Fox Repellents – Humane Wildlife Removal

What are different types of fox repellents and do they work?

No one wants to have foxes around their property. They kill small animals such as chickens and pollute the environment that they live in. This is not to say that they can attack humans and household pets if they come across them. It is no wonder homeowners often want them away from their properties as soon as they are discovered. There are many methods of repelling foxes on the market today. Some of these methods work while others do not. Below are some of the methods used to repel foxes.

Taste Repellents

One of the popular methods of repelling foxes is using taste repellents. Food substances with spicy properties such as pepper, garlic, yellow onions, and so on can help to repel foxes. Generally, foxes hate the taste of these things and they will stay away from places where they can taste them. These ingredients can be mixed together in a spray bottle and sprayed around your property to keep foxes out. This method, although it seems to work, requires constant reapplication as the effect wears off quite fast.

Scent Repellents

Another thing that repels foxes are substances that offend their smell. Foxes hunt basically with the use of their noses and so they do not like sharp smells that throw their sense of smell off balance. Strong smelling substances such as ammonia and citronella can have a burning effect when inhaled. Foxes are territorial and will not go near a place if they sense the presence of a predator. Urine is one of the signs used to mark territories by animals therefore this method could work in ensuring that foxes stay away. Again, the problem with this method is that it needs constant reapplication as the effect wears off quickly. Another downside to this method is the fact that ammonia has a pungent smell which can be offensive to humans and household pets. The chemicals in these substances can also potentially cause serious health issues. Children are also at risk of mistakenly ingesting repellent if they come into contact with it.

Fences

Another option to consider when trying to repel foxes are fences. They mark the perimeter of your property and help keep wildlife out. The fence is constructed by building trenches around the property, usually about 1 foot wide and deep. A wire mesh is then carefully placed in the trench and covered up. Foxes are great jumpers, therefore, the fence needs to be as tall as possible. Many homeowners use electric fences for added protection.

The fox will be zapped with low current electricity if it tries to enter the property. The downside to this is that it is very expensive to construct and maintain. There is also the fact that children and pets can get injured or electrocuted if they get close to the fence.

Ultrasonic Repellents

This repellent has pros and cons. On one hand, it may work well to deter foxes from your property by mimicking sounds that are unpleasant to their ears (sometimes, even predator sounds). The downside to these ultrasonic devices is that as much as they work to repel foxes if you have a dog around, it also gets uncomfortable for the dog. Dogs are very much in the same family as foxes, they therefore mostly have the same predators and can hear the same offensive sounds.