Foxes

Mr Simpson

Dodderangler & Archer22 cut it out. No more personal abuse, any more will result in a ban

Lawrence1895

seamus wrote: »

Usually, though when surrounded by a lot of prey (such as in a chicken pen), foxes are known to kill more than they need because their prey instinct kicks in.

A single kill left behind though seems odd unless the fox was really spooked by something.

Cats are more likely to kill for sport, though they're not well-known for attacking rabbits unless the cat is large and/or the rabbit is small.

When I heard the noise in the garden, I knocked at the window (but I couldn't go down quickly enough, due to a back injury), maybe that scared the fox away.

And I know, there are a few stray cats around, some of them are quite big.

solid oak

saw loads of foxes at dublin airport car park recently, must be plane spotters !!

12gauge dave

City foxes and country foxes are both in general non confrontational but i remember when i grew up in london people always took caution with leaving food around and even leaving small children play alone in gardens! Foxs are a problem in london i cant comment on the fox situation in dublin as i have never lives there!

But be cautious is my advice in citys

stanley1

saw 2 this morning outside my house (D12), see plenty of them on my way to work, kildare rd, clogher rd, along the canal etc.

Gongoozler

My experience with foxes would be that they're all pretty timid and afraid. That is both in very rural places and in Dublin city. Have foxes regularly visiting my parents garden at home, just having a snoop around - as soon as they see you they take off. One night after drinks, on the way home I saw a fox on Parnell Square, with a rat in its mouth, doing its best to avoid the people passing. one group of drunks thought chasing after it was a good idea. But then they left it alone, and it ran off. TBH comparing the two, the one in Dublin was probably more afraid than the ones at home.

Seriously, wouldn't ever be afraid of a fox. I'd be wary if I had a small child, but I would be with any animal and a small child, like anybody should be. Foxes aren't there to attack humans, pretty much nothing is. Learn about these animals and you'll be much better off.

pawrick

Like some other posters have said - use a common sense approach, we aren't considered prey items for a fox due to our size but that doesn't mean you leave children unattended either. Both us and foxes can live quite happily side by side once we understand this.

btw I've seen foxes around Ringsend/Irishtown area at night in the past and they keep their distance.

Used to run into foxes all the time when I lived in Mount Merrion, they always ran away, cept for one vixen who would sit down like a dog and cock her head quizzically, she was dead cute, first time she did it she scared me a bit (scared of large dogs too) so I threw a stick at her and she ran, then I used to ignore her and she'd just sit and watch me walk by. Don't threaten the fox and you'll be grand.

gozunda

Lars1916 wrote: »

Maybe, it's the wrong place here.

But I was wondering, if one my rabbits was killed by a fox last week. No real sign of a fight, the poor thing was just lying there on her side, her neck was broken, blood coming out her ears and eyes.

Or do foxes usually taking away their prey?

Had a barn cat taken by a fox. Fox seen stalking and grabbing cat in farm yard - fox made a dash for nearest field afterwards taking said cat with it.

Cheeky bugger considering cat was not a youngster and fairly fit and healthy. Fox also risked entry into farm yard. Didn't have a second go though...

gozunda

gozunda wrote: »

Had a barn cat taken by a fox. Fox seen stalking and grabbing cat in farm yard - fox made a dash for nearest field afterwards taking said cat with it.

Cheeky bugger considering cat was not a youngster and fairly fit and healthy. Fox also risked entry into farm yard. Didn't have a second go though...

A fox who used to cross our garden like clockwork, around 5pm every day, ran into a cat sleeping in it's path one day. Granted this is one of the biggest cats I ever saw. But the fox stalled, the cat yawned, stretched and lazily arched it's back, and the fox ran.

We're quite sure we've had cats taken by rural foxes back at home though, we did have a family of very small and timid cats for a few years.

mosi

Be happy to have foxes in your neighbourhood I'd say...helps to control the vermin.
Foxes pose no danger to humans. I see plenty of them around, it's always a pleasure to see them.

The Master.

Im in Balrothery,Tallaght. close to the dodder and tymon park and there is a fox in my fairly overgrown garden right now. its killed one of my chickens last week and got to them again on saturday at three oclock in the afternoon while i was sitting in clear view 20 foot away. it was so quick, not like a cat skulking slowly up to them, this fox made a bee-line straight into the coop through a tiny hole in the fence.
I can believe that it might attack a very small kid on thier own.i definately wouldnt take a chance as this one has very little fear.
i can see it lounging in the garden most days but does run off when i go near and doesnt come back that day.
it didnt get to take away and eat the chicken it killed last week as we chased it off and now i think its going crazy to kill the rest.

archer22

The Master. wrote: »

Im in Balrothery,Tallaght. close to the dodder and tymon park and there is a fox in my fairly overgrown garden right now. its killed one of my chickens last week and got to them again on saturday at three oclock in the afternoon while i was sitting in clear view 20 foot away. it was so quick, not like a cat skulking slowly up to them, this fox made a bee-line straight into the coop through a tiny hole in the fence.
I can believe that it might attack a very small kid on thier own.i definately wouldnt take a chance as this one has very little fear.
i can see it lounging in the garden most days but does run off when i go near and doesnt come back that day.
it didnt get to take away and eat the chicken it killed last week as we chased it off and now i think its going crazy to kill the rest.

Try fixing the hole in the fence then :rolleyes:

dodderangler

Fixin the hole won't entirely stop it
Foxes will chew at anything and dig under anything to get what it wants
Il sort that fox for ya on Saturday mate

Merch

The Master. wrote: »

Im in Balrothery,Tallaght. close to the dodder and tymon park and there is a fox in my fairly overgrown garden right now. its killed one of my chickens last week and got to them again on saturday at three oclock in the afternoon while i was sitting in clear view 20 foot away. it was so quick, not like a cat skulking slowly up to them, this fox made a bee-line straight into the coop through a tiny hole in the fence.
I can believe that it might attack a very small kid on thier own.i definately wouldnt take a chance as this one has very little fear.
i can see it lounging in the garden most days but does run off when i go near and doesnt come back that day.
it didnt get to take away and eat the chicken it killed last week as we chased it off and now i think its going crazy to kill the rest.

what, like something the size of a chicken?
cmon, children that small, ie babies shouldnt be left unattended anyway and not in a situation where anything can get at them.

The Master.

Unfortunately its business at the moment is trying to kill my chickens so IT HAS TO DIE!!!

I dont believe this argument that because it hasnt happened in Ireland before it will never happen.
I do believe every fox has a different personality but they all have the same basic instinct to kill no matter where they live.

archer22

The Master. wrote: »

Unfortunately its business at the moment is trying to kill my chickens so IT HAS TO DIE!!!

I dont believe this argument that because it hasnt happened in Ireland before it will never happen.
I do believe every fox has a different personality but they all have the same basic instinct to kill no matter where they live.

Try giving him some of the marijuana you were talking about in another thread...that might chill him out .

Merch

The Master. wrote: »

Unfortunately its business at the moment is trying to kill my chickens so IT HAS TO DIE!!!

I dont believe this argument that because it hasnt happened in Ireland before it will never happen.
I do believe every fox has a different personality but they all have the same basic instinct to kill no matter where they live.

Its a wild animal, it needs to feed
It seems likely it would go for the most food/food value? with the least effort?
I can understand you dont want to see your efforts or the use of having chickens/hens? wasted for nothing.
Maybe make the coop more secure.

gozunda

Merch wrote: »

what, like something the size of a chicken?
cmon, children that small, ie babies shouldnt be left unattended anyway and not in a situation where anything can get at them.

How about something the size of a goose that can weigh in at 8 kg? Foxes do not discriminate on size. Your second point is immaterial in relation to an opportunistic feeder such as a fox. Yes foxes do have place in the ecosystem - unfortunately their numbers are not controlled by any native predator so often populations are pushed to having to predate outside their natural range. This is when they present as a problem to livestock and in other reported attacks.

John_Rambo

gozunda wrote: »

How about something the size of a goose that can weigh in at 8 kg? Foxes do not discriminate on size. Your second point is immaterial in relation to an opportunistic feeder such as a fox. Yes foxes do have place in the ecosystem - unfortunately their numbers are not controlled by any native predator so often populations are pushed to having to predate outside their natural range. This is when they present as a problem to livestock and in other reported attacks.

Sometimes there's a price to pay living with wildlife.

Here in Dublin, and in Ireland, it's a small enough price. Take a look at some parts of Canada, Africa, America or India.

I don't think wiping out our wildlife and tarmacking everything is the answer. Disease and traffic are the urban foxes natural predator. As others say, I wouldn't go attracting them in to a garden with food, particularly if there are very young kids, don't want any confusion or mistakes.

Saying that, they still come in to my garden often enough. I like it.

The Hill Billy

dodderangler wrote: »

Il sort that fox for ya on Saturday mate

archer22 wrote: »

Try giving him some of the marijuana you were talking about in another thread...that might chill him out .

Enough! Any more of this carry-on & I'll be taking out the ban-hammer.

tHB

dodderangler

The Hill Billy wrote: »

dodderangler wrote: »

Il sort that fox for ya on Saturday mate

archer22 wrote: »

Try giving him some of the marijuana you were talking about in another thread...that might chill him out .

Enough! Any more of this carry-on & I'll be taking out the ban-hammer.

tHB

No carrying on from me
I actually am settin a trap for the fox on Saturday
And before anyone asks no its not a snare
It's a fox trap from maceoins.ie
Humane trappin to remove troubling foxes to be transported
Atb

gozunda

John_Rambo wrote: »

Sometimes there's a price to pay living with wildlife.

Here in Dublin, and in Ireland, it's a small enough price. Take a look at some parts of Canada, Africa, America or India.

I don't think wiping out our wildlife and tarmacking everything is the answer. Disease and traffic are the urban foxes natural predator. As others say, I wouldn't go attracting them in to a garden with food, particularly if there are very young kids, don't want any confusion or mistakes.

Saying that, they still come in to my garden often enough. I like it.

NYA....

Who mentioned wiping out out "our Wildlife"
It is of note Humans will tarmac and build generally without reference to the natural world so not of any relevance to this scenario. Urban populations of foxes have seen large increases due to amount of waste food available to them. They can develop a range of nasty diseases like mange and distempter which are transmited to other animals however often these animals survive albeit in a diseased state so often there is no functioning population control. Btw "natural predator" indicates another animal that predates on a specific species not accidents and not disease.


All wild animals suffer varying levels of death by accident and disease and it does not follow that these will provide for adequate population control especially where there food supply is artifical (supplied in the form of waste food and rubbish) and practically unlimited in urban environments.

arleitiss

I am scared to post on these forums, every thread I make ends up with big debate and discussion, sorry.
Thanks for answers anyways.

Galwayguy35

I think the population of foxes has gone through the roof since the value of their fur went down.

I remember as a kid people were trapping foxes around here nearly every day as they could get £15 for a foxes tail, now that was a lot of money 30 years ago.

It was horrible to see them trapped in the snares though.

kumate_champ07

dodderangler wrote: »

No they are not
Not city foxes they are not afraid anymore
As someone who shoots them I can tell u and so will lads on huntin forum there is a huge difference between city foxes and country foxes
Country lads will run a mile but city lads won't and can stand there ground
There has also been a rise in attacks mainly on children and all occuring in built up areas
But as opposed to your query on them attackin a fully grown adult no they won't you are safe

city foxes existed before the many areas around Dublin changed from 'country' to city. with less open land they had to change their diet and become more of a scavenger

John_Rambo

Look lads... they were here before us, Dubliners have always been comfortable living in close quarters with wildlife, much more so than a lot of rural types that are a bit more fearful of wild animals. It's a mutual respect thing that some people just don't get. Check out the amount of areas in Dublin that have Fox in it's name.

it's a symbiotic relationship. I have foxes in my garden, I don't have rats, and the foxes knocking around my area are very healthy.

I also have falcons, badgers, herons, curlews and hundreds of cool mammals knocking around where I live. The city has otters, peregrines, geese, the Phoenix park has deer...

Feral cats would be something we should be more concerned about, in fact, it's the that give the foxes diseases, but our friend madra rua always gets the spotlight, albeit, usually by recent arrivals in to the city who aren't used to them up close.

mitosis

dodderangler wrote: »

Ah PETA
Was wondering when your sad ass would turn up
Murder any carrots or cabbage this week?
Ask anyone that hunts
We all know about the attacks but not all reports go to the papers
Matter fact there was a thread on it a while back about the young lad bein attacked and a fella asked on hunting forum that the foxes had been shot after the attack
http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056710062?page=1#post_79894866
Any more PETA wanna chat pm me I've a few pics I know you would love

So a lad was scratched, sorry for him. But dogs bite people every day - do you recommend we all run away from them? Don't you want to go out with a lamp and gun and shoot all the dogs too? People get cut by cats every day too. What about horses? They have been known to kick people?

As another poster observed, your agenda appears to be to demonise the animal to justify your hobby.

For the OP, a fox is a small wild dog, cowardly and fearful. It will not come near you unless you are small, weak and appear to be vulnerable. You're not a mouse, are you?

gozunda

Lol I love the premis that us Dubs somehow are more understanding than those poor benighted eegits down the country it must be all that concrete and tarmacamam that gives us the edge....

Foxes are an indigenous wild animal. Their natural habitat is fields, woodland and hedgerows. Large scale Urban fox populations are a relatively modern phenomenon largely caused by the availability of waste food in our throwaway culture. Foxes have adapted to take advantage of this. That said the average city dweller probably has few opportunities of actually seeing a fox due to their nocturnal habits and ability to stay concealed even in built up urban areas. The point of Dublin versus London really makes no difference in terms of relative density of population - many parts of Dublin would have similar actual density per sq km as parts of London - the main difference is that greater London has a population of approx 11 million - greater Dublin has a population of 1 million. It has been shown that foxes have moved from rural to urban areas to scavenge and are now breeding. In effect they are "culchie" foxes ( not dubs) and btw I make this point jokingly before I am descended upon.

Wild animals living in such adverse environments as built up cities are going to experience many problems such as levels of disease such as mange and also problems with domestic animals and human activities.

Merch

John_Rambo wrote: »

Look lads... they were here before us, Dubliners have always been comfortable living in close quarters with wildlife, much more so than a lot of rural types that are a bit more fearful of wild animals. It's a mutual respect thing that some people just don't get. Check out the amount of areas in Dublin that have Fox in it's name.

it's a symbiotic relationship. I have foxes in my garden, I don't have rats, and the foxes knocking around my area are very healthy.

I also have falcons, badgers, herons, curlews and hundreds of cool mammals knocking around where I live. The city has otters, peregrines, geese, the Phoenix park has deer...

Feral cats would be something we should be more concerned about, in fact, it's the that give the foxes diseases, but our friend madra rua always gets the spotlight, albeit, usually by recent arrivals in to the city who aren't used to them up close.

Sounds pretty good, where do you live in the city? otters in Dublin??
I've only seen stuff on the outskirts between suburbs, one white owl, a big one. I guess most of it is out at night. Only other bird of prey have seen is some birds hovering looking down into fields at the side of roads, I was told they are some kind of buzzard?
Unfortunately I used to see foxes around but not in a while.

It may be necessary to control some animals if their numbers (even if it is by human fault) get out of control, but I'm not inclined to think foxes as a predator higher up the food chain are likely to grow in numbers without an available food supply in greater numbers.
ie small mammals or from our own waste food disposed of poorly.
In which case we can as easily control numbers by managing that?
I may get slated but there is an abundance of grey squirrels and rabbits that people could tackle.

Definitely cats are a problem, I have one myself and he has a tag on, he has brought a few small dead rats to the backdoor, but there are plenty of strays and I'm sure the bird population suffers more from cats then foxes?

I see and hear cats all the time, ist been a while since I've seen a fox unfortunately.