New fox family

[vernonturner]

A vixen and her cubs have taken up residence in undergrowth at the bottom of my garden. The cubs appear to be half grown. Very handsome creatures. I would appreciate advice and cunning foxy tips how best to photograph them before they disperse! I see them in the early hours of the morning but they are too quick to get a decent photo. I have thought about buying one of those dog chews and fastening it to a length of twine to a tree to make them keep still for long enough! Any photographic hints/techniques will be appreciated. Thanks.

[Words]

The way I first started was to be out in the garden before the foxes, sit very quietly and wait for them to appear. When they do, keep still (fast movement will startle them). Don't try to appraoch them. Let them get used to you being there. A handful of sultanas will be enough to keep them interested for you to get some photos.

[ron1863]

Good advice from Words. Looking forward to seeing the shots

[vernonturner]

Many thanks. Will give this a try.

[vernonturner]

Still trying! The pigeons keep eating the sultanas

[valleyforge]

vernonturner,

Contrary to the advice you have been given on offering sultanas to your fox, can I please caution you NOT to.

Foxes are, like dogs, members of the canine family ... and dogs should never be fed grapes/raisins/sultanas/currents. These can cause acute kidney failure ... the exact reason isn't known, but the effect is cumulative.

So the odd one or two won't do any real harm, but it is much better that they don't have them at all. To play safe, try using something else to attract/distract them ... a scattering of dried cat food or dog buscuits should work and might even get the neighbourhood hedgehogs to show up too.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by valleyforge

vernonturner,

Contrary to the advice you have been given on offering sultanas to your fox, can I please caution you NOT to.

Foxes are, like dogs, members of the canine family ... and dogs should never be fed grapes/raisins/sultanas/currents. These can cause acute kidney failure ... the exact reason isn't known, but the effect is cumulative.

So the odd one or two won't do any real harm, but it is much better that they don't have them at all. To play safe, try using something else to attract/distract them ... a scattering of dried cat food or dog buscuits should work and might even get the neighbourhood hedgehogs to show up too.

Thanks for that VF - I often leave sultanas around in the garden for the Blackbirds and was just about to go and leave some sultanas for my regular foxes that come each night having read the above - Usually I leave out cooked chicken bones/scraps - tonight there's a couple of slices of Pepperoni pizza - last night, no supper leftovers so left a handful of dog chews. They also like to play with the dog ball I leave in the garden. (My mum's foxes play with a stuffed toy cat!)

Hope the above food is OK - if there's anything else foxes shouldn't eat, let us know please!

As for getting photographic shots, I'm not sure flash photography would be a good idea. However, as Word says, they eventually become more 'brave' when they are used to you and mine now come in the garden when it's light (early morning)

[valleyforge]

Originally Posted by Picidae

Thanks for that VF - I often leave sultanas around in the garden for the Blackbirds and was just about to go and leave some sultanas for my regular foxes that come each night having read the above - Usually I leave out cooked chicken bones/scraps - tonight there's a couple of slices of Pepperoni pizza - last night, no supper leftovers so left a handful of dog chews. They also like to play with the dog ball I leave in the garden. (My mum's foxes play with a stuffed toy cat!)

Hope the above food is OK - if there's anything else foxes shouldn't eat, let us know please)

As you might expect Picidae, there are no references to be readily found that are specific to foxes, but there are quite a few common human foodstuffs that can cause serious illness in dogs (and often in cats too). Since dogs and foxes share a common ancestor and very similar anatomy, we might consider that the effects would be similar in both species.

Here's a list of things to best avoid feeding:

Grapes/Raisins/Sultanas/Currents (as mentioned) - the active toxin isn't known but as little as 1 ounce of fruit per 2.2 pounds of body weight can represent a toxic dose and initiate kidney failure in dogs.

Macadamia nuts - as few as six have been known to dangerously accelerate heart rate and to cause hind leg paralysis in dogs ... toxin unknown.

Onions & Garlic - these contain thiosulphate which can induce haemolytic anaemia (damage to red blood cells) and so internal bleeding. Onions seem to be much more toxic than garlic, which is more readily tolerated ... raw onions more toxic than cooked. Both more toxic to cats than to dogs.

Tomatoes - contain atropine, especially the leaves of the plant, which can cause irregular heartbeat in dogs.

Avocado/Guacamole - contains Persin, which can damage heart and lungs in dogs.

Chocolate - contains the alkaloid theobromine which can prove fatal in dogs ... as little as 2.5 ounces of cooking chocolate for instance has been recorded as being lethal for a 20 pound dog ... dark chocolate is much more deadly than milk chocolate.

Apple core pips, pear pips, plum/peach/apricot/cherry stones - all contain cyanogenic glycosides which can induce acute cyanide poisoning, although the fruit itself is perfectly harmless.

All of these we should avoid feeding to our pets and to our wildlife too.

Although it's not a foodstuff, a very common poisoning agent in both pets and wildlife is antifreeze (the smell and taste of which seems to be attractive to mammals) ... it's worth ensuring that's not left lying about around the garden.

As for chicken bones, well they're not advisable for dogs because they easily splinter and can cause a choking hazard. If you wouldn't feed them to your dog then you probably shouldn't feed them to a fox.

[Words]

VF,

Just thought I'd respond as my use of sultanas was recommended by a rescue organization some time ago. I'm aware of the risks to dogs of sultanas/raisins but had understood that this did not apply in the case of foxes. I appreciate the safety-first message you're giving, but wondered whether there was any scientific evidence in either direction. Foxes are certainly more likely to eat fruit in the wild and commonly fruits will make up 10% or so of their diet (which is radically unlikely in domestic dogs).

[valleyforge]

Words,

As I explained in my post to Picidae, I haven't found any specific references to these foods being of particular danger, or otherwise, to foxes ... but then who might have done such research?

I take your point that a fox diet is markedly different from that of a pet dog, for which there are many documented references readily accessible on the net ... just Google 'dogs grapes' for instance.

My point is simply that although diets are different, the underlying physiology of the species' is pretty similar ... maybe sufficiently so for us to be guarded about feeding these certain foodstuffs. The main danger with grapes/sultanas/etc is that the effect is cumulative over time, with no apparent ill effect, until the accumulated toxicity results in sudden kidney failure ... not something I'd want to risk by my hand.

Perhaps you need to find out why your wildlife rescue contact was so sure they were not harmful? The veterinary treatment of wildlife is still pretty much in its infancy, particularly with animals such as foxes which are still considered 'vermin' in some circles, so I'd really like to see the contra-evidence to be sufficiently reassured that no potential risk of damage exists.