Hand rearing fox cub

Cecilia48 · #1 (**permalink**) 18-03-2009, 12:51 PM

This may be a controversal issue...
For a week, we have been hand rearing a vixen which came our way through a local vet. She was then approx one or two days old. We did not know where and how she was found, and we felt we had to try to keep her alive.
We had an awful lot of difficulties with her. We have access to vet friends who gave us lots of help, products and material, but she nearly died twice (constipation, then aspiration pneumonia). The trouble is that vets do'nt really have this sort of experience (although without their help we would never have succeeded so far).
There are some wonderful website (and helpline) for these situations, but sometimes very specific advice and details are lacking : what bitch milk formula is best, how to "toilet" them, how to avoid her aspirating milk in her lung (voracious creature, she is !), what temperature to keep in her cage etc... A forum between people in our situation would have been so helpful. If anybody has some experience, it would be much appreciated.
Needless to say, we have no intention -and no right - to keep this vixen as a pet. As soon as she opens her eyes and is fully weaned, she will go to a rehabilitation centre prior to release. We just hope she will make it.

Dutchess · #2 (**permalink**) 18-03-2009, 01:04 PM

Welcome to WAB, Cecilia

We have a few resident fox experts who I am sure will be only too pleased to advise. They will be along shortly with help to hand, no doubt.

D.

wildliferescuer · #3 (**permalink**) 18-03-2009, 01:18 PM

Hi
You have done very well in saving this cub but you must pass it on to someone with experience in hand-rearing foxes & where there are others for it to be with so that it does not become imprinted.
Inhalation pneumonia is one of the biggest killers of wildlife and for someone inexperienced it is a common problem (& I am not criticising at all here!)

Please, please pass it on to a wildlife rescue centre. If you PM me with your address I will let you know if there is a centre near to you.

Cecilia48 · #4 (**permalink**) 19-03-2009, 08:13 AM

Many thanks for your replies !
Yes, there are a couple of well known Wildlife Centres around, and Fox Welfare
told me they have local representatives in our area. I am going to contact them today.

Words · #5 (**permalink**) 22-03-2009, 12:34 AM

Sounds like you are already getting good advice so I won't add anything except to say well done for taking it on. Hope everything goes well.

Dutchess · #6 (**permalink**) 22-03-2009, 12:39 AM

Thanks, Words! I was wondering when you would appear

Words · #7 (**permalink**) 22-03-2009, 12:42 AM

Been a busy week for me work wise, so have hardly been on line.

Pippa · #8 (**permalink**) 22-03-2009, 08:08 AM

Welcome to WAB Cecilia and good luck with the baby fox.

Cecilia48 · #9 (**permalink**) 30-03-2009, 07:51 AM

Update about our vixen : We took her to a fox rescue charity. Great people, very caring. We had tea at their place with 3 fox cubs running about on the carpet. Ours is in a group of 5 cubs about her age. They all sniffed her carefully when she joined them, and when we left they were all falling asleep in a heap while the carers were preparing the next feed. We have "adopted" that vixen, so we will receive news and photos about her regularly until her release. They told us we could be one of the network carers supervised by the charity. Perhaps at some future date, when I retire...again.
Is it allowed to post pictures or videos here ?

sunnydale · #10 (**permalink**) 30-03-2009, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cecilia48

Is it allowed to post pictures or videos here ?

Of course! We'd love to see them. Sounds like your little cub just might make it!

If you upload your photos to the image library, you can use them in your posts straight away. Just be careful that they are the correct size (no bigger than 1Mb) before uploading, or it wont work!

There's a Video section on the Photography sub-forum.