Fox repellents typically contain ingredients like peppers, garlic, vinegar, or citrus. Orange and lemon peels are also effective at keeping foxes away. There are many options for deterring a fox, including mothballs, potent smells, fencing, and other items you can place around your yard to scare them off.
One of the best and most humane ways to keep foxes away, though, is to create an environment that is unappealing to the fox. Foxes are nocturnal animals that love the quiet.
Eliminating food sources will help keep foxes away as they usually come onto human properties to find food. Keeping pet food inside, protecting your garden and livestock, and eliminating water sources such as fountains are one of several steps you can take to keep foxes away.
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Best fox deterrents for your yard
You can use natural, homemade fox deterrents out of items you may already have in your home. You can grind garlic cloves and mix them with water as a DIY fox repellent. Using garlic seasoning is another alternative to using cloves. Spray the mixture on your yard, which is safe because garlic does not hurt plants.
You can also create a spray out of cayenne or chili powder. Mix the powder with some water, and then spray the solution around your property.
Having a fence around your yard will protect your area from foxes as they are not skilled at climbing. Wired fences and electric fences are especially protective.
Even though they are not great climbers, foxes do dig their way into yards. So bury the fence deep and in an L-shape underground, making it more challenging for the fox to get through underground.
Motion sensor items in your yard will help deter foxes and other critters. Motion detector lights, sprinklers, and alarms will scare off foxes. Flashing lights will frighten foxes, so hanging led lights is an option for fox control.
Solar-powered lights make your yard less appealing to foxes since they love the darkness. Ultrasonic animal repellers can be placed in your yard, creating a high-frequency sound that annoys foxes.
Hanging reflective tape may deter foxes and other wildlife, making it a useful pest control option. Light reflects off the tape while the tape moves in the wind, which annoys and scares foxes.
Does vinegar keep foxes away?
Vinegar, especially white vinegar, will keep foxes away. They hate this smell and will avoid it.
However, vinegar harms plants and greenery, so do not apply the vinegar directly onto your yard. Instead, you can put vinegar in small bowls and spread the bowls around your house and yard.
Vinegar will deter foxes and serve as a general pest repeller, keeping other pests away, including raccoons, rabbits, and insects.
Does human urine deter foxes?
Male human urine and dog urine have been proven to repel foxes.
Since many animals use urine to mark territory, foxes smell the urine from a distance and assume the territory has been previously claimed so that they will explore elsewhere.
Some stores sell predator urine, such as coyote urine, that you can spread around your yard.
Ammonia can be used as a fox deterrent because it smells similar to urine from a pest’s perspective. Mixing ammonia with water can be combined into a spray to be used around your yard that isn’t harmful to plants.
Will mothballs deter foxes?
Mothballs will prevent foxes from staying on your property and from foxes digging holes in your yard. The scent of mothballs repels foxes and other critters such as mice.
Use caution if you use this method, though, as mothballs can be toxic to humans.
Does orange/lemon peel deter foxes?
Citrus peels and smells will deter foxes. One idea is to bury some orange or lemon peels in your garden to prevent foxes from digging holes.
This method is beneficial because it serves as a fertilizer for your plants and will repel other critters, including insects.
What smell keeps foxes away?
Foxes hate any peppery smell, and they also dislike garlic and vinegar.
Creating sprays out of these items can help deter foxes. Mixing these items with water in a spray bottle makes for a simple solution. You can add dish soap to the solution to make it stick better.
You can also sprinkle cayenne pepper around your yard as a scent that will repel foxes. If you use scents as a repellent, be sure to reapply them frequently, especially after it rains.
Foxes can be a nuisance in your yard, so using their acute sense of smell against them is a safe method to keep them away.
What attracts foxes in the first place?
Foxes can be an issue for all homeowners, whether the home is in a rural or urban area.
Many features of your home could attract a fox, one being a water source. If you have a pond nearby, a fountain, or a swimming pool, foxes may approach to drink some water.
Along with seeking a water source, foxes will enter your property in search of a food source.
Bird feeders or other food such as pet bowls will attract foxes. Trees that drop nuts and fruit will also be food sources for foxes.
Small animals such as rodents, birds, and rabbits attract foxes because foxes eat those animals. Foxes will eat eggs, so if you have laying chickens and a chicken coop, foxes may be attracted to your yard.
Foxes are skittish creatures that like to feel covered. An overgrown yard and large flowerbeds attract foxes as they can hide in your large bushes and untrimmed hedges.
Sheds and barns also attract foxes as they provide adequate hiding spaces and shelter.
Any large item, whether trash or not, may entice a fox to stay in your yard. So keeping old appliances or unused cars in your yard may attract these shy creatures, leading to a fox problem.
Leaving items out in your yard, such as bikes, tools, or shoes, will attract foxes—especially fox pups. These cubs will use your items as chew toys, and adult foxes will excrete on them to mark their territory.
Therefore, tidying up your yard by putting away items, trimming, and mowing will help keep foxes away. Secure your trash cans and eliminate other food and water sources.