NFWS Sarcoptic Mange Site

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Fox Problems

General Issues

Whilst advocating both town and country foxes our Society realises that foxes can and do cause problems. Problems can range from householders having their flower beds dug up, foxes fouling on their lawns and setting up home under garden sheds. More serious problems can include foxes taking livestock and pets i.e. rabbits and guinea pigs. Hopefully the following will help resolve many of the problems mentioned and also allay any concerns regarding health issues.

Disease

Weil's Disease

Firstly, foxes are not considered by law as Vermin. This categorisation gives one the impression that foxes carry diseases that can easily pass on to man. Since 1990 - 1996 there have been 85 cases of Weil's disease in humans. Whilst it is possible for foxes to carry the infection their role in human disease is likely to be very small if at all. Transmission is usually through contact with the urine of infected animals (usually rats) or water contaminated with urine.

Dr. Robert Smith at CDSC could not recall any cases with which foxes were known or thought to be associated.

Toxacariasis

Transmission to humans is through ingestion of viable eggs from contaminated faeces. Eggs require 10 - 14 days maturation in soil before they become infective and are killed by desiccation. Human cases can range from a symptomatic infection to eye infection. Humans are not carriers and infection is treatable once identified. Simple hygiene precautions such as worming both cats and dogs regularly and the disposal of their faeces by burning or throwing in the garbage.

Professor Stephen Harris at Bristol University states in his book 'Urban Foxes' that; Fox cubs by three to four months of age have developed a degree of immunity to roundworm.

Sarcoptic Mange

It is often thought that the Sarcoptic mite (Sarcoptes scabeii) that causes mange in foxes, dogs, squirrels, hedgehogs is the same mite that causes Scabies in people; this is not so. Whilst Canine Mange, often wrongly called fox mange can bring out an allergic reaction in people, the mite needs specific hosts to feed and breed on. If dogs come into contact with mange they can usually be easily treated at the vets.

Problems

Fouling

One of the most common complaints we receive is from people wanting advice on how to discourage foxes from fouling on their lawns and digging up the flower beds.

One way to discourage foxes from digging would be to avoid using bone meal around the garden. When foxes find an abundance of food, rather than waste it they bury it. When they come across the smell of bone meal around plants they assume wrongly that food has been cached so dig down.

Also avoid putting food out for birds or hedgehogs as any food source will be taken readily by the foxes.

If you suspect that foxes are living under your shed and you don't want them there these are the steps to take.

Step 1) To ensure foxes are using the underneath of your shed make sure to locate all the holes. Foxes invariably have two holes, a front door and a back door if you like.

Step 2) On discovering all the holes and on the basis there are two holes get two bundles of rags. Loosely block both holes with the rags. If the rags haven't moved for two - three days, you can safely assume that nothing is going into the hole and nothing is coming out. It is therefore safe to fill in.

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Mange Treatment

Got a fox visiting your garden suffering from Sarcoptic Mange, then please visit our mange pages for help and free treatment.