foxes

[crunchy]

i have been watching foxes live on the television, and have no bad feelings towards foxes but... i have a mother and two cubs that sit on Russian vine and look over our 6ft fence waiting for me to put our Rabbits and Guinea's out in their runs. We have always had foxes next door as we live next to a piece of waste ground but these foxes are not scared at all and if i didn't have small pets i would enjoy them but i am so scared to put them out now

 

[Poppy'sMum]

That would worry me too! A family member just lost their two rabbits to a fox recently it was terrible :...

 

[crunchy]

I don't think i can put them out now unless i am sitting in the garden with them, which is a shame as they sit high up only a few feet away from our garden.Sorry about your families rabbits, it must have been very sad for them.

 

[fluff]

if you have livestock then it MUST be protected against predetors, if the fox gets your rabbit,chickens guineas then the protection was NOT enough, make the runs/cages like fort knox and remember chicken wire is no good for cages or runs the fox can bite through it, and under wire the runs aswell.

 

[crunchy]

yes, i do agree, i have kept rabbits and guinea's for over 12 years now and have not lost one yet to foxes, but we live next to waste ground and there has always been foxes on it but this group seem to have made a home next to our fence and are very bold. Last night my husband ran shouted at them and they did run off so we are now going to try to scare them off without harming them as i do like foxes but have to protect my small pets. They are all housed in a locked work shop and go out in the garden when i am home but now feel i must be in the garden with them if they are out.

 

[JayneG]

We live in London suburbs and there are always foxes about. They tend to bring their cubs in our garden this time of year too and use it as a playground. They very used to people where we live and aren't really frightened of us. I've always kept my pigs indoors because of this. Foxes will try their hardest to break into a pen so it must be super secured. I just have my pigs out in their run on the grass when I'm out there with them. I just don't trust the foxes.

 

[crunchy]

yes, i think that is what i will do now. I like my pets to get as much fresh air and grass as possible but now i think i will only be able to put them out when i am watching over them. They do have good runns , but like you say foxes are very good at geting into things.

 

[Amanda1801]

I had similar problems in my old house. The pigs went out in sunny days and we'd sit out with them, or they had floor time inside if we couldnt be with them. It's just not worth the risk!

Do you have somewhere safe for them to stretch their legs inside? A hallway or bathroom usually works as there's no wires and stuff, or you could bring their run inside or get a puppy pen?

 

[crunchy]

I have a cat so the pen would have to be enclosed, it's also the rabbits i feel sorry for as they loved running around the garden and need to keep their back legs strong. I will sort something out, i could exerice them in the workshop but no grass in there.

 

[Amanda1801]

I have a cat so the pen would have to be enclosed, it's also the rabbits i feel sorry for as they loved running around the garden and need to keep their back legs strong. I will sort something out, i could exerice them in the workshop but no grass in there.

Well the better weather is coming, see it as a good excuse for getting in the garden and having a BBQ

Their main need is obviously exercise, rabbits and pigs. You could cut some grass for them, or you can grow it in pots (see http://thistlecavies.tripod.com/shop/id2.html), you could hide some treats under flower pots for example, just to give them that enrichment.