Foxes in gardens typically enter in search of easily accessible food sources and places to den. The pests eat a variety of small animals commonly found in gardens, including rabbits, voles, moles, birds, mice, and rats. Den sites may be in flowerbeds, the abandoned burrows of other animals, or located nearby in order to maintain easy access to prey found in gardens. Since foxes are skilled climbers and jumpers, fences and other such methods of exclusion are not very effective at keeping them away. Property owners encounter numerous problems when foxes in gardens are present. The pests carry various diseases, like canine distemper, mange, and rabies, as well as disease-causing parasites such as mites, ticks, and fleas. A fox in the garden also will uproot certain plants and eat pet foods left unattended outside.