Preventing Problems

Do not encourage coyotes or foxes by feeding them!

  • Keep pet food and watering dishes inside, especially at night.
  • Do not allow spillage to accumulate outside bird feeders.
  • Keep grills and barbecues clean. Even the smallest food scraps may attract coyotes or foxes.
  • Do not keep garbage cans outside if possible.
  • Use welded wire to exclude animals from underneath decks.
  • Keep cats indoors.
  • Keep small dogs and cats on leashes and stay with your pets while outside, especially during the evening and early morning.
  • Coyotes are creatures of habit. If you encounter a coyote the same place and same time while walking your pet, you may want to change your path or time of your walk.

Recommended Deterrent Techniques:

Coyotes and red foxes typically prefer to be as far away from man as possible, because man is a predator. However, loss of habit from man’s constant expansion has left them little choice as to where they call home. If a coyote or fox den is in your backyard and you want them to move on, we recommend the following to make them feel uncomfortable and unsafe.

Place lighting (such as bright flashlights, flood lamp, blinking strands of holiday lights, etc.) in their den. It is best to leave the lights on 24 hours a day. If this is not possible, the lights must be on during the daytime to disturb the animal’s sleep.

Play a radio (portable alarm clock, noisy children’s toy, anything that plays music or makes noise repeatedly) either in or near their den. It is best to leave the radio on 24 hours a day. If this is not possible, the radio must be on during the daytime to disturb the animal’s sleep.

Place rags soaked in ammonia in the den for one week. Ammonia has an irritating smell. Over time the ammonia will dissipate and it is important to re-soak the rags on a daily basis. *VERY IMPORTANT* We do not recommend using ammonia soaked rags during baby season (March – August). It may injure infant wildlife, which are too young to escape.

Deterrent techniques should be used for at least 7 – 10 days and it is important to use all the techniques at the same time in order for the deterrents to be successful.

To determine if the animal has left the den site, wad up newspaper and pack it into the den entrance (also helps hold in ammonia fumes). If they are still using the den, the newspaper will be pulled out. If after a few days the newspaper has not been disturbed, securely repair any access routes. Use welded wire to exclude the animal from underneath decks, elevated sheds, openings under concrete slabs and porches. Secure outside access to crawl spaces. Failure to do so may result in that same animal returning or another animal moving in.