How do I get rid of foxes?
Rachel Ellis
Published Jan 21, 2026
If you'd rather not host a fox (or a family of) in your garden, there are some simple tricks you can try.
- Keep it tidy. ...
- Install a fence. ...
- Deter pests with prickle strips. ...
- Add lights to your garden. ...
- Install motion-activated sprinklers. ...
- Try an ultrasonic fox repellent.
What smells do fox hate?
Attack The Fox's Sense Of Smell
Using natural ingredients like chilli peppers, garlic and capsaicin will keep the foxes away. Try boiling the chilli pepper and garlic with some water, then mix it in a blender. Spray this mixture anywhere in your garden that you don't want foxes to go near.
How do I get rid of foxes fast?
Food, water, safety and shelter all need to be removed to deter foxes from your property. Spray your garden with fox repellents. There are different options available for this. However, we recommend trying vinegar, and male fox urine as their strong sense of smell quickly picks up these.
What will keep a fox away?
These foxes can easily be scared away by making loud noises such as yelling or blowing whistles, dousing them with water houses or squirt guns or throwing objects such as tennis balls toward them.
Does vinegar keep foxes away?
Use a Solution of White Vinegar
Much like wolves and coyotes, foxes are known to dislike the scent of white vinegar. Although usually reserved for cooking or baking, cleaning, or washing, it is also used for predator control.
17 related questions foundHow do I stop foxes coming into my garden?
How To Deter Foxes From Your Garden: Tips and Tricks
- Mark Your Territory. Scent marking (usually with urine) is one of the number one ways foxes know which areas are free to claim as territory and which patches already belong to someone. ...
- Tidy Up. ...
- Check Your Bins. ...
- Feed Pets Indoors. ...
- Use Flashing Lights & Sprinklers.
How do I get rid of foxes in my garden UK?
Keep hedging/bushes and trees trimmed and the grass cut regularly. If you can see an area where they like to hide or sleep, place something large in front of it, keep disturbing the area. Eventually, they will not want to use it. Invest in a humane water-based deterrent.
Will a fox keep coming back?
If you have a pond, fountain, or swimming pool in your garden don't be surprised if you get some thirsty night-time visitors. Foxes, like most animals, are drawn to safe sources of water and will return time and time again.
How do you keep foxes away from your property?
If foxes are a persistent problem, consider installing a motion-activated light, sprinkler or noisemaker. Banging on a pot or pan, shouting or playing a radio are all good methods for discouraging an occasional fox visitor.
How can I get rid of foxes around my house?
- Before You Begin…
- STEP 1: Identify any damage or dens.
- STEP 2: Remove food and shelters from the property.
- STEP 3: Control any rodents, if they're present.
- STEP 4: Disturb foxes with mild, inexpensive methods.
- STEP 5: Use automated electronic repellents.
- STEP 6: Fence in a garden.
- STEP 7: Contact a professional.
Will human urine deter foxes?
Will Human Urine Deter Foxes? Yes, human urine can deter foxes from your yard, although a male dog's urine would work better.
Can you poison a fox?
Do not be tempted to try to poison foxes as this can put other animals (pets, wild birds etc) and humans at risk. People who do use poisons illegally can face substantial fines and/or a prison sentence. If you need practical help with foxes you should contact a pest control professional for advice.
Will council get rid of foxes?
While local councils have certain legal duties to control pests such as rats and mice there is no legal duty to control urban foxes.
How do I stop foxes pooping in my garden UK?
To stop foxes pooing in gardens, make your garden as clear and tidy as possible. Foxes like overgrown areas as they provide shelter and places to hide. As well as cutting back plants, also tidy away objects that foxes find interesting, like old shoes and gardening gloves.
How do I get rid of foxes under my shed?
Foxes are easily startled, so you can start with some simple deterrents, like helium balloons tied near the entrance of the den to convince the fox that the area isn't safe. Spraying a predator's urine around your shed is another method for evicting foxes from their den.
What to do if you have a fox in your yard?
Here's What to Do Once You See a Fox in Your Yard
- Identify what the foxes are attracted to in your yard.
- Make sure all garbage and compost is properly sealed.
- Install a motion sensor water sprinkler in front of the fox's area of interest.
What time do foxes come out?
Foxes are active throughout the year and do not hibernate. They're predominantly nocturnal, with a tendency towards crepuscularity (i.e. peaks of activity around dusk and dawn) and, although diurnal (daytime) activity is common in some areas, foxes typically spend the day resting in cover.
What kills foxes in the UK?
You can shoot free foxes using a suitable firearm and ammunition. You shouldn't use firearms in urban areas for reasons of public safety. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation has a code of practice on shooting foxes at night(lamping).
How do you stop foxes from screaming?
An incredibly popular and successful fox repellent that more and more people seem to be buying to deal with keeping screaming foxes out of their garden is Contech ScareCrow Fox Repellent device, which uses a motion sensor and sprays out a jet of water which startles and frightens the fox.
Do fence spikes stop foxes?
Wall spikes are perfect for placing on top of both fences and walls, place on the vertical sides of walls/fences to prevent climbing. These are humane, affordable and easy to fix in place, they work very well at stopping foxes from scrambling over barriers.
What foods are poisonous to foxes?
Grapes and raisins cause kidney problems in foxes. Onion type plants can be toxic to animals. Pits and seeds from apples, cherries, and peaches can turn into trace amounts of cyanide when digested, it's best to avoid them.
What is poisonous to a fox?
Strychnine is the best poison to kill foxes. However, permission may be required to use it. It can be added to a bait such as chunk of meat which when consumed by fox would result in death. Foxoff is pre-poisoned bait with a small amount of sodium fluroacetate in it.
Can I shoot foxes in my garden?
Is it legal to kill foxes? Foxes don't have protected legal status, so it's not an offence to shoot them - provided you have the landowner's permission and the relevant firearms licence. Some other methods of killing, like using poisons, are illegal however.
Do foxes stay in the same area?
Overall, it seems that foxes focus most of their time at specific parts of their range (generally feeding and resting spots), so they may move several kilometres, but stay in a relatively small area, often using only part of their range.
Why do foxes scream at night?
To summarize, most male foxes scream and wail at night mostly to claim their territory and ward off other foxes, whereas female foxes scream in order to attract males during the mating season.