Fox Deterrents: BBC article - PEST UK

Providing pest control services in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, London, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Midlands, West Sussex, Wiltshire. Est. 1985.

Fox Deterrents: BBC article

In Foxes, Pests in Spring, Pests in Summer

Fox Deterrents: BBC article:
FoxFoxes are in the news again, see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24563919
The article goes into the history of foxes first moving into towns, this was in the 1940’s and first recorded in Bristol. It also looks at why culling foxes may be a waste of time due to the fact that once a territory is vacated it will soon be occupied by another fox family. This is partially true but culling is useful once a fox or the family develop behaviour that disturbs people. This may be digging, fouling, going through bins, attacking domestic pets, generally getting too bold (not being scared of humans) or a noise nuisance. Fouling is especially unpleasant. Domestic animals can pick up Mange and Fleas (usually cat fleas) from foxes. It is thought however that Mange and Flea infestations are picked up by foxes from cats and dogs but foxes may help spread these problems. Probably similar to the way Badgers may pick up and spread Bovine TB.

At PEST UK schools are our main customers for fox shooting and trapping. This is because of the fouling of playing fields. Culling or trapping in these situations does work but does have to be repeated on a regular basis. The bbc report mentions companies that carry out humane fox deterrents. They use sprinklers to frighten or disturb the fox. These work the same way as repellents do, they make life uncomfortable for the foxes so they choose another garden to carry on their business in. It works providing the garden is not too important to the foxes ie if the garden is near a food source or the route to a food source then deterring foxes will not work. If it is successful then other foxes are unlikely to move into the vacated garden as the territory is still ‘owned’ the fox family that own the garden just don’t use it because of the deterrents but protect the area from other foxes moving in.
Fox in Live Catch Trap
There is a program on foxes this evening called Fox Wars on BBC One at 22:35 GMT on Tuesday 22 October 2013.
At PEST UK we are luck to have a marksman (Nick Browning) who does most of our Fox Shooting. This Summer he carried out a cull at Bourne End, Berkshire and culled a family of Foxes in one evening (see Pics).
Fox Shoot

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Fox Culling (or Shooting) is not always as successful. If the Fox(es) don’t show then there is nothing much that can be done. We will often recommend ‘pre baiting’ before the visit is made.

To book a pest control treatment or free advice then please call us at PEST UK: 0330 100 2811 (local rate) or 0800 026 0308 (free from land lines & some mobiles).

Advice from the BPCA on Foxes

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