A vet has warned that foxes should never be hand-fed or approached closely, as they can carry parasites and conditions like mange.
Nicola Bryden, vet at online veterinary pharmacy VetMedi.co.uk, said: "Foxes can carry parasites and conditions like mange, so you should never hand-feed them or get too close. If you do put food out, offer small portions of wet dog/cat food or cooked meat alongside a shallow bowl of fresh water - water is often much harder for urban foxes to find than food."
Overfeeding can be harmful
Bryden also advised putting out only a few nibbles. She said: "Overfeeding foxes can be harmful. While putting out small amounts of food on occasion isn't inherently bad, feeding them too much or giving them frequent treats causes them to become dependent on humans and suppresses their natural foraging instincts."
Another risk with putting a lot of food out is that a peckish fox may end up raiding your larder. The animal expert said: "It can also make foxes unnaturally bold, encouraging them to search closer to houses, venture indoors through open doors or cause a nuisance in neighbouring gardens."
Legal protections
For those who prefer that neighbouring foxes stay away from their green space, it's important to know the legal protections that apply to these crepuscular creatures:
- You cannot interfere with or block off a fox den that is in use. However, you can take steps to seal off any areas where foxes may set up a den.
- You can only use legal deterrents to keep foxes away from your garden. You must not put down poison to stop them.
Snack time
Foxes are resourceful scavengers and will eat a variety of things. The RSPCA website says they will tuck into a range of nibbles, including proteins such as birds, rabbits, rodents, frogs, worms, invertebrates and carrion (dead or decaying animals), as well as fungus, plants, berries, cherries, apples, pears, tubers, acorns and grass.
