Guy Fox

[Ben Rigsby]

Hi,
On Monday 7th Nov i came across a young fox curled up in the embers of a bonfire. it was covered from head to toe in ashes and almost looked more like an Arctic than a Red Fox! Dirty white all over.

what was it doing? i recently read that the Madagascan Fosa likes sitting in bonfire ashes and wondered if this behaviour was a mammalian ploy to try and rid itself of ectoparasites?
or maybe it was just trying to keep warm!

any thoughts folks?

cheers, Ben

[Littlesparrow]

I Don't know the answer Ben, but thats a very interesting observation.

[Jim Ford]

Maybe the fine ash absorbs grease and conditions its fur - a bit like Fuller's Earth on sheep fleeces.

Jim

[thunder]

Keeping warm! Simple as that!

henrya

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by thunder

Keeping warm! Simple as that!

henrya

I've noticed over the years that Foxes love sitting/laying on decomposing compost heaps to get the warmth.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by thunder

Keeping warm! Simple as that!

Maybe, but I would think that after 2 days there would be very little, if any, residual warmth from the fire (but I suppose it depends on the size of the fire!)

Jim

[Little Mele]

I know that badgers will often gather green foilage and drag it down into their sett for bedding, even full Himlayan Balsam and the reason is as stated in other replies that once the greenery starts to decompose it gives off heat. It's like a central heating system below ground. Almost every sett has a ventilation hole, where sometimes you can see steam escaping. Foxes also will take over parts of badger setts. Animals aren't daft!

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

Maybe, but I would think that after 2 days there would be very little, if any, residual warmth from the fire (but I suppose it depends on the size of the fire!)

Jim

Have you never had a bonfire? The ground beneath remains warm for several days (assuming it is a real bonfire, and not just two sticks and a paper bag and that there has not been torrential rain ).

henrya

[Ben Rigsby]

thanks for your thoughts people. i spoke to the landowner today who said that the fox remained all day in the embers and was seen rolling about in them (hence the all over coating) and so i think Jim may be right.
had it been simply trying to keep warm then - if cats are anything to go by - it would simply have sat there. how much warmth would there be in a small garden fire that was extinguished 2 days previously anyway?

cheers!

[mbaldw]

I would guess that, initially, the fox was attracted by the warmth, but the rolling sounds more like a dust bath (a method of improving skin condition and, in some cases, parasite removal). Any signs of shaking after rolling?

Cheers,
Marc.