Are these cute intruders friend, foe or neither?

It depends. If you have chickens, they are foes. If you have rodents in your garden, they are friends.

Friend, mostly. If you have a rabbit problem, foxes will either drive them away or hunt them. They're pretty skittish around people so they're not likely to try to bite you or anything. However, if you have a small dog or outdoor cat they could be a problem. They aren't likely to see them as prey and try to hunt them, but they might see them as competition or invaders to their territory. For what its worth, my parents used to have a pair of foxes that lived in the field/woods behind their house and they got along fine with their indoor/outdoor cats.

Mostly friends. I’ve had a mama fox have her kits under my deck for the past two years and I’m pretty sure they’re back. The kits can get very destructive—chewing on everything. (Every year I find dozens of dog toys in my backyard while the kits are growing up. We don’t have a dog.) They’ve opened up bags of mulch, soil, and compost I’ve bought for my garden.

But they kill rodents, including squirrels. (Expect to find remnants of dead animals for a few months.) And they’re super cute and play like puppies. They’re adorable. And they keep their distance, never getting too close to us humans.

They’ll be gone by the beginning of June, if not sooner.

I say 100% friend. But, yah, if you have poultry, that complicates matters, especially if the birds aren’t in a secure enclosure. But, I’m super jelly. 🥹

Beautiful mama and cub. We had a mama give birth under our front porch a few years ago. We have a small dog and were just mindful to keep an eye on her when she was outside. It was great fun to watch the babies “grow up” over just a few weeks. Shouldn’t be an issue with the garden.

Momma fox and her kit they are beautiful. Leave her be. She'll most likely leave on her own.

Gorgeous adorable cute friends... But keep an eye on them from a distance and make sure they're healthy! A sick fox could be a real danger to you, the food you grow in your garden, and others. If they seem "off", uncanny movements, unusual energy/lethargy, self-biting/overgrooming, call animal control immediately. Goes for any animal, really, but foxes are a significant vector for rabies (though depending on where you are there are vaccination programs, so it isn't as huge of a deal as it used to be) and mange and quick reporting will help keep you and the greater population of foxes safe :)

Have fun watching the family grow I'm so jealous

My vote would be to leave them be. They'll move on soon enough.

As long as they stay out of the rabbit hutch or chicken coop, they’ll hunt mice and rats…

I had a few friendly foxes around. They are much like dogs. They start out fearful and then get more friendly over time. Mine were often able to visit prior to dark . Seeing one during daylight does not mean they have rabies. Fox are very misunderstood. They get your moles around your yard. They are good for the environment. Females will find a burrow or hole under house foundation to have her litter. Baby fox playing was one of the most cheerful thing I saw during pandemic!

Momma and her kit(s) - might be foe if you have livestock, but friend if not (great at pest / vermin reduction).

Pretty please, let them be. If you can't because you have chickens or something, please call a humane relocation / removal expert and pretty please don't exterminate.

Never, never, never ever had a problem with my gardening friend, she sits under the tree by me as I garden, she's even chased off raccoons for me! Once she brought her boyfriend over for a visit after I heard her screaming for a mate in the fall..

Cute little bugger, she can eat all the mice around my place all she wants.

If you don't have any small animals you care about in your garden (poultry, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc), then mostly friend. May dig, eat some berries, and any produce should be washed more thoroughly than usual.

I'd let them be until the cubs are big enough and they move out of their den.

Friend, they eat so many rodents. Only a foe if you have chickens.

As long as you don't have chickens and those pups don't have rabies, you're fine.

A few years ago a fox took up residence in a gopher hole in the backyard. Finally got rid of those pests.

Depends…have they challenged you to single combat or gifted you any boons?

I think just plain cute.

Really depends on your set up. For getting rid of prey that damages plants? Beneficial. If you have chickens or other small outdoor animals? Not good, but please just have them professionally relocated if that’s the case! I love foxes and these babies are beautiful. They’re very skittish and won’t bother you.

When the foxes moved into our neighborhood, those pesky rabbits disappeared. If only they could climb trees and get rid of the tree rats.

I am jealous. Beautiful.

If you ask them can you let us all know what they say? We all want to know… /s

sorry couldn’t resist..

If it were me I would do everything I could to keep them around haha they’ll take care of any rodents in your garden

AWWW GIMNE ONE PLS I LOVE FOXES AHHHH

Call your local animal control, to check if there is a rabies bait program. Maybe you can do a good deed and vaccinate them against rabies. It's an oral vaccine , they eat it readily.

Listening to radio yesterday. They found people buried with foxes. A long time ago, they were pets

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I see them early in the morning in the middle of Berlin, and I've seen jackals too. I think they are attracted to human food trash and pet food. I don't think they will destroy your garden.

If it was boars, yes they're very destructive. Once I forgot potato chips out, they trashed the furniture and destroyed part of the lawn and flower beds. That was in a rural area.

Neither I'd say. But if you (or your pets) spend time in the garden and dig around the grass, bushes and soil, make sure to always wash your hands properly after contact. Of course if you have any produce in your garden (veggies, herbs, berries etc) also wash them extra properly before consuming. Fox tapeworm is no fun and can be deadly in extreme cases. The parasite infestation can take a long time to be detected and can meanwhile damage the liver or lungs severely. In an early stage it can be cured by surgical removal of the affected tissue. Later on it can only be kept at bay by life long medication.

edit for spelling errors

The worst thing I've suffered from foxes is that I occasionally find an egg buried in one or other of my beds.

I don't have chickens but the plots neighbouring mine do, but they keep their chickens behind wire, and it's only when one chick manages to make a break for it and dodge under their legs when they enter the coup that they have casualties.

If you get a chance, try and listen out for them playing. It's so cute to hear them giggle, and if you don't know what they sound like, you could believe that there's fairies in the shrubbery.

p.s. they are bad neighbours because they get the eggs from an honesty box but never ever pay anything for them

Friend! As long as you don’t have small animals around that you care about, they’ll definitely keep the rabbits away lol

They will kill your chickens if you have them. Foxes will not harm your garden and they tend to be shy. They are really fun to watch once the kits come out to play. We've had them in a wood pile years back.

Friend unless you have small livestock (chickens, rabbits, goats, whatever) or small dogs

Whatever you do, don't feed them.

For me, friend. Keep the chipmunks, rabbits and groundhogs away

I have cats and chickens, so to me, it is a foe.

Once the pups are a couple of months older, they will likely relocate.

Friends if they stay skittish and away from any live animal you care for that’s smaller than them.

Foe if not. If a fox gets overly close to you with no sign of caution or fear, it can be a sign for rabies. Doesn’t look like it, but it never hurts to hold your distance.

In either case - I'd keep an eye on them and leave them be. They are a rare sight, especially with babies! Lucky you!

Cute but make a lot of mess and will dig up plants and scatter trash around the garden.

I had a family that lived in an overgrown patch of forsythia in my yard for a few years. We didn't have outdoor pets or livestock, and they mostly kept to themselves.

I never had an issue with the foxes living so close, until one day the local police department shot one of them in the driveway. When I looked outside seeing the cruiser they said the animal appeared to have rabies, which it later tested positive for. I have a fairly small lot that is no further than 100' to the house, so I really wouldn't want them living in my yard or passing through anymore.

For me they're friends, if they keep the rabbits away from your plants.

Please be kind to the foxes using your home/yard to shelter their babies. In my area, a lot of construction has happened causing many wildlife to be homeless. The fox moms only stay in these shelters until it is safe for their kits to go so it won’t be too long. Kits are usually born between February and April.

Foxes are not large enough to be a danger to your dog or cat. They don’t hunt prey that could easily eat them. If you have chickens, I would definitely recommend securing them. Otherwise, please be safe and don’t disturb your new friends.

Friends (rodent destroyer) but don’t leave your back door open if you have a baby sleeping in the house. Also, quite stinky.

That little Vixen is feeling safe in your space. Probably nursing. Probably looking for some treats, tho many will tell you not to…do. Dog food. Some dog treats. WATER, if a constant & nearby source isn’t available. And pictures. Take LOTS of cute pictures. Especially when the Kits start showing their little faces. Mom will wean them fast, so be ready!

Friends unless you have chickens

Be careful for multiple tails. The more tails, the trickier the fox.

We get foxes and fox cubs almost every spring for a few weeks. Once, the cubs rolled around in a garden bed and squashed the plants. I can live with that. 

Foxes are great. Hunt vermin. Don't kill your pets. Let them be

Always my friends as long as they leave my dogs alone!

Foxes are fine so long as you don't have pet's (dogs would likely hunt them and cats would fight) or livestock like chickens. They will rid you of pests like any rodents (mice, rats), squirrels, rabbits and the like. They shouldn't bother you plants unless they happen to have rodent dens around them or are in the way of their den. They will likely move on by mid summer-ish.

What kind of question is this? They won't eat you.

I would say friend for sure. Foxes in your garden can provide natural pest control and exhibit playful behavior, much like domestic dogs.

They are adaptable even in urban environments, often forming family units, and can make a range of sounds, including a distinctive scream during mating season. So don’t be alarmed if ya hear some crazy screaming noise. They're also fun to watch and get cool pics of.

Foe to any leather boots or runners you leave outside

Friends

I am SO jealous 😍😍😍

We have foxes and they dispose of all our rotten eggs, meat, and sometimes bread and other things for us along with the raccoons. We have a camera too and it's real cute to watch them eat our garbage instead of it going to waste.

They eat chickens and sometimes cats.

Friends, don’t chase them away. The mama views your home as a safe space to raise her kits. Moms move into suburbs and close to him when they give birth to their kits. When the kits are old enough they’ll all leave and go further into the woods.

They are foxes, and are more likely to get the rabbits and groundhogs that eat your plants and the free range cats that use your garden as a litter box than they are to damage your plants. Unless you have small children who might try to make friends with the pups, I’d leave them alone. They will move on.

They’re thirsty, put out a pail of water for them. Either way, they deserve sustenance.

Garden no, but if you’ve got small livestock or cats it might be an issue. They’re beautiful.

FRIEND

OMG My niece would die to be you!! Faxes are her fave and the kits are adorable, problem or not.

I may need to know what it is that drew them to your shed....

As long as you don’t have outdoor pets it’s fine. Mama looks a little thirsty. I would leave a bowl of water out for her.

They’re like shy little neighborhood dogs. Not dangerous except (maybe) to the smallest pets. Not dangerous to humans. Don’t pet them.

Not unless you have chickens

If you have chickens or small pets they are bad news. If you have none of those and a lot of pests they will can be considered welcome. They are 100% there for dinner though.

I cannot answer your question. I just came here to “awwwww”

If you’ve got rabbits, they’re your pals

As others have said, unless you have poultry, these are friends. Hell, I have chickens, but they are very secured. I’d take a Fox or too to get rid of my rabbit problem.

If they scare away the squirrels they're alright by me

Foxes will prey on rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice, and other little wild herbivores and rodents that eat your garden. If foxes are there, there's probably enough prey around to sustain them. Get rid of them and more foxes might move in, or feral cats, or you might just be overrun with whatever they were eating.

I love foxes but they do not eat anything I grow. Rabbits decimated my gardens for years until a family of foxes moved in. It’s been 4 years no problems and my Doberman absolutely loves them lol

Friend shaped means friendly. 🤣😂🤣😂

Friend. They eat mice rats and other things that'll mess up your plants and stuff. Just give them some space and it's all good.

Friend.

I love having foxes but just be advised that if their den is on your property… it can smell seriously bad. Momma will bring food home for the babies and the rest of it just kinda rots there. 🤮

If they're young, they may bully other animals in the area but once they've matured and faced their self-doubt, that manifested itself in the form of unchecked rage and aggression, they'll become excellent pastry chefs.

Frenemy.

They are man’s sort of best friend! Just don’t let your chickens or pets near them… but if you don’t have pets they are now your pets

They hunt in packs and have been known to take down full grown elk. Or maybe that’s wolves.

Those are friends. Feed them and teach them.

I’d let them stay, unless you have pets or livestock around. If so it’s best to relocate

Depends, do you have chickens or cats?

Depends. If u have small pets, they will kill them.

Those are fox. If they are friendly to you, you can have them as a pet, but if they aren't, you know what that mean.