The advice thread for random problems #7

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I'm all for petty reporting but I'd need to know why I'd be reporting him first!

I have a lamb bone left over from Sunday. I can't bear putting it on the food bin when it could feed some hungry foxes. But I don't want the foxes to crap all round my house like they did when they got into my food bin last time and I know you're not supposed to encourage them. Plus I think I have rats living under my decking (one came up the neighbour's loo while he was sitting on it) and I really don't want to encourage them either. What should I do?
 
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I'm all for petty reporting but I'd need to know why I'd be reporting him first!

I have a lamb bone left over from Sunday. I can't bear putting it on the food bin when it could feed some hungry foxes. But I don't want the foxes to crap all round my house like they did when they got into my food bin last time and I know you're not supposed to encourage them. Plus I think I have rats living under my decking (one came up the neighbour's loo while he was sitting on it) and I really don't want to encourage them either. What should I do?
Make stock.
 
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I'm all for petty reporting but I'd need to know why I'd be reporting him first!

I have a lamb bone left over from Sunday. I can't bear putting it on the food bin when it could feed some hungry foxes. But I don't want the foxes to crap all round my house like they did when they got into my food bin last time and I know you're not supposed to encourage them. Plus I think I have rats living under my decking (one came up the neighbour's loo while he was sitting on it) and I really don't want to encourage them either. What should I do?
Take it to a nearby field or your least favourite neighbour
 
I'm all for petty reporting but I'd need to know why I'd be reporting him first!

I have a lamb bone left over from Sunday. I can't bear putting it on the food bin when it could feed some hungry foxes. But I don't want the foxes to crap all round my house like they did when they got into my food bin last time and I know you're not supposed to encourage them. Plus I think I have rats living under my decking (one came up the neighbour's loo while he was sitting on it) and I really don't want to encourage them either. What should I do?
It is tempting to try to feed the foxes if you are an animal lover but don't do it near your own or anyone else's property! It will absolutely lead to a rat problem and there is no efficient humane way to get rid of a rat infestation.
 
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I've seen people say feeding foxes is the best thing as they they start to rely on humans feeding them
 
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Oh and also, if the bone is cooked, it's no good for foxes, same as dogs. Very dangerous.
 
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I'm all for petty reporting but I'd need to know why I'd be reporting him first!

I have a lamb bone left over from Sunday. I can't bear putting it on the food bin when it could feed some hungry foxes. But I don't want the foxes to crap all round my house like they did when they got into my food bin last time and I know you're not supposed to encourage them. Plus I think I have rats living under my decking (one came up the neighbour's loo while he was sitting on it) and I really don't want to encourage them either. What should I do?
If it's been cooked then don't give it to foxes, the bone is more brittle an can break easily which could be a choking hazard an you wouldn't be able to help if they do start getting bits lodged in their throats
 
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I've seen people say feeding foxes is the best thing as they they start to rely on humans feeding them
As they should. We keep encroaching on their terratories so it’s our fault they have less space and natural food sources. We’ve had urban foxes since we started building.
I feel the “don’t feed them” brigade is just part if the broader issue that people see them as a pest.
Feed them and they are less likely to cause issues in urban areas
 
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As they should. We keep encroaching on their terratories so it’s our fault they have less space and natural food sources. We’ve had urban foxes since we started building.
I feel the “don’t feed them” brigade is just part if the broader issue that people see them as a pest.
Feed them and they are less likely to cause issues in urban areas
I have mixed feelings about rural foxes. I love them but I also love the wild ducks we get on our pond. Last year we had 13 ducklings and not a single one escaped the foxes. Urban foxes are different, poor things, just trying to survive after we’ve destroyed their habitat.
 
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I’m not a fan of feeding urban foxes. They can find their own food perfectly well and wild animals should not be made reliant on humans for their food. It also encourages rats.

There are a few areas where I work where there’s a huge problem of over-feeding - basically people fly-tipping unsuitable food saying ‘it’s for the birds and animals’. I’ve seen people dumping piles of cooked rice, whole loaves of bread, pasta, curry, mouldy pastry, left over meat and when you confront them, they honestly think they’re helping the wildlife. Mate, come down here at night and the only wildlife eating are hundreds of rats swarming the area.
 
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I’m not a fan of feeding urban foxes. They can find their own food perfectly well and wild animals should not be made reliant on humans for their food. It also encourages rats.

There are a few areas where I work where there’s a huge problem of over-feeding - basically people fly-tipping unsuitable food saying ‘it’s for the birds and animals’. I’ve seen people dumping piles of cooked rice, whole loaves of bread, pasta, curry, mouldy pastry, left over meat and when you confront them, they honestly think they’re helping the wildlife. Mate, come down here at night and the only wildlife eating are hundreds of rats swarming the area.
I read about this regarding a park in a nearby area. The local paper did an article on how people leaving food/feeding the ducks/swans had left the ground littered with food and the pond too.
This has led to the park being overrun with rats especially near the pond.
Visitors to the park were now screaming for the Council to do something about the vermin......
 
I read about this regarding a park in a nearby area. The local paper did an article on how people leaving food/feeding the ducks/swans had left the ground littered with food and the pond too.
This has led to the park being overrun with rats especially near the pond.
Visitors to the park were now screaming for the Council to do something about the vermin......
Exactly. We get regular complaints about the rats. The other issue is that feeding birds in water means the uneaten food just sinks and rots which impacts water quality. If only a couple of people a day did it, it wouldn’t be as much of a problem, but dozens of people feed every day.

Also, this is going to sound odd, but in areas where there is a high Muslim population, feeding of birds and wildlife is increased because it’s considered an act of charity with spiritual rewards so the over feeding is exacerbated.
 
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Thanks all for your thoughts. The dangerous bone thing put me off even before I'd read the rest of the replies, so it went in the food bin!

I've been told to stop feeding birds to get rid of rats! I can't not feed them in the winter, but the RSPB are asking people not to currently as there is a virus going around so that is a good excuse to stop for a while.
 
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Exactly. We get regular complaints about the rats. The other issue is that feeding birds in water means the uneaten food just sinks and rots which impacts water quality. If only a couple of people a day did it, it wouldn’t be as much of a problem, but dozens of people feed every day.

Also, this is going to sound odd, but in areas where there is a high Muslim population, feeding of birds and wildlife is increased because it’s considered an act of charity with spiritual rewards so the over feeding is exacerbated.
It was actually a Muslim area and the littering was immense. Hence the screaming for the Council to do something now there were rats. In my experience Muslims are immensely clean people. It's part of their religion so vermin has an effect on them.
 
Thanks all for your thoughts. The dangerous bone thing put me off even before I'd read the rest of the replies, so it went in the food bin!

I've been told to stop feeding birds to get rid of rats! I can't not feed them in the winter, but the RSPB are asking people not to currently as there is a virus going around so that is a good excuse to stop for a while.
I know someone who has bird feeders, pond etc and she talks of rats strolling past her conservatory doors. As she has her doors open for most of the day I tend to get nervous in case one has come inside.
I've not long had to deal with my own rat infestation, not helped by the next door neighbour. Sent me nearly deranged through lack of sleep.
Brought back bad memories of living in a flat in a 400 year old building with a rat and being trapped in a room as it whizzed round the perimeter of the room, so I couldn't get out. Someone also told me they're incontinent and I had a clothes rail at the time.😖
 
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Any advice on how to stop a dog pissing on my lawn and driveway? Someone on the lane let's their dog walk way ahead of them and their dog at least once a day pees on the top of my driveway or on the lawn or the bark. Tonight, it's came right down the driveway and pissed on my front door so ive reached my limit. It's driving me insane as I have young ones who love helping me garden, yes theyre gloved 90% of the time but still. I've put vinegar down as read that can do the job but any advice is appreciated. Crapbag wont let me pull her, says its petty 🙄
 
Any advice on how to stop a dog pissing on my lawn and driveway? Someone on the lane let's their dog walk way ahead of them and their dog at least once a day pees on the top of my driveway or on the lawn or the bark. Tonight, it's came right down the driveway and pissed on my front door so ive reached my limit. It's driving me insane as I have young ones who love helping me garden, yes theyre gloved 90% of the time but still. I've put vinegar down as read that can do the job but any advice is appreciated. Crapbag wont let me pull her, says its petty 🙄
Not an expert on dogs, but the advice to keep cats off is used teabags soaked in olbas oil. Or lion poo which you can buy in bags
 
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