What to do! Pesky foxes

[heggie1]

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions please.

I’ve been feeding my garden hedgehogs since they came out of hibernation a couple of weeks ago. (I counted 6 different ones.) They are all shapes and sizes and some have markings on them. I leave the food in the hog house and it is impossible for the fox to reach it – it did this last year so a tunnel was added, much to its annoyance.

I put the camera out as usual a couple of nights ago and a fox appeared when the hog had just finished drinking. Nothing unusual in that as the fox is a usual garden visitor although personally I’m not a big fan of them.

This time though the fox went over to the hog, picked it up in its mouth and ran away with it. I did capture this on video but the video is too large to send. I’ve never seen anything like this before. No doubt the fox didn’t have the hog’s best intentions in mind!!

I then took the hog house away (along with their food and water.) Last night 2 hogs came along and were desperately running round the patio looking for something to eat and drink! What do I do? Do I continue feeding the hogs so they can be devoured by the fox. It’s such a dilemma! 🙁

[Nic]

Hi heggie1

Unfortunately some foxes apparently become specialists at killing hogs and it may be that you have one there. They wait until the hog is unrolled and then pounce (i.e. attack the unprotected belly area) – which may be what happened there. That’s why I am always a bit sad hearing about people feeding hogs and foxes side by side (because the hogs will be unrolled and lulled into a false sense of security). Foxes are predators and can’t be trusted with hogs around.

I don’t envy you that dilemma. Unless you have some way you can keep the fox out whilst still allowing the hogs in, they will always be at a certain amount of risk. Even if you put the water in a box as well, they still have to get to and from the boxes. But obviously a bit safer having the water in the box if the fox can’t access it. Maybe having the feed box near somewhere the hogs can escape to easily might help a little.

There are some things which reportedly deter foxes, such as male human urine – which I believe they put round boundaries! Although I don’t know whether it works!

But it’s a bit like having a badger around. It’s safer not to feed the hogs, but try to make your garden as hog friendly as possible – i.e. encourage hog’s natural food and provide lots of sheltering places – bushes, etc. If the hog is foraging naturally, it’s more likely to be more alert, I would think, than being offered a bowl of food.

Sorry can’t really be much help.

[heggie1]

Dear Nic,

Thanks very much for your response.

I didn’t though leave any food out for the fox. I only leave the food in the hog house where the fox can’t get to it and a bowl of water outside as otherwise it gets a bit crowded in there.

I have though now turned the hog house round so it faces the wall. There is access three ways for the hogs to get away although obviously a fox is much quicker than a hog. When the hog turned up it was a bit confused by the new layout but did eventually find the entrance. Looking at the wildlife camera, the fox did turn up last night but fortunately by then the hog had eaten and left. I did though this time leave some food out for the fox away from the hog house. My silly thinking is that if the foxes have something to eat they will leave the hogs alone – this I hope anyway. I know they get very frustrated that they can’t get to the hedgehogs food and jump all over the hog house trying to get in. I checked the camera this morning and a hog was on the patio and had eaten some of the food in the hog house.

I will though be planting more shrubs to give the hogs better cover. Foxes though are so cunning. What I was wondering is would it be worth purchasing one of the sonar deterrents that are available to deter the fox. Do these work? Would they stop the hogs visiting? Something to think about …. Also thank you. You have been a great help.

[Nic]

Hi Heggie1

The only thing I know about sonar deterrants is re. the rat ones. They don’t work well out of doors because the rats become accustomed to them. But I did try a house one under shelter during the day once and didn’t get it in soon enough before a hog turned up early. I saw the hog visibly flinch when it went past the sonar deterrant. So I wouldn’t want to use them when there are hogs around. I fear fox ones may be similar, but haven’t tried one.

You may find that some sellers/makers of these deterrants claim they don’t affect hogs, but in reality I’m not sure there’s any way that they could actually know they don’t.

[Baldwin hedgehog]

I think there are companies that will trap foxes hamanely using a cage trap. I don’t know what they do with the fox once trapped though.

[heggie1]

Thanks Nic and Baldwin hedgehog. I’ve done a bit of research and I think I might try Scoot to see if that works to deter the fox. It is very determined though!

I dread to see what could be on the camera the next day. It was upsetting to see the poor hog grabbed by the fox and taken away 🙁

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