In the spring, it is not uncommon for Louisville homeowners to discover a new family has moved into the backyard. You might see small, playful kits tumbling around near your shed, or spot an adult Red Fox slipping under your deck at dawn.

While foxes are beautiful animals, having a den under your structure can be concerning, especially if you have pets or small children. The good news is that foxes are generally excellent neighbors who keep to themselves. The bad news is that they can be messy tenants.

Here is everything you need to know about managing a fox den on your property.

Why Your Shed?

Foxes do not live in dens year-round. For most of the year, they sleep in the open or in dense brush. They only use dens for one purpose: raising a family.

In March and April, a pregnant female (vixen) looks for a safe, dry, and dark place to give birth. In the wild, she might use an old groundhog burrow. In the suburbs, the space under your shed, deck, or porch is the perfect substitute. It offers protection from the elements and from larger predators like coyotes.

The Timeline

Understanding the fox family calendar will help you make the right decision.

• March-April: Kits are born. They stay inside the den for the first month.
• May: Kits emerge and start playing near the entrance. This is usually when homeowners first notice them.
• June-July: The family starts to move. As the kits grow, they need more space. The mother will often move them to a new den site or simply have them sleep in tall grass.
• August: The family disperses. The den is abandoned.

The Takeaway: A fox den is a temporary situation. If you can tolerate them for a few weeks, they will likely leave on their own by summer.

Are They Dangerous?

Red Foxes are shy, reclusive animals. They are not aggressive toward humans unless cornered or sick (rabies is possible but rare). They will generally flee at the sight of a person.

• Pets: An adult fox weighs only 10-15 pounds (about the size of a house cat). They are not a threat to medium or large dogs. However, they are predators and could pose a risk to very small kittens, rabbits, or chickens.
• Disease: The biggest risk is not an attack, but parasites. Foxes can carry mange (which spreads to dogs) and fleas.

How to Encourage Them to Move (Humane Harassment)

If you cannot wait for them to leave naturally—perhaps you have a curious dog or the den is right next to your front door—you can use “humane harassment” to encourage the mother to relocate the litter.

Foxes want a quiet, safe place. If you make the den feel unsafe, the mother will move the kits to one of her backup dens.

1. Scent: Place rags soaked in ammonia or vinegar near the den entrance (but not directly inside, as you don’t want to harm the kits). The strong smell mimics the scent of a predator’s urine.
2. Sound: Place a portable radio near the shed tuned to a talk radio station. The sound of human voices is threatening to them.
3. Light: Shine a bright light or install a motion-activated strobe light at the entrance. Foxes prefer the dark.

Important: Do this for 2-3 nights in a row. If the mother feels the den is compromised, she will carry the kits one by one to a new location.

Permanent Prevention

Once the family is gone (usually by late summer), you must seal the entry point to prevent them—or skunks or groundhogs—from moving in next year.

• The Test: Stuff the hole loosely with newspaper. If it remains undisturbed for 3 days, the den is empty.
• The Fix: Install an L-shaped footer of heavy-gauge wire mesh (hardware cloth) around the base of your shed or deck. Bury it 12 inches deep and bend it outward to stop animals from digging back under.

If you need help confirming the den is empty or installing the exclusion barrier, Critter Removal of Louisville can help you reclaim your backyard.