The mysterious creature in the hole

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by mrkaijai

Out at my brothers today and we found an active fox den/ badger set. There were lots of holes that were fresh and a few did smell of a musty odour. There were bird feathers scattered around everywhere and then suddenly out of nowhere darted a fox, in a fairly slow jog right past us! Which makes me think it might be a fox living in an old badger set? Any ideas anyone? - on a side note there were about 12 holes and also a fox skull was there aswell.

Birds wings etc. around the hole entrance are a very typical sign that there are foxes in the sett/earth. This is particularly so when the cubs are ready to emerge, so instead of taking food into the earth for them they will leave it around the entrance to encourage the cubs out, (around mid/end April). You are very unlikely to find such things around the entrance if badgers are in residence.

In towns, foxes tend not to dig earths as much as those in the country. Town foxes are happy under sheds, beneath old buildings etc. Having said that, country foxes are more than happy to take over an unused badger sett if it will save them the task of digging which is far more difficult for the fox than it is for the badger, which are built for digging.
Dorts.

[Jennie]

Originally Posted by Dorts

If you manage to get a pic of the bagers tail there is a fairly easy way to see if your bager is a boar or a sow. The sows tail is full with plenty of long hairs down to the ground, whereas the boar generally has a rather sparsely hairy tail, often almost bald.
Dorts.

I didn't know that either. It means that the surviving baby from last years' litter of the Badgers that visit my garden every night must be female, as the tail is very long and bushy.

Thank you Dorts!

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by Jennie

I didn't know that either. It means that the surviving baby from last years' litter of the Badgers that visit my garden every night must be female, as the tail is very long and bushy.

Thank you Dorts!

You're probably right Jennie, but as cubs, their tales are alike; it is only as they mature in the second year that the difference starts to show, so maybe just a little too soon to be certain, but 'long and bushy' sounds good for your young lady badger.
Dorts.

[dampflippers]

If it helps- if you find hairs, badger hairs aren't round so they won't roll easily in your fingers.