Urban Fox questions

[connerlake]

Just some questions if anyone can answer for me id greatly appreciate,
where do urban foxes sleep in the day?
how can i attract urban foxes without attracting other animals?
what time of the year do they have cubs?
do urban foxes hunt aswell as scanvenge? if so what do they kill?
thanks so much.

[mbaldw]

Hi cornerlake,

where do urban foxes sleep in the day?

It generally depends on the location they're in and the time of year. During the cubbing season (which I'll come on to in a moment) they tend to spend more time resting up underground in their earth. Once the cubs are above ground and as they get older, the cubs and adults spend more time away from the earth and rest up in hedges, bramble cover, on shed/garage roofs etc. We have a number of foxes that live on the site I work at and they spend their time either sunbathing in the corner of the carpark or lying up in the vegetation that runs the periphery of the site.

how can i attract urban foxes without attracting other animals?

This is a difficult one - almost any food you put out for foxes could potentially attract other animals (e.g. cats, rodents etc.). I find that if you put the food out on a plate (or some other container) then it makes it easy to remove any leftovers, which makes it less likely that any other animals will be drawn to the garden. In theory at least, the presentation of larger items of food makes it less likely anything would be left behind in the first place (i.e. compared to putting down lots of loose food, such as peanuts). The flip side is that the larger the food item you put down, the more likely it is that the fox will pick it up and retire to eat it elsewhere. I'm sure that others on the forums who regularly see foxes in their garden (e.g. Words, Pat etc.) can offer better advice on this subject.

what time of the year do they have cubs?

The Red fox breeding season runs roughly during December and January, with most breeding vixens looking for a suitable natal earth by February. The cubs (the average litter size is six) are born after a gestation period of roughly two months and the peak time for births is mid-March. The vixen will remain with the cubs 24/7 for the first week, after which she will leave them for short periods to hunt. The cubs open their eyes at about 2 weeks old and can be seen above ground at about 5 weeks old during late April/early May. They're usually weaned by the time they appear above ground, although they may continue to take milk in combination with solid food for some time afterwards. The cubs tend to remain with the adults until around Christmas-time, when the family group begins to breakdown.

do urban foxes hunt aswell as scanvenge? if so what do they kill?

They will scavenge, although I think this typically happens less than many people think - they certainly aren't dependent upon scavenge. True scavenge generally accounts for just over ~5% of a 'typical' fox's diet (although this will vary locally), with food deliberately provided by humans contributing and additional ~20%. From kill remains and having ploughed through several fox scats that I've found in our garden our local ones seem to feed largely on fruit and birds, although from the literature it seems that rodents can contribute a significant proportion of the diet (~30% or more). Insects, especially earthworms, are a large seasonal component of the diet.

I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Marc.

[Words]

Hi, just seen this. It's really difficult to attract only foxes. Food is generally fancied by most animals out there, but Marc is right in saying that large items will generally be carried away immediately. Smaller items (or dog food) will tend to hold foxes for a while as they graze. If you put meat scraps out you'll get cats (for sure), plus other animals. I've been monitoring night activity with a trail cam for the past few months. My advice would be small amounts of whatever you do put out (they do and should hunt for themselves).

If I put meat scraps out the following animals take it: foxes, hedgehogs (greedy little things!), badger, cat (very quick and often get there first).

Peanuts are taken by all the above except cats, but plus woodmice. Same with sultanas (but be aware that these can be toxic to domestic dogs).

Eggs - so far only a fox has taken an egg (but I've only tested that a couple of times).

Rats will take anything but so far I've not seen any on the cam, but worth being aware that they could be about. Removing food after a set time is one way of dealing with that. Birds tend to clear up anything left in the morning. If meat has lasted the night the corvids and gulls compete for it.

Foxes will hunt whatever is about, so garden frogs and small rodents are on the list, as well as insect, worms. I've seen more rural foxes with rabbits (loads where I work and in the spring we saw a vixen several times a day bringing fresh rabbit back to her den). Foxes will also take small birds (and an occasional pigeon).

[connerlake]

Hi thanks for the reply's, Im going to try and put out some dogfood tonight and maybe peanuts, what time do foxes usually go out from and to?

[Words]

Time varies a lot. Some years we've had early evening visits (and afternoon and morning visits). This year it all seems to take place quite late, often after midnight or 2.00 or 3.00am, so it's difficult to predict although they stick roughly to a pattern with a few irregularities. Best thing is to place something out at the same time each night and watch from a safe vantage point (so as not to disturb them). Once you have an idea when they arrive you can sit outside, keep still and see if they still take the food. If they do, slowly you can move closer each night. But never forget they are wild. I never touch and never attempt to hand feed or to get them too comfortable around me (despite appearances!).

[Bagheera]

I've been filming urban foxes these last few days and they tend to come out around 5-6 p.m. but don't hit the streets till after dark though and will keep their foraging to the parks, woods, allotments and alleyways until then. They tend to go back to their dens around 5 a.m.-when it's getting light.

All that said, foxes can be awake at any time but are most active around the times I've said.

If you want to feed them-they won't be confident until after dark to come to your garden if they don't already. As they grow in confidence, you may get earlier visits in daylight. hope this helps :-)

[Firefox]

dunno about attracting foxes only but you could buy a fox call from: Fox Call UK - The most unique way of attracting predator foxes

(by the way preadator foxes just means foxes)

Firefox

[spaa]

we've had foxes in the Gdn for a couple of yrs now, they come and go and love chicken skin and bones...we leave monkey nuts for squies and they take them from time to time... try leaving some tuna/sausages... we are surprise with a baby fox which seems to want to stay at home...have just posted a msg(below) u may find interesting, anyway I just wanted to let U know how to attract them and do not get discourage if it takes a while, may be a couple of months... but even if you do not see them the smell will take them there. Good Luck

BABY FOX in the garden...what to do? pros and cons- PLEASE For a couple of days a gorgeous baby-fox has been wondering around in our garden...we have left some food for him, he has actually come in a couple of times! and seems harmless, are they so? he has obeyed and after some food, relaxed and went to sleep like a baby.. as we cannot keep him in we had to push him out and close the back door. The following morning he was waiting for us to open the door. We didn't but he came back that night. Last night around 7pm we saw the neighbours throwing things at him to make him leave, he was scared and left but 20min later came back to our place, had some food and went to sleep. Around 11pm he was quite active so we closed the door again... he was crying! and made some noise finding a place to sleep next to pots(The neigh turned lights on). This morning he was back again...We think he has nowhere to go, perhaps lost his parents, and is so cute we cannot think he means any harm. On the one hand, we do not want any probs with neighbours who see him as a threat and this a.m were clapping to make him leave as if he was causing any nuisance. On the other hand, we'd love him coming around "for a while" as previous urban foxes we've had coming and going ( we are surprise this one wants to stay with us like a pet BUT it's something we cannot do. In our experience, they are not dangerous, if anything they are very sensitive, and noble. What to do?