Foxes. Love or hate?

Now I wasn't sure whether to post this in here, in wildlife, or in pests!
I know some people have a real thing about foxes in their garden, but I love them.
Looking out from the kitchen window yesterday, I saw not one, but TWO of these beautiful creatures. Their thick red coats looked amazing against the white of the snow.
I've had a return visit from one of them (or could be a totally different one of course) today, and I'm looking forward to seeing much more of them

 

I don't think I could ever love them. Its taken a lot of years for me to learn not to hate them. That's probably as good as it gets with me.

 

I know they cause a lot of damage sometimes, but they're such beautiful creatures.
I'm a sucker for cute furry things. I like squirrels too!!

 

i am with clueless on this tolerate not liked .... but i will concede that they are a handsome creature

 

Beautiful animals, fun to watch on TV - especially the cubs. But, in real life I'm afraid they cause us so many headaches and have killed so many ducks, hens and geese over the years that I hate to see them anywhere near now

 

I'm inclined to agree with Clueless and Kaz here.

They are a nuisance in my garden. Apart from the fact that they're always looking for an opportunity to slaughter my chickens (which has happened in the past), they have a tendency to randomly dig very large holes in the middle of my vegetable patch, often uprooting and destroying several plants in the process.

I've had to give up completely on using blood, fish & bone as a general fertilizer in the veg patch (which always gave excellent results), as this simply encouraged them to dig even more holes.

 

I keep ducks and hens, so my answer is most likely "predictable".

In rural areas, it would seem they do not cause the same "massacres" of poulty that they tend to commit in suburban areas?

The house I now live in, the previous owners positively encouraged these "sweet/cute/beautiful" creatures: indeed, I believe there was a den in my copse area at one point.

If they killed for food, that (to my mind) would be acceptable/natural/forgivable. However, they do not stop at merely killing for food; they do it for sport!

May 2010 - five hens taken in the night (clearly more than a morsel!)
February 2011 - mid-day, no more than 12 feet away from me, bright sunshine: a fox trapped one of my hens within his jaws while I was out there! (Until I became the epitome of a banshee and scared it off )

I do believe there is a difference in behaviour between an urban fox and a rural fox.

I do not encourage urban foxes. (That is not the same as saying I would harm one )

I do not encourage them; I protect my flocks as best as I can from them; and, I appreciate they are one of natures gifts in the same way all life is and hold a healthy respect for them for that reason.

I think tigers are "cute furry" creatures: I won't be encouraging one of those into my garden any time soon

Love? Nope
Hate? Nope
(Both far too simplistic and opposite ends of the spectrum)
Respect? Yes; a healthy respect for *any* species.

 

Not living in the country I enjoy any form of wildlife that enters my garden.
Foxes are no worse than domestic ****, (not allowed to say that word on here ), for making a mess of the garden.
Only difference is, the fox is trying to survive.

 

We sometimes get fixes in the garden. When I come home from a night shift I often stand and watch them for half an hour. Especially the mischievous cubs. I'm in the like camp. It may be different if I kept chickens and they were taking them though so I do sympathise with this.

Rusty

 

When we moved into this house (about 14 years ago) the garden hadn't been looked after, and there were foxes living under a large derelict shed at the bottom. It wasn't safe, so we had to knock it down.
I guess the ones that I see now are urban ones, though I'm not far from countryside, so they could be either.
I agree with Pete, that when you don't actually live in the country, it's nice to see any form of wildlife in your garden

 

Welcome to GC Rosa.

I love foxes, they are such beautiful creatures but sadly we haven't got any here on the island. Out at night I still expect to see them even though I've lived here twenty years.

 

Thanks for the welcome Sheal
Are there no foxes on the Isle of Man then at all?
I guess it's too far for them to swim!