BABY FOX in the Gdn- Pros&Cons.PLEASE

[spaa]

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?

[valleyforge]

From what you have told us, it appears that this fox cub has an identity crisis ... being neither wild, nor wanted as tame. That puts it in direct mortal harm from other humans, now and in the future.

What you should do for the best is to contact a wildlife rescue organisation in your area who can either rehabilitate the cub, perhaps with others of its kind, so that it is able to return to a state of wild living in a more suitable environment ... or failing that provide it with sanctuary for the remainder of its life.

Let us know where you are so we can provide you with some suitable contact details.

[spaa]

Very grateful for your replies. Yes, he has been disorientated for a couple of days hence the identity crisis you mention marcia...(fist time he came was last Fri). We are trying to educate him to come ‘for a while’ during the night, so I open the door after 7pm, so that he develops his instincts during the day and learns to protect himself. He seems to be getting the msg; he has his route, because he disappears during the day. Yesterday he was wandering around since 6pm, and I watched him going around peacefully meaning no harm in other gardens and then disspeared. In our experience with urban foxes, we have seen them marking their territory everywhere with their urine, the curious thing is that he is not doing it and has never ever done it when indoors he's got even manners! He seems also very sensitive and didn’t dare near the neighs that do not want him.

After 7pm I opened the door, left some food and water, he came around 730pm, had the food, did not touch the water… and then went to sleep in kitchen mat… as soon as I needed to get in there, and even tried not to disturb him, he simply left and didn’t even sleep in our garden… so that was good news for us. We’d love to continue seeing him around making his way, we do not want him to depend on us, he gives signs he is capable of doing so… we live in London SW and Have gathered all the info and websites (from the advice many have given to Dickybird, which was an inspiring and useful debate to find) and Will be contacting them and/or talk to neighs if we see he is in danger. Many thanks again

[spaa]

Sorry, Someone called marcia posted it to me in another debate in case I missed it. Regards.

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi Spaa

I’m really concerned about this little mite’s fate. How small is he, in comparison to, say, a medium sized cat? Due to the behaviour you describe, I wonder if he’s been separated from his mother too early (mum could possibly have been killed by a car, etc) hence he’s unable to fend for himself properly and is looking to you for help. Handling a very young fox cub would be much like handling a puppy dog, so there’s nothing to fear.

The London Wildcare Trust (0208 6476230) is an excellent wildlife hospital based in Wallington and they will come and collect the cub from you so it can receive the expert care and rehab it needs. Please contact them as soon as possible and then let us know the outcome.

http://www.londonwildcaretrust.co.uk/

[Words]

Personally I wouldn't encourage him to come inside the house. He may pick on a less understanding home next time around. Unless he looks undernourished or ill, I'd also keep feeding fairly minimal. By this time of year he should be very capable of looking after himself. Most likely he's been turfed out of his former territory by the adults (a common pattern for foxes in early autumn) and so is searching out for a place of his own (so to speak). You say he's a baby, but how small is he really? I'd be concerned if he looked like this, but not too worried if he looked like this (the first shot is about 6 weeks old, the second is about 5 months old).

[Bumblebeebob]

There are 2 young Foxes living in my neighbourhood but they must be about 6 months old by now & although they occasionally still play together they are quite independant, the adults seem to have moved on. During the day they sleep under trees & shrubs in gardens but at night they are out & about on the road. There are woods nearby with plenty of other Foxes around. Like WORDS said I would also be concerned if the cub is very small at this time of year & would be inclined to contact a wildlife rescue centre.

[Elevate29]

You can also contact Wildlife Aid in Leatherhead which isn't too far from you. They also collect and rehab 'tame' foxes.

Wildlife Aid - Home

[spaa]

Thanks everyone for your interest and comments. Words, very grateful for your photos, they were really useful, the cub really looks a little bit older than the first shot. To let you know the end of our story: One day the cub was run after and pushed out of the next door garden, but he managed his way to ours and kept coming for a while during the evenings, until one day he pooed and we asked him to go out, thinking he would learn to do it outside, but sadly we have not seen him since. He took it personally! We are left with the great feeling the experience has left anyway, he used to come even into our living room, smell around with such alertness, manners, and tender eyes that all it took was snapping fingers to get him to the kitchen where he would sit, all curled up to have his nap before leaving. So we believe he knows his way around. Keep looking to the horizon though, wondering if he would visit us again…

He used to have some veggies, loved nuts (but we had to get them out of shells for him or he wouldn’t eat them), his favourite was meat, tuna and chicken’ skin. Thought about to continue leaving some food but with the attitude around, attracting him could expose them to harm; so actually will have to think about it. That’s all from us, many thanks again.

[Hedgehoggy]

I’m astounded. It takes a lot to ruffle my feathers, but I just read your story in disbelief. If the cub was similar in size to Words’ first photo, then, as already stated to you, it would be a CONCERN. The cub is NOT independent at that age. Not only were you given advice on how to help the cub, you were also given details of your local Wildlife Centres, which would have come and collected the cub and rehabilitated it safely. Imo, the fact that you completely ignored all advice suggests you had no genuine concern for the cub’s welfare, and merely continued to entice the cub into your house for your own gratification, and then rejecting it after you’d had your evening’s entertainment. How confusingly cruel for the poor little mite.

I sincerely hope the cub had the good fortune to be found by a genuinely caring person who would have used their common sense and got it the help it so obviously was desperately seeking.