Discover the best ways to outfox these intruders
Foxes are incredibly clever creatures that thrive in various environments. However, their resourcefulness can be a nuisance for homeowners. They might damage your lawn and plants, disturb your pets, or enter your home looking for food. To help you protect your property, we've compiled the best fox deterrents.
The first step to keeping foxes away is understanding why they might be showing up in the first place. Readily available food, convenient shelter, and accessible water sources make your property appealing to foxes.
Removing attractors and installing barriers can make your property less inviting.
Foxes are opportunistic eaters. Keeping them out of your yard can be as simple as eliminating food sources. One significant source is pet food, so keep it indoors. The same goes for food scraps. Only put your garbage bins out on trash pick-up days, and ensure they have tightly sealed lids.
Fruit and vegetables also attract foxes and the rodents they like to eat. Pick up fallen produce in your yard and protect gardens with fox-proof mesh.
The same is true for bird feeders. Hungry foxes will gobble up any spillage and the small critters attracted to the seed. Remove or place these feeders where foxes and rodents can’t access them. Remember, foxes are excellent climbers and can scale trees, walls, and fences.
Most creatures appreciate a convenient drink—bird baths, ponds, pet water bowls, or even a leaky garden hose in your yard can attract foxes. To keep them away, raise your bird baths out of their reach, bring pet water bowls inside at night, fix leaks, and cover ponds, especially if they have fish.
Check your property for potential hiding spots, such as dense bushes, debris, sheds, and under decks and porches. Afterward, trim overgrown bushes, clear garden debris, and remove piles of wood or rocks where foxes might hide.
Next, ensure any structures are securely closed or sealed. If you find openings and gaps, seal them with fox-proof netting or mesh and bury the material at least a foot underground to stop foxes from digging underneath. Consider reinforcing your work with a concrete base to prevent burrowing.
Foxes are extremely cautious animals, so if you turn your yard into a happening place, they won’t be keen to check it out. Add motion-activated sprinklers or lighting to spook foxes when they wander onto your property. Sometimes, playing music can also deter foxes from getting too close. This tactic is best used in tandem with the above solutions.
Chemical-based fox repellents and more natural solutions like human male urine can work. However, homeowners need to apply these repellents frequently around their property, and these scents may not deter some foxes. For repellents to be truly effective, combine them with other strategies.
Foxes are enticed into homes by the scent of food, finding their way through open windows, doors, and pet flaps. Once inside, they scavenge through kitchens, searching for anything they can eat, including fish, meat, fruits, vegetables, and garbage.
To prevent these critters from entering, secure all possible entry points into your home. Foxes have retractable rib cages, allowing them to squeeze themselves through a square opening of 4 inches.
Here are tips to consider:
Secure and close all windows and doors, especially at night and when you’re not home.
Install sturdy window screens.
Consider using electronic pet flaps on pet doors that allow only pets with microchips or magnetic collars to enter.
Seal off any crawl spaces, gaps, and cracks in and around your home.
Add steel or hard rubber door sweeps to your home's entrances that foxes can't squeeze through.
If DIY solutions aren’t getting rid of foxes, it is time to call a local wildlife control professional.
These professionals are highly qualified to remove foxes from your yard due to their specialized training and expertise in handling wild animals. They are familiar with local and federal laws regarding wildlife capture and relocation, ensuring all actions are within legal boundaries to protect homeowners and animals. Wildlife removal costs average $400, depending on your location and specific situation. The more animals to remove, the higher the cost will be, from a single fox costing as little as $200 to a bill of over $1,000 to remove a mother fox and her kits.
