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What Animals Dig Under Fences? Read the Hole First

Foxes, badgers, rabbits, rats, groundhogs and dogs all tunnel under boundaries. Hole size, shape and spoil tell you which before you spend on fencing.

By Zakaria 3 min read Save to Pinterest — opens Pinterest in a new tab
A tan dog with its nose and front paws in a hole it has dug in bare earth
Photo: Aqe, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay
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Identify the animal before you buy anything. The depth and mesh that stop a rabbit will not stop a badger — and the hole itself tells you, from its size, shape and the spoil around it.

Reading the hole

This table answers the question on its own
AnimalOpening sizeSpoilOther signs
Rat~2 inLittleSmooth runs, droppings, grease marks
Rabbit4–6 inModerateRound pellets, cropped vegetation
FoxLarge, ovalOften substantialStrong musky smell, scattered rubbish
BadgerBroad and lowLarge fanWorn runs through vegetation, coarse hairs on wire
GroundhogLarge, roundBig moundBurrow with a second escape hole nearby
DogIrregularScatteredRight where it wants to be, repeatedly

Spoil tells you route or residence

A large fan of excavated earth means something is digging a burrow. A clean worn gap with little spoil means something is pushing under on a route — a different problem with a different fix.

Digging animals start right against the barrier. They do not step back a foot and reconsider.

So a horizontal apron of mesh at the base intercepts them immediately:

  1. Attach wire mesh to the bottom of the fence.
  2. Lay it outward along the ground, roughly 12–24 inches depending on the animal.
  3. Bury it an inch or two, or pin it down and let grass grow through.
  4. Peg it at intervals so it cannot be lifted.

It is far less work than trenching a fence deep, and it does not weaken the fence line the way a deep trench alongside the posts can.

Depth, where you do bury

  • Rabbits — around 6 inches, plus an outward apron
  • Foxes and groundhogs — considerably more, and an apron matters more than depth
  • Badgers — strong and persistent enough that depth rarely wins; this is a case for managing the route rather than defeating it

Mesh size matters too: rabbits need small mesh at the base, since a gap they can get a head through is a gap they will use.

Filling the hole

On its own, rarely enough. The animal chose that spot for a reason — it is on a route, or it leads to food, shelter or a den.

Fill, then barrier, then remove the attraction if you can find it: fallen fruit, pet food, accessible bins, a compost heap with kitchen scraps in it, or a gap under a shed that makes a good den.

Check before you block anything

In some jurisdictions badgers and their setts are legally protected, and blocking an active route can be an offence requiring a licence. Other species are protected during breeding seasons. Make sure nothing is inside, and check local wildlife law — this is one garden job where getting it wrong carries a legal cost, not just a practical one.

Common questions

What animals dig under fences?

Foxes, badgers, rabbits, rats, groundhogs, skunks, armadillos and domestic dogs are the usual culprits, and which one you have depends on your region. The hole itself identifies it fairly reliably: size, shape, the amount of spoil thrown out and whether it is a through-route or a burrow entrance all differ by species. Identifying the animal first matters because the fencing depth and mesh size that stop a rabbit will not stop a badger.

How can you tell which animal dug under your fence?

Look at four things. Size and shape of the opening — rats make holes a couple of inches across, rabbits around 4 to 6 inches, foxes and groundhogs much larger. Spoil — a large fan of excavated earth indicates a burrow being dug rather than a route being pushed under. Shape — badger routes are broad and low and often become worn runs through vegetation. And whether it is a single determined excavation or a well-used path, which separates a resident animal from one passing through.

How deep should a fence go to stop digging?

It depends on the animal, and burying the fence straight down is usually the wrong approach. Rabbits need around 6 inches buried, foxes and groundhogs considerably more, and badgers are strong enough that digging deeper rarely wins. The better technique for most situations is an L footer — a strip of mesh laid horizontally outward at the base, just below the soil surface — because animals dig where the barrier meets the ground, hit the horizontal mesh and give up rather than reasoning their way around it.

What is an L footer and why does it work better?

A horizontal apron of wire mesh attached to the bottom of the fence and laid outward along the ground, buried an inch or two below the surface or pinned down and allowed to grass over. It works because digging animals start right against the barrier rather than stepping back, so they encounter the mesh immediately, and most will not work out that moving back a foot would solve it. It is also far less work than trenching a fence deep, and does not weaken the fence line.

Will filling the hole stop the animal coming back?

Rarely on its own, because the animal chose that spot for a reason — it is on a route, or it leads to food, shelter or a den. Filling the hole without addressing the attraction or installing a physical barrier usually results in it being reopened within days, often in exactly the same place. Fill the hole, then fit the barrier, then remove whatever drew the animal if you can identify it.

Is it legal to block a badger or protected animal's route?

In some jurisdictions badgers and their setts are legally protected and interfering with them, including blocking an active route, requires a licence and can be an offence. Other species have protections during breeding seasons. Before blocking any hole, make sure nothing is inside, and check local wildlife law if you may be dealing with a protected species — this is one of the few garden jobs where getting it wrong carries a legal rather than just a practical cost.

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