Urban foxes are a nuisance pest with behaviour that includes eating pet food, raiding rubbish bins, defecating or digging in gardens, and chewing infrastructure such as garden hoses and irrigation systems. Foxes cause significant distress when they prey on domestic pets such as small dogs and cats, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs and aviary birds and can spread parasites and diseases such as distemper to domestic animals and pets. Foxes carry diseases that are also transmissible to humans such as Sarcoptic mange, hydatids and leptospirosis.
Foxes have few natural predators in Australia and they have a reputation for preying upon native wildlife and other protected indigenous species. Foxes inhabit many suburban areas, especially where there is cover provided by parklands and reserves and where food is easy to find. They can also be found in the suburbs of most large Australian cities.
European settlers introduced the red fox into Australia for sporting purposes in the 1850s, with most releases being around Melbourne.
Within 20 years of their introduction, foxes had been declared a pest species in Victoria. Within 100 years, foxes had reached their current distribution and range over 75 per cent of the continent. The spread of foxes is strongly linked to the spread of rabbits, another European introduced species.
Fox Treatment details, warranty & cost
We have standardized charges as follows:
Single day trapping
From $200.00 + gst per day
Average 3 bedroom house/townhouse
Must be quoted
Please note: Foxes will often travel up to 10 - 15 km within their home range, revisiting sites of interest several times each night. By day, foxes usually rest in dens which may be a hollow log or tree, an enlarged rabbit burrow or in dense undergrowth. A fox may use several resting sites within its home range, and they do not necessarily return to the same site each day. This can make assessing and managing fox activity quite challenging at the best of times. Depending on the extent of the issue, the particular type of structure in question, the area of fox activity and any other contributing environmental factors we would recommend a minimum initial 3 – 5 day trapping program.
During this period, we can ascertain the extent of the activity, the habits of the fox(es) and make recommendations for their exclusion and if required destruction of the animals and their dens where possible. Due to the erratic behaviour of these pest animals and the uniqueness of each individual site we may not be able to offer warranties with any trapping or exclusion works. Our prices are fixed regardless of success in trapping. However, we are here to provide our expertise and knowledge and problem solve your issue to the best of our ability.
Pest Signs... What to look for...
“These nocturnal creatures are cautious, and hide in concealed locations, so you may not even be aware you have a problem until it’s too late”.
While you may not be able to see them….Look for:
Their droppings - Foxes use scent markings with urine, scats (droppings)
Tracks - and paw prints may be visible in mud or dust
Burrows/Dens
Behaviour - Foxes are chiefly nocturnal hunters, being most active in the evenings and early mornings.
Sounds - Foxes have a broad repertoire of around 28 vocalisations. Calls are made in greeting, excitement, as a threat, in defence, while fighting, as an acknowledgment of inferiority or submission, as a warning or alarm, in social contact and in defence of territories.
Rub Marks - check around possible entry holes for greasy rub marks created from repeated contact with their fur
Urine – a pungent urine smell may be evident in garden areas and faint urine stains may be present.
Excited Pets – an obsessed dog or cat may be the first sign of a problem if they sense the presence of foxes.
Red Fox
(Vulpes vulpes)
Foxes are members of the Canidae family and are related to dogs, jackals, coyotes and wolves. There are 21 different species of fox throughout the world, although only the Red Fox is found in Australia.
The red fox has big ears, a bushy tail and a variable coat colour and pattern. They are reddish-brown on top with a whitish chin, throat, chest and belly. Foxes have a distinctive tip on their tail, usually white but can often be black or dark red. Foxes have a narrow chest, long legs and have long, high-set, moveable claws which remain sharp and make foxes excellent climbers and burrowers.
Whilst fox size varies, males typically weigh 4 to 8 kilograms and females 4 to 6 kilograms.
More Information
Red fox cubs are generally born in Dens during August to September but litters have been found in hollow trees, rock crevices and under houses.
The female fox (vixen) remains in the birth den for the first two weeks to feed, protect and provide warmth for the cubs.
Vixens wean their cubs at five to eight weeks after which time the cubs emerge from the den at around six weeks of age and by 8-10 weeks the cubs abandon the den and live on the surface.
At three months of age the juveniles hunt for small animals and gradually gain independence by January - February.
Young foxes are sexually mature by 9-10 months with 85 per cent of young females breeding in the first year.
Foxes are short lived in the wild with about 60 per cent mortality occurring in the first year of life. Most surviving foxes live to around two years of age with only approximately three per cent of foxes living to five years.
Vixens mate once a year with mating occurring over a 3 to 7- week period from mid - June to the end of July.
Fox litter size varies from 3 to 5 cubs per vixen with 85-97 per cent of vixens pregnant each season. Pregnancy lasts for 51-53 days and cubs are born early August to late September.
Foxes are highly adaptable, opportunistic feeders eating meat, insects and plant materials. Foxes hunt and scavenge, mostly eating meat and taking a wide variety of vertebrate or invertebrate prey, plant material and human refuse.
Foxes may travel up to 10-15 km per night within their home range, revisiting sites of interest several times a night. By day, foxes usually rest in hides which may be a hollow log or tree, an enlarged rabbit burrow or dense undergrowth. A fox may use several resting sites within its home range and does not necessarily return to the same site each day.
Foxes exhibit surplus killing behaviour defined as, killing prey at a rate beyond the immediate requirements of the predator. Surplus killing appears to reflect ineffective anti-predator defences by the prey species when they are unlucky enough to encounter a new and ad far more superior predator.
Red foxes have long, sharp teeth, very quick reflexes and kill by multiple bites around the head and neck.
Birds and poultry that fall prey to fox attack may only have the head and neck eaten.
Prevention tips
We can advise you on ways to help fox proof your home and minimise the likelihood of foxes returning such as:
Harbour management where applicable
Trapping
Fumigation by use of Decon-fume
Exclusion Fencing
Property Hygiene
First aid information:
Important: The following information is provided as a guide only and should not in any way be relied upon or used as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are in any doubt in regards to a physical reaction you are experiencing as the result of a pest related encounter, please consult a doctor or medical professional immediately.
foxes are equipped with large, sharp incisor teeth and can administer painful bites. The saliva of foxes carries hazardous disease causing bacteria.
Red foxes have long, sharp teeth, very quick reflexes and kill by inflicting multiple deep bites around the head and neck.
The common symptoms of a fox bite are pain, redness and swelling around the bite area and, if bacterial infection occurs, a weeping pus around wound. All fox bites should be promptly and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Tetanus and rabies immunizations may be required for those who are not up to date.
If you experience any of the following symptoms after being Bitten:
difficulty breathing
wheezing
vomiting
nausea or diarrhoea
feeling faint or dizzy
swollen face or mouth
problems swallowing
asthmatic or any other type of allergic reaction
Then seek medical attentionimmediately.
Commercial Information
Foxes regularly create big problems for Government and Commercial organizations. They are disease carriers and are rapid breeders. Foxes regularly destroy stock and feed and can contaminate food stocks. Foxes are scavenger/predators and when natural food sources become scarce their behaviour becomes more brazen. This is when foxes pose a greater threat to the general public and your employees through direct contact and even attack.
We have an unbeaten, proven track record in commercial Fox control. We provide our customers with the peace of mind that comes with dependable year-round guaranteed protection backed by up by a no-questions asked, results based service. If you require an immediate response to a current pest problem or perhaps you’re simply reassessing an existing strategy. Call us, we’re here to help you.
‘A One size fits all’ approach does not apply in Fox control…
Based on a comprehensive assessment of your premises and factoring in its unique environmental conditions, we can develop a customised protection plan that suits your individual requirements. Prevention of any pest problem is the ideal and achievable goal. Our technicians can implement immediate, targeted control programs, in key harbourage areas, and advise you on proactive physical exclusion techniques. We also provide guidance and monitoring strategies that focus on non-chemical environmental control methods that enable us to achieve these goals.
The identification of Fox ‘hot spots’ through regular detailed monitoring is an integral part of any proactive eradication strategy.
The treatment plan begins with a thorough inspection of the property establishing the particular species of Fox causing the problem and the location of their breeding and harbourage areas. Our highly trained pest management technicians can then prepare a Fox treatment plan that will eradicate the current infestation as well as providing recommendations and practical measures for the long term control of this dangerous feral pest.
Stringent health and safety regulations apply to the control and management of pest’s in business and commercial situations. Maintaining that control relies on regular monitoring, targeted strategies and effective communication between all stakeholders across the entire pest control process.
No matter what industry you’re in we have a pest control solution for you. The exposure of your customers and staff to unhealthy and potentially dangerous pest situations can seriously compromise your business - and ultimately impact your bottom line.
Your hard earned and well-deserved reputation is everything and complacency can result in an outbreak that will tarnish the reputation of even the most trusted establishment.
Pests problems result in the following problems:
Production interruptions and costly delays
The spread of illness and disease
Contamination and loss of stock
Breach of health regulations
Destruction of materials and inventory
Damage to amenities
Decreased employee productivity and increased absenteeism
Negative customer experience
The treatment of Foxes is an integrated effort that involves habitat and source eradication coupled with the use of trapping and chemical control products as needed. This may include modification to the vegetation sites that adult Foxes use for harbourage and breeding purposes.
Fox population control is dependent upon the availability of breeding habitats and the particulartargetspecies, as well as many other factors. Should you experience Fox problems in your working environment, contact us to discuss the options.
We hold public liability insurance of $20 million and professional indemnity insurance of $500,000 for your piece of mind. An insurance certificate is available on request.
Possum catchers are fully compliant with all the necessary statutory and mandatory requirements relating to the Wildlife Act 1975 and all our staff are fully trained in all aspects of the Occupational health and safety act's systems and controls.
We are licenced Type 1 Commercial Wildlife Controllers and have nationally recognised qualifications in Cert III Asset Maintenance as well as full accreditation in all pest management systems Cert IV General pest & Termite Management.
We also hold the following Industry Accreditations: EWP Operator licence – (Yellow Card scissor and boom lift), Victorian Construction Induction - White Card, Working at Heights licenced, current accreditation Working with Children.
Simply call 03 8840 9572 to speak with us directly or fill in the Contact Us form and we’ll respond to your enquiry in a timely fashion.
Fox Trapping and Removal
Order : Canidae
Introduction
Urban foxes are a nuisance pest with behaviour that includes eating pet food, raiding rubbish bins, defecating or digging in gardens, and chewing infrastructure such as garden hoses and irrigation systems. Foxes cause significant distress when they prey on domestic pets such as small dogs and cats, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs and aviary birds and can spread parasites and diseases such as distemper to domestic animals and pets. Foxes carry diseases that are also transmissible to humans such as Sarcoptic mange, hydatids and leptospirosis.
Foxes have few natural predators in Australia and they have a reputation for preying upon native wildlife and other protected indigenous species. Foxes inhabit many suburban areas, especially where there is cover provided by parklands and reserves and where food is easy to find. They can also be found in the suburbs of most large Australian cities.
European settlers introduced the red fox into Australia for sporting purposes in the 1850s, with most releases being around Melbourne.
Within 20 years of their introduction, foxes had been declared a pest species in Victoria. Within 100 years, foxes had reached their current distribution and range over 75 per cent of the continent. The spread of foxes is strongly linked to the spread of rabbits, another European introduced species.
Fox Treatment details, warranty & cost
We have standardized charges as follows:
Pest Signs... What to look for...
“These nocturnal creatures are cautious, and hide in concealed locations, so you may not even be aware you have a problem until it’s too late”.
While you may not be able to see them….Look for:
Red Fox
(Vulpes vulpes)
Foxes are members of the Canidae family and are related to dogs, jackals, coyotes and wolves. There are 21 different species of fox throughout the world, although only the Red Fox is found in Australia.
The red fox has big ears, a bushy tail and a variable coat colour and pattern. They are reddish-brown on top with a whitish chin, throat, chest and belly. Foxes have a distinctive tip on their tail, usually white but can often be black or dark red. Foxes have a narrow chest, long legs and have long, high-set, moveable claws which remain sharp and make foxes excellent climbers and burrowers.
Whilst fox size varies, males typically weigh 4 to 8 kilograms and females 4 to 6 kilograms.
More Information
Prevention tips
First aid information:
Important: The following information is provided as a guide only and should not in any way be relied upon or used as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are in any doubt in regards to a physical reaction you are experiencing as the result of a pest related encounter, please consult a doctor or medical professional immediately.
If you experience any of the following symptoms after being Bitten:
Then seek medical attention immediately.
Commercial Information
Foxes regularly create big problems for Government and Commercial organizations. They are disease carriers and are rapid breeders. Foxes regularly destroy stock and feed and can contaminate food stocks. Foxes are scavenger/predators and when natural food sources become scarce their behaviour becomes more brazen. This is when foxes pose a greater threat to the general public and your employees through direct contact and even attack.
We have an unbeaten, proven track record in commercial Fox control. We provide our customers with the peace of mind that comes with dependable year-round guaranteed protection backed by up by a no-questions asked, results based service. If you require an immediate response to a current pest problem or perhaps you’re simply reassessing an existing strategy. Call us, we’re here to help you.
‘A One size fits all’ approach does not apply in Fox control…
Based on a comprehensive assessment of your premises and factoring in its unique environmental conditions, we can develop a customised protection plan that suits your individual requirements. Prevention of any pest problem is the ideal and achievable goal. Our technicians can implement immediate, targeted control programs, in key harbourage areas, and advise you on proactive physical exclusion techniques. We also provide guidance and monitoring strategies that focus on non-chemical environmental control methods that enable us to achieve these goals.
The identification of Fox ‘hot spots’ through regular detailed monitoring is an integral part of any proactive eradication strategy.
The treatment plan begins with a thorough inspection of the property establishing the particular species of Fox causing the problem and the location of their breeding and harbourage areas. Our highly trained pest management technicians can then prepare a Fox treatment plan that will eradicate the current infestation as well as providing recommendations and practical measures for the long term control of this dangerous feral pest.
Stringent health and safety regulations apply to the control and management of pest’s in business and commercial situations. Maintaining that control relies on regular monitoring, targeted strategies and effective communication between all stakeholders across the entire pest control process.
No matter what industry you’re in we have a pest control solution for you. The exposure of your customers and staff to unhealthy and potentially dangerous pest situations can seriously compromise your business - and ultimately impact your bottom line.
Your hard earned and well-deserved reputation is everything and complacency can result in an outbreak that will tarnish the reputation of even the most trusted establishment.
Pests problems result in the following problems:
The treatment of Foxes is an integrated effort that involves habitat and source eradication coupled with the use of trapping and chemical control products as needed. This may include modification to the vegetation sites that adult Foxes use for harbourage and breeding purposes.
Fox population control is dependent upon the availability of breeding habitats and the particular target species, as well as many other factors. Should you experience Fox problems in your working environment, contact us to discuss the options.
Simply call 03 8840 9572 to speak with us directly or fill in the Contact Us form and we’ll respond to your enquiry in a timely fashion.