Deterring foxes

[Howard cordingley]

Hi All.
I try keep my rabbit secure and safe at all times and go to extreme lengths to deter foxes. I wondered if any one has suggestions on how they keep them away from hutches. Mine is double meshed padlocked and at night vi use a misted plastic screen in front of hutch so rabbit can’t see a fox and vice versa. I have a blink camera in too which alerts me. Am I being too cautious?

 

[hasek39]

Hey Howard,

I don't have much knowledge about fox deterrents. In regards to you asking if you're being to cautious, I will say absolutely not. The reason being, even if your set up is overkill, it's giving you peace of mind.

Below are a couple ideas if you want more "protection".

Here's a homemade spray that may work:
https://www.ehow.com/how_6911686_homemade-repellent-fox.html
And this may also be an option:
https://www.amazon.com/motion-sensor-sprinkler/s?k=motion+sensor+sprinkler

 

[Howard cordingley]

Thank you for your reply I will look at these definately

 

[Preitler]

What worked for me best was a second fence, just around the hutches. I designed the door so that it could be used as trap door with a trigger inside - well, messing with an engineer can have some unusual consequences

I had some problems with foxes, the first one was a desperate, mange ridden one that got 4 of my rabbits while I was in the US, I caught that inside a then empty hutch. The second one was a healthy young one that got trapped inside the fence (alarm failed, but I got it on camera), did get out after quite some time and was never seen again - that's the best solution for me that the fox whos territory is here is properly scared, that one had no good experiences with rabbits.

I put up a wildlife camera somewhat out now and then to see what's going on, if a fox or marten comes too close for comfort again I think I'll hook up a motion detector with something loud, like the circular saw, or a hose with electric valve (I scavanged one from a broken washing mashine for that purpose - I avoid buying stuff if I can improvise).

Meanwhile, following the advice of an old hunter, I occasionally keep marking the wood and meadow boundarys of my property in a more natural way , seems to work, no problems with predators besides rats for 3 years now although they are definitly around.
I also take care to not leave anything out there that would attract them.

 

[Howard cordingley]

Wow what a good reply really interesting. Do rats kill rabbits

 

[Preitler]

Last summer a rat killed 4 out of 5 kits in a litter before I got it ( I built "The Rat Snap Trap From Hell", utilizing the spring fom a bicycle luggage carrier, I'm quite nervous when setting it. Commercial ones here are somerwhat lame), adult rabbits should be safe - a neighbours angora doe with the sweetest personality I've ever seen actually killed 2 rats over the years. But that's pretty rare, I reckon. Rats are a big problem for kits because they can get where other predators don't fit. That rat widened a slot in the wooden grate floor to get to the nest.