Foxes are loveable but not everyone might feel comfortable with sharing their garden with them. “If foxes aren't welcome in the garden you can start by removing anything which is attracting them e.g. food and overgrown areas. If that doesn't work then there are deterrent products you can buy to encourage them to move on,” Sarah told us about the friendliest ways to ask foxes to leave if for some reason you don’t want them there.
“If you enjoy foxes visiting, it's fine to put a little food out for them, but don't let them get reliant on your handouts and it's best not to let them associate people with food,” she added. “Food should be scattered around the garden before the foxes come out so they don't see you doing it, not placed in a bowl, and definitely never try to hand feed foxes. A fox that is too comfortable with people might behave in ways that upset people who don't like them, leading to the fox being harmed.”
Foxes are incredible animals and one of their most defining features is their majestic tail. They use their tails to communicate with one another and to keep balance while hunting their lunch (which can be anything from fish and frogs to rodents and roots). Foxes also use their tails to stay warm at night.
Just like cats, foxes have great night vision which helps them navigate in the dark and chase down their midnight snacks in case they feel peckish. Their gorgeous ears aren’t just for show, either: they can hear a watch ticking from 40 yards (that’s nearly 37 meters) away.
In an earlier interview with Bored Panda, Sarah told us even more about foxes and what to do if you encounter a wild one.
“Foxes are very smart, probably a similar level of 'smartness' to dogs,” Sarah said. “They're not, despite the common perception, especially cunning though. Like dogs, they're really playful and can often be seen playing with random objects much like a dog plays with toys.”
According to Sarah, if you do see a fox in the wild, it’s best to admire it from a distance and enjoy the view. “It's never a good idea to try and pet or tame a wild animal,” she warned.
“It's ok to put a little food out sometimes but it's best not to let them associate people with food or to feed them so much or so often that they become dependent on you.”
Sarah also pointed out that there’s a certain possibility of catching some sort of disease from any wild animal. “What really determines the level of risk is how much contact you have with them since any disease needs close proximity to be transmitted really. So as long as you treat foxes as the wild animals they are and leave them alone, there is virtually no risk of you catching anything from them.”
