RED FOX

[nautifish]

Well we have this critter frequently visiting our back garden . We have seen him hanging around for some time now but was only at Dusk we usually saw him and on the roads staying close to the edge of the fields.

 

Well on sunday afternoon myself and sinns were in the pool i get out up on the new deck,

Check it out.... ;D

 

When i see a fox coming towards the pool. This was the middle of the afternoon kids out playing it came right up to the pool and did not seem to be frightened by us all at. It was more nervous by the sounds coming from the small kids playing behind us.

 

My shepard finally chased him off.

 

So last night i am out front cleaning out both the vehicles when yup there he is the red fox. walking up the drive way i am like holy crap......

So i walk through the house to go grab my camera walk out to the back deck and sure enough there he is again.

 

He was feasting my on gooseberry bush i have .

 

His coat looks nice and healthy but he is on the thin side. Sinns fed him some dog biscuits in a bowl he put out on the lawn. Yeah i know not a good idea but poor thing is thin and i hate to see any animal looking hungry. While the fox came over to eat my cat came out and chased off the bloody fox.....I THOUGHT FOXES ATE CATS.....LOL.....

I tell ya my cat aint skeered of nothing....LOL...I got it on video too. Will post later when i get it downloaded.

 

Anyway my question.

 

Shoould i call the S.P.C.A to see about having the animal relocated some where else?

 

I really do not want to see this animal destroyed so who would be the best person to contact?

[GbayGiant]

I got foxes all over the place up here, there was only one I ever worried about because he was drooling and his hair way all falling out ect... signs of rabies.

 

The one in your pics looks really healthy to me. We had one at our store last year that would eat fallen bird feed almost everyday I seen him, he would be out in the middle of the day with customers watching him and was never even bothered by anyone, also never threatened anyone either.

 

I would say it's not a threat but for your cat maybe and make sure the kids no enough not to hand feed it or try to pet it you should be fine and if you feed it it will keep coming back.

[Gerritt]

with the boom in the rabbit populations you will also seem a boom in their predators.. best bet is to rent a trap, bait it and release it far away from home.

 

G

[rickster]

my parents had one that spent two summers at their home.

they live in the country.

they fed it leftovers every night and dog food in the mornings

it got to the point were the fox would sit up on their front step when they weren't home (just like he was their watchdog LOL)

it would even lay about ten feet away from them when they would sit out in the lawn in the evenings

the thing just loved the peppermints my dad fed it

anyway the one in your pics looks to be healthy so i wouldn't worry too much about it

although your cat may want to be nervous

but if you really want to get rid of it a live trap and a ride in the country would be best

[Headhunter]

Be careful if you plan to trap it and transport it... I did some research with the Ministry of Natural Resources regarding a raccoon issue and learned this...

You are legally allowed to track a live animal, however, you may not move that animal more than one kilometer from the point of capture, as they are trying to ensure that diseased animals are not being shipped to areas that don't have diseased animals. Quite a fine attached to it if your caught by the way.

Your alternative is to capture the animal and destroy it yourself... although you can't legally do it within the city limits, should you have a friend with a farm, you may transport the animal there to be destroyed... however, that being said, you MUST document actual damage caused by the animal, before you may legally destroy it.

I know you have no intention of hurting the fox, just providing info the Ministry provided.

So, to answer your question contact the Ministry to find out what options they suggest.

Also, Foxes' main diet is mice. Although your cat should keep a close eye on how many lives he/she has left!LOL

We have one in my Scarborough neighbourhood who is also, not very shy!

HH

[nautifish]

Thanx guys. I am not worried about my cat like i said she was chaseing the fox off yesterday....lol.It really was something to see....I don't have a problem with the fox being around he is beautiful in my opinion and it is awesome seeing one so close & wild.

 

my concern is someone else might have a problem with the fox. I was not sure if it was legal for me to live trap a wild animal and release it some where else.

 

So how would i go about trying to trap this animal?

 

This is something i have never done before.

[nautifish]

Thanx HH thats good to know.

[maybe]

He does look healthy. Long as he didn't show a taste for our pet chipmunks, he'd be more than welcome in our yard.

 

If you're going to have an exotic "pet" in the neighborhood, best to touch base with the neighbors. If everybody knows he's healthy and well-behaved, they'll likely be happy to have him around, like you are. It's when unusual animals show up unexpectedly that you get problems.

 

When I was a kid, my mother lived out on a little country sideroad. Her next door neighbors had a pet de-scented skunk. It would go outside like a normal house pet, and the neighbors were all quite used to him. Strangers...weren't. One day, a telephone repairman panicked and launched the poor critter halfway across the road, thinking it was wild and dangerous. He was beside himself when he found out he'd kicked someone's pet, the poor guy. The skunk came through in one piece, and soon started wearing a big bright collar. Never heard of any problems after that.

[BillM]

That thing would be great for cleaning up all the squirrels and chipmunks I'd leave him be.

[dannyboy]

For a fur bearing animal you need a trapper's license even to live trap it.

The MNR and humane societies do not recommend relocation for several reasons:

Most wild animals don't survive relocation

Relocation can introduce diseases into new areas

Relocation may orphan the young

 

Probably best to leave it alone and not feed it.

 

Dan

Edited July 24, 2008 by dannyboy

[Dabluz]

This is definately a young animal....born in early spring. When they leave the family, they look for a new territory. Competition for territory is fierce and many never find a territory and die.....usually end up as roadkill. This is normal because in natural way of things, there is always a surplus of new animals every year. This is nature's way of coping with the occaisional disasters that occur with populations of animals. If the young fox does manage to survivre well, it will get the strength to be able to maybe eventually take over a territory. On top of that, foxes are very adaptable. If the food source runs out, it will go elsewhere.

[misfish]

I say leave it be. Nice to have a bit of wild life around I think.

He aint hurting anything,and he /she is cute.LOL

[Rich]

I'll take care of your bucktail.. I MEAN fox problem!

 

"click-click"

[holdfast]

Don't relocate it. It'll help with the Cat, Mouse and Gopher populations.

[nautifish]

Thanx so much for all the advice fellas.

 

I was talking to some of neighbors today no one seems to have a problem with the fox being around which is good. I even found out a few have been feeding him something i shall not be getting in the habbit of. Maybe he will move on who knows. But i do feel lucky to have such a beautiful animal frequent my back yard.

 

Thanx again.

 

Nauti.

[nautifish]

Thanx so much for all the advice fellas.

 

I was talking to some of neighbors today no one seems to have a problem with the fox being around which is good. I even found out a few have been feeding him something i shall not be getting in the habbit of. Maybe he will move on who knows. But i do feel lucky to have such a beautiful animal frequent my back yard.

 

Thanx again.

 

Nauti.

[nautifish]

Thanx so much for all the advice fellas.

 

I was talking to some of neighbors today no one seems to have a problem with the fox being around which is good. I even found out a few have been feeding him something i shall not be getting in the habbit of. Maybe he will move on who knows. But i do feel lucky to have such a beautiful animal frequent my back yard.

 

Thanx again.

 

Nauti.