We live on the edge of a town, got fields/countryside etc directly behind the house. So I wouldn’t suggest it’s your typical “urban fox.” Anyway mr fox has vaulted the fence obviously on the look out for food, obviously all rubbish in the bin so he’s screwed! Would you leave annything out or is it just asking for grief??

They’re vermin. Would you feed rats?

There will be plenty of food elsewhere. Its nice seeing them but I wouldn’t want it as a daily visitor!

Yep, always do. Specially any leftovers.

My foxy mates are well ace 8)

I live in sth Manchester and have a similar foxy dilemma. So far I’ve resisted, I wouldn’t know when the fox will be around and so wouldn’t want to attract other, less welcome critters by leaving food lying around, then there’s the argument about the fox becoming reliant on you so you’d have to keep up the feeding and then when you go away you’d feel guilt blah blah.

Foxes are resourceful animals, leave it be.

Slice it into strips and feed it to the birds, they get hungry at this time of year.

Feed one and then there will be 2, 3 or 4. Then there will be screaming fights and fox shits and then they will hound you out of your house and stalk you on the way to the supermarket.

no, my dog would eat it or the fox

Mmm thought as much! We’ve still got a foot of snow out back and on the fields. I even saw a bloody owl at 3pm yesterday so there must be some seriously hungry animals out there! 🙁

bloody owl

Probably flew into a tree. They have real problems seeing properly in snow apparently

Yep, always do. Specially any leftovers.

My foxy mates are well ace

So were all the other animals in your garden, that have now left because you keep inviting an apex predator into their environment.

You mean like rats trailmonkey ?

birds, stoats, weasels, mice, toads, frogs, lizards and yes, rats.

if it makes you happy though, carry on 8)

The owl looked pretty accomplished in the air to be fair! Genuinely haven’t seen one ” in the wild” since we lived out in the sticks when I was a kid!

then they will hound you out of your house and stalk you on the way to the supermarket.

LOL ! 😀

I had one (Basil was his name) who would lay waiting in my porch for me to come home – so that he could have his dinner. He would also come when I whistled. One year he brought all his cubs to come and see me when they were old enough…….which was an exceptionally moving experience.

You think foxes eat stoats, weasels,and toads trailmonkey ? You don’t much about foxes do you ? And yes, birds are just about achievable for foxes, but very rarely so. Human fed ones tend not to bother hunting btw.

they’re all part of the same chain, a chain that you’re upsetting by introducing a large predator into it. the fox might not eat them but it may drive them out. if it drives just one out then it upsets the balance for everything else.
no, i don’t know much about foxes but i understand the basics of nature.
like i said, if it makes you happy……….

I’d don’t feed or encourage it like that.

In the case of urban fox attacks.
I strongly believe those foxes went in search of the source of the food, in which they have been accustomed to eating.

They survive and live well off our scraps. But once we get fed up with them and rats, etc. A bigger effort is put in to keep rubbish secured.

Foxes now associate food with humans. So if the foods not there, they go in search…Into the homes. That’s why small children get attacked.

Fed a fox in your garden and you could be inviting a wild animal with very very sharp teeth and an impressive bite into your home.

Also it may visit a not so friendly neighbours garden and BOOM! no more mr Reynard.

If you are a little concerned for it. Take the food into the fields for it, better still make a throw it.

It’s better for the fox to fear all men, than to trust one.

like i said, if it makes you happy……….

Well shucks thanks…….I wasn’t sure if it was ok for me to leave anything out this evening, but now you have assured me that it is….top man 8)

And btw, I haven’t introduced “a large predator”, I have simply reduced the need for a, rather small predator, to hunt,.

jeez you must have a scary garden if the foxes are just the small predators 😯

That’s why small children get attacked.

there’s just been one isolated incident hasn’t there?
it’s not like there’s an uprising…
still, I agree, you shouldn’t feed them – they might be cute and fwuffy for a while, but when they start destroying your bins, eating your shoes and screaming at 3am they can be a bit annoying.

I appreciate what you’re doing Ernie.
Do you make the fox work for it food?

ie, hide it in different places, bury it just under the surface of the
ground, hang it up bushes, etc.

Brakes. Sorry i thought there was a few and certainly cases of foxes entering homes and causing damage or a mess.

Why not feed them?
much rather see a wild fox in my garden than next doors cat.

Great to see wildlife.

And yes, birds are just about achievable for foxes, but very rarely so

I’m sure my chickens would be comforted by that thought 😛

jeez you must have a scary garden if the foxes are just the small predators

LOL ! 😀

Do you know what a fox actually looks like trailmonkey ? ……are you a chartered accountant by any chance ? Ever thought of becoming a lion tamer ?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMOmB1q8W4Y[/video]

Check it at 3.15 mins.

I might just Wang a string of sausages into the fields. And he’ll definitely have to work for them as they’re liable to sink in the snow!!

Smarty.

That’s because they’re locked up with nowhere to run or hide. 😉

Ernie. I think TM means it’s a large predator to it’s prey. Which are much smaller critters.

After all the fox is the UK’s largest predatory wild mammal is it not? Only

I feed the one that comes into my garden with dead babies

if it drives just one out then it upsets the balance for everything else.
no, i don’t know much about foxes but i understand the basics of nature.

no you dont

Actually before anyone reports me to the police, i was joking, of course i don’t, i just make sure the next door neighbours cat flap stays unlocked so the fox goes next door and eats their children

After all the fox is the UK’s largest predatory wild mammal is it not?

Only because humans have killed off larger predators like wolves and bears. Presumably Trailmonkey would also like to kill off foxes, so that we are only left with little small creatures who eat vegetables for their supper. But foxes are not large predators.

Presumably Trailmonkey would also like to kill off foxes

😯 ❓ 😐

a tad harsh and unfounded, but hey, if it makes you happy.

No. Unless by ‘feeding’ you mean providing them with easy access to six chickens and five ducks. They wouldn’t touch the geese though 😈

We’ve got loads of spare babies round here, can’t see any reason why not, foxes are cuter than babies.

That said we get wild rabbits here and very occasionally a lost deer and they’re both cuter than foxes or babies. Or even baby foxes.

bloody owl

Probably flew into a tree. They have real problems seeing properly in snow apparently

I recently found out that Tawny owls have no better eye sight than does a human. They do however, have an acutely sharp, directional sense of hearing which equips them to be successful hunters.
I only stumbled on this fact after being curious on seeing a pair of them last week gliding very close by into their roost in the woods. I wasn’t sure that they would be seen in a pair outdide of breeding but it turns out that they mostly pair for life. *

* Wikipedia may tell lies.

Yes, please feed the foxes. I believe the sooner they become a pest to the wider populace the sooner hunting with hounds will be reinstated. Boxing day won’t be the same otherwise. Baaaahhhhh!

they’re all part of the same chain, a chain that you’re upsetting by introducing a large predator into it.

Doesn’t removing a “large” predator from a chain upset it just as much as introducing one ?

No.

Doesn’t removing a “large” predator from a chain upset it just as much as introducing one ?

I’d have thought so yes, but you’re not removing it from the chain simply by asking it to rifle through your bins or hunt for itself.

No, you shouldn’t encourage the foxes.
I’ve lost 9 ducks, and 6 chickens in the last year from a fox. They wouldn’t be in the area if people didn’t put out food for them.
They are vermin that just kill, then don’t eat what they have killed. I had to bury mine, as all that has ever gone have been 3 duck heads and 2 chicken heads, the rest of the carcases have been left on the ground.
I’ve now gone OTT with my fencing, and set up a trap for the foxes, it doesn’t stop them from trying still, as I had another trying to get at the ducks on Thursday night.
If you want to feed an animal, get a dog.
Alan.

trailmonkey – Member

but hey, if it makes you happy

That’s twice on one thread you’ve expressed concern for my happiness. Thank you…….you’re right proper gentleman, and no mistake.