your logic (and others on this thread) if you have no problem with foxes or other carriers in their garden then you should have no problem taking an ecstasy tablet just because someone tells you it'll be grand and not to worry. In terms of risk, or perceived risk, it depends on the person, in this case the OP's sister, not you... you are not taking part in this risk she perceives she is taking.. .she is. This is why the OP want's advice not a lecture.

Does anyone here honestly think that if the OP goes back to his sister and says "well the risk isn;t that high, your a very silly person for worrying" that the Sister will go "Oh gosh your so right, I have been a silly fool, I'll just forget about the whole thing".

Ayla wrote: »

EDIT: Oh, but while we're still on the subject, why not think about the *good* that a resident fox could do?

The fox isn't the resident BTW, the OP's sister is the resident of the property... I don;t see the fox chipping in for the household charge any day soon


Good gawd can everyone just get back to reality here?

SillyMangoX

Just wondering, are those toxocaris figures caused by foxes? Is there a link to prove so because I would recon it would be a hell of a lot more likely that nearly all those cases stemmed from pets.

We used to have a vixen and her cubs that would visit our garden and eat left over cat food. She got so cheeky that she would hop up on the garden table, right outside the kitchen window. I dont doubt she would have come into the house if there was access. Im pretty sure shes long gone now, she disappeared around the same time as my neighbours got chickens..

evolving_doors

.mistake.

evolving_doors

SillyMangoX wrote: »

Just wondering, are those toxocaris figures caused by foxes? Is there a link to prove so because I would recon it would be a hell of a lot more likely that nearly all those cases stemmed from pets.

We used to have a vixen and her cubs that would visit our garden and eat left over cat food. She got so cheeky that she would hop up on the garden table, right outside the kitchen window. I dont doubt she would have come into the house if there was access. Im pretty sure shes long gone now, she disappeared around the same time as my neighbours got chickens..

No it's from dogs foxes and pets, here's the link XXX

If the breakdown between dogs cats and foxes is skewed away from foxes it's probably because of the prevalence of the dogs and cats in peoples back gardens (one would assume there are more of these animals in places habituated by humans more so than foxes). Nevertheless for the OP's sister the perceived risk is there and I don't think anyone is claiming that foxes don;t carry unwanted diseases.

With the increasing growth of foxes in urban areas this journal article maintains the the prevalence will increase (although it's a polish study, this one finds that cats are the biggest carriers then foxes then dogs) XXX

Also here are some stats for UK and germany ...XXX
QUOTE:Urban and rural foxes are another source of infection, even in fenced gardens. Infection is very prevalent in foxes: in Bristol 14-73% of foxes older than 2 years were found to be infected (Richards et al. 1993), while >60% rural or mixed urban/rural groups of foxes in Wales and Germany were infected


And some other 'scaremongering' from dogs trust Ireland XXX

I'd just rather move the fox on thank you very much.. BTW put in a search for FOXES in the boards search box and you'l find there's a lot of trigger happy hunters looking for target practice in the Hunting or Farming and Forestry forum

e.g. "anyone in or about the limerick area need help with foxes i can help im fully insured and very safe with a gun i have 13 years in the deference forces if you have a problem with charlie please give me a pm thanks"

I'm simply suggesting moving them on... why are people so against this?