Released On 5th Jun 2025
How to Keep Foxes Out of Your Garden
It’s that time of year when, if you listen closely, you can hear the fox cubs out to play. Ok, maybe you don’t have to listen that closely – they’re a loud lot! In the UK, we have around 350,000 - 400,000 foxes, with many of them living shoulder to shoulder with us. Some of you might enjoy seeing them visit your garden in search of food or a good place to play – we even know people who have set up cameras to catch and watch them! But some people aren’t so keen, especially if they dig up your flowers, fight with your pets or leave droppings behind in your lawn. If you’re in that camp, then we have a few tips on how to keep foxes out of your garden in an easy, humane way.
Secure Your Bins
Just like catnip attracts cats, bins attract foxes. They’re notorious bin raiders and have been known to knock down wheelie bins just to scavenge through the contents. To prevent this, you’ll need to make sure your bin is secured with a sturdy lid and doesn’t have any damage. Some people choose to invest in a lockable bin store or fox-proof container shed if foxes are a particular problem. These also work well for rat problems! If a specific bin store is a bit out of budget, a big brick on top can work too. Making your bin difficult to get into could be all you need to put them off coming to you.
Remove Food Sources
If you hadn’t guessed already, foxes are very much opportunistic feeders. Yes, they’re good hunters, but they will almost always go for the easy meal instead. Take a look around your garden and see what other sources of food you might have for them without even realising.
A classic is a bird feeder. Foxes are omnivores with a varied diet, and will happily eat birdseed, peanuts and other things you’d usually leave out for birds. That doesn’t mean you can’t feed the birds – it just means that their feeder needs to be above 5 feet from the ground and positioned away from shrubs, trees or fences that might give a fox access.
Another is your pond. Yes, foxes will fish too! You can prevent this by covering your pond with netting or mesh. These products are usually open enough to let amphibians in and out, but will keep them safe from a fox’s keen paws.
Finally, if you’re growing your own food, this can also be a dinner bell for a hungry fox. Cover them with mesh, tunnels or cages during peak fox season to stop them running off with your carrots!
Install a Sturdy Fence
Now go around the edges of the garden and check your fences, top to bottom. Foxes are excellent climbers and can squeeze through surprisingly small gaps, so you’ll need to make sure there are no access points to your garden. Cracks in walls or fences are the perfect spot for a fox to sneak through, so block them up with either mesh or other materials. If you have a shed, make sure the door is shut and locked at all times – it’s the perfect little hidey hole for a whole family of foxes. If you know foxes are getting into your garden, the simplest thing to do is watch them for a few days and see where they’re coming in. That will help you figure out which areas need to be sealed off.
Use Repellents or Natural Deterrents
If you’re really determined to keep them out, there are deterrent products out there you can buy. They’re usually a spray repellent using specific scents, but sometimes they will be sound machines. These can be effective, but it often depends on the specific fox, and some can wear off fairly quickly. Make sure you’re only using safe repellents though – you’re trying to get rid of them, not kill them!
There are a range of natural repellent methods you can try as well. Since foxes are particularly sensitive to strong scents, you’ll find things like:
- Citrus fruits
- Garlic
- Chilli powder
- Coffee grounds
- Vinegar
- Peppermint oil
Can be used to deter foxes. This is best done by spraying or laying down the ground. Experts have also suggested predator urine is highly effective – but we don’t want you re-enacting Jurassic Park!
Block Off Den Sites
Foxes are always on the lookout for shelter, and will often dig or find shelter under sheds, decks or other structures. Once they’re in, it’s difficult to get them out again until the breeding season is over, so you’ll want to be proactive with this one. Block off any vulnerable spots with fencing, bricks or mesh to discourage them from being used as dens.
If You Want To Help The Foxes
It’s important to remember that foxes are a natural part of our ecosystem. Official guidance says we should be tolerant of urban foxes, since their numbers are on the decline. Most of the year this is fairly easy, since foxes live solitary lives except during breeding season. Cubs are born from late March through to the beginning of May, so many mums are still looking after their cubs at the moment, on the hunt for extra food. If they’re not causing damage, our best advice is to leave them to it. Of course, you might want to help and support the foxes! Especially if they’re looking a little thin or like they have mange. You can leave food out for foxes (dog food is best), and if you see one that’s looking ill you can ask a vet to prescribe medicine for mange. Just keep an eye on their behaviour if you decide to do this – encouraging them in might mean they cause problems in your neighbour’s gardens!
Whether you love spotting foxes in your garden or would rather they kept their distance, there are plenty of practical and humane ways to manage their presence. From securing bins and removing tempting food sources to blocking den sites and using natural deterrents, small changes can make a big difference. Remember, foxes are part of our shared environment – and while they can be a nuisance at times, they’re also fascinating, clever creatures just trying to survive. By taking a balanced approach, you can protect your garden while still respecting the wildlife that calls our towns and cities home. And if you need some help, just give us a call!
