Evidently I have a fox-should I be worried?

[LMH]

For the last week to 10 days I have been seeing a pretty little fox around the farm. He (she?) was outside my dog yard, in the pastures, hanging out this morning while the horses came in.

We found a dead chicken in the road-I assume Mr Fox was looking for something yummy.

So...is the fox a risk to my cats or dogs? What diseases could he be spreading?

Does he need to go?

[BuddyRoo]

If you don't have chickens and such, I would not be too concerned about the fox. In fact, I'd kind of welcome a fox. They catch and eat mice, rats, rabbits, snakes, birds...etc. Because of this...if you want to keep your fox around, be sure not to use mouse/rat poison as the dead mouse/rat can have enough poison in it to harm the fox (or your pets--but you probably knew that).

Rabies is the main disease to be concerned with. I'm assuming your pets are all vaccinated for rabies though.

Some parasites like fleas, tape worms, some types of roundworms, etc could be of some concern. But again...if you have your dogs on hw preventative then that also usually contains meds that take care of roundworms and such. Tapes no. But if you have any type of critter out there w/ fleas, chances are good that your pets end up getting exposed to tapeworms. (fleas transmit them and segments are ingested)

Short fact sheet about your fox: http://pelotes.jea.com/AnimalFact/Mammal/redfox.htm

[LMH]

Thanks...he is so pretty that i kinda hate to have to 'see him go.'

He does not appear aggressive at all so he is not likely a raging rabid fox?

We will just keep an eye on him I guess.

There is so much building these poor guys are all getting displaced.

[Jumpin_Horses]

I welcome my Foxes. they are great varmit hunters!

I have one who I call "Soldier Fox" (he has a girlfriend now). he is a mighty hunter.

he seems to be very healthy, and adorable. and Ive noticed a reduction in rabbits, possums, raccoons, and groundhogs the last couple of years

he is no bigger than my barn cats. I have 5 barn cats and he doesnt seem to bother them.

when Soldier gets too close to the barns, the donkeys run him off. they havent caught him yet. I think they are just giving him a warning. and the donkeys like the cats (the cats sit on the edge of the stalls and lick the donks ears for them :)), so the cats are safe and valued by the donks.

[LMH]

My 2 mini donkeys are VERY offended by the fox. Felix brays and hoots ALL night long-now at least I know why!:lol:

Well good then-he stays.

Now I must name him.

[JSwan]

Enjoy your fox.

[Jumpin_Horses]

they are very nobel critters.... how about "The Mighty Thor" for a name? :lol:

[LMH]

Thanks JSwan-I think we WILL enjoy The Mighty Thor!:lol:

Between Thor, the Blue Heron and the Emu from years ago I am starting to feel a little fancy on the farm!:cool:

[merrygoround]

I'm jealous, all I get is coyotes. :(

[wendy]

they can pass mange on to horses and dogs. If his coat looks patchy or scrubby it wouldn't hurt to try to get him to eat some ivermectin:
http://foxwoodrehab.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/10/treating-sarcop.html

[MoonWitch]

Welcome your fox and be glad. We have them and actually feed them. It started back when we had one (Henry) come into our barn to die from mange, during a bad snowstorm. It was so sad that we started to treat the others with ivermectin via dog food. Happy to report they all look great and the mangey ones are growing fur again! They are beautiful, and are no danger to your cats/dogs. Rabies is not common amoung foxes - you have more to fear from raccoons for that. Mange is not easily transmitted to domestic pets unless direct contact. Again, it is curable even in pretty severe cases. Good luck & feel blessed!

[pintopiaffe]

I loff my foxes when I get them.

Prolly in the fact sheet above--but contrary to common belief, you will see them during the day at times. More like cats, they seem to really enjoy a nice bake in the sun--most especially if it's on a nice big flat rock.

Just watch for signs of poor health. The coat is the most obvious.

I'm jealous. I need all the mouse help I can get. I think the coyotes may have pushed the foxes out somewhat... coyotes aren't a *problem* (yet), but I know I have them...

[bit-o-honey]

While we are on the subject, I too have a new fox (among other regular residents) - a very small young fox who circles my house and come up on the porch crying and screeching at night. Last night (s)he circled the house at 1 a.m. screeching at the top of his/her lungs. It is so small, I think he misses his Mom, and probably is trying to socialize with my two female cats. He is too small at the moment to try to eat them!

Any ideas how to gently encourage it to stay away from the house? (there is no people or cat food outside anywhere near the house, but there is a steady supply of goslings on the pond next to the house right now).

Having made it through fox mating season over the winter, I would like to be done with the screeching! :D

[LMH]

Mighty Thor's coat looks glossy and healthy.

So what do I feed the mighty one?

I may grow fond of him now that I know he is safe.

He is SO pretty-I will try to get a photo!

[Alagirl]

Mighty Thor's coat looks glossy and healthy.

So what do I feed the mighty one?

I may grow fond of him now that I know he is safe.

He is SO pretty-I will try to get a photo!


LOL, name the beast and it's all over! I bet he has enough vermin to catch! much healthier ( re: pet food threads) unless you run into a bad drought or week long snow storms - nothing?

[cloudyandcallie]

They are diurnal
They eat just about anything catfood apples peaches.
At one barn the dog fox ate grits and gravy, the tenant had pix of that, and then the dog fox brought up his vixen and the kids for dinner too.
Dry cat food dry dog food, they are pretty much gourmands.

[Bluey]

A friend has one living under her trailer house and has dug a hole into the dog pen, where he plays and socializes with her two dogs.:eek:
The old dog treats it like a puppy, the younger one is who plays the best with her.
She also plays with the several cats they have.

Some foxes are sure getting brave.:yes:

[cloudyandcallie]

Foxes sre canids. They are related to dogs.
Just get rabies shots for everyone, including Mr. Fox if you can trap him.

[Thomas_1]

I don't mind a couple but not in the immediate vicinity of my buildings and barns. But then I do have chickens, ducks and .... more importantly.... lambs.

A couple will help to keep the rabbit population down.

But I do keep the fox population down to a manageable level. Here the fox doesn't have a natural enemy.... it's at the top of the food chain.

I have once (in 50 years!) had a cat attacked by a fox. The cat survived but had to have stitches . That fox was shot!

[111]

We have a whole family of young ones at my barn. The mom has been around since last fall.

Unfortunately, my favorite barn cat tried to go after the babies about 2 months ago & the mama fox killed her. She was a very small cat (who thought she was a mountain lion!) People keep telling me how rare it is for a fox to attack a cat. That doesn't help much.

They are a beautiful family. Right after my cat was killed I almost had a removal service come in (till I found out they lied to me when they said they wouldn't kill them) We seem to be living in peaceful harmony right now.

[JB]

You must get pictures of Thor!

[twofatponies]

I love foxes! So cool you have one around. There's one in the hayfield below the barn where I board. I saw her two cubs last week. And today I saw a pile of what looked like fox-colored fur at the edge of the field - I was so worried something had killed one of the cubs! But when we got closer it was a pile of feathers from someone's red chicken!! There are two good chicken-hunting spots not far from the farm. :D

[LMH]

I think I should be ok-no small or young cats, no ducks or chickens.

I just have 5 adult barn kitties, 4 goats, 2 mini donks and 4 horses.

No problems on rabies vaccines.

If I can catch him I would CERTAINLY try to get him vaccinated for rabies.

I guess time will tell.

That also explains why we are going through cat food in the barn like there are no rodents in the state of georgia.:lol:

[Mara]

Isn't there an oral rabies vaccine now? I saw a snippet on Discovery or Versus or one of those shows which mentioned the Fish & Wildlife people flying over forested areas dropping this vaccine.

[Alagirl]

Isn't there an oral rabies vaccine now? I saw a snippet on Discovery or Versus or one of those shows which mentioned the Fish & Wildlife people flying over forested areas dropping this vaccine.

There is, it has been done in Europe for decades

[bird4416]

I have a fox visit occasionally over here. He is a beautiful red that trots across the pasture and through my outdoor arena. I see his tracks frequently and have seen him a few times. I wonder if it could be the same one. We aren't that far apart as the crow flies.

[Addison]

Most foxes live on small birds, mice etc...usually you don't have to worry about cats, or lambs.

[JSwan]

LMH -

Please reconsider trapping him. I understand why you want to do it and have no doubt about your good intentions. None at all.

But trapping and handling a wild animal is incredibly stressful on the animal. So much so that it may die of capture myopathy during handling or after release. Trapping isn't so much as problem as handling is. Exertional myopathy is normal to some extent, as all wild animal suffer stress in the course of their daily life, when hunted, mating seasons/rut, etc.

Wildlife biologists, game dept employees and wildlife rehabbers have a great deal of knowledge and are trained to minimize the chance this happens to any animal they handle. And still..... animals die (including endangered species they're trying to reintroduce into the wild.)

If you wish to have this animal vaccinated, or take other steps to ensure it does not pose a threat to your animals or people... perhaps you could contact your game department and ask for advice. If you have trouble locating the right department or person I'd be happy to try and help you find the right person, or provide you information on red fox biology. There are oral vaccines but I don't know if individuals are permitted to purchase them - they're usually reserved for large scale releases in areas where rabies is prevalent, or on the border of CN and the US.


You are so lucky to have a fox around. If you want to put food out - just don't put it out near your home or places you don't want the fox to investigate.

They love chicken necks and hot dogs. Get the cheap fatty hot dogs. Yum yum.:)

[SonnysMom]

I have a fox that is pretty mangey looking that I would like to treat with the ivermectin. DH went to TSC last night to get the liquid ivermectin. It is $60 per bottle. Ouch. I would only need a really small amount of the bottle.
Has anybody ever used the ivermectin horse paste for foxes? Will they eat it? Or should I try to get some liquid ivermectin from a local cow vet?

[JSwan]

I'd not use ANY paste wormer on a fox.

Fox are not as heavy as people think they are - they are mostly fur. You could easily kill a fox with a paste wormer designed for horses.

I'd contact your state DNR/game department, or you may want to pose your question in the hunting forum. There are people there pretty experienced in trying to save injured or sick foxes. Mange is a horrible problem in foxes and it is heartbreaking to see them blind and dying from it.

Also, consulting a vet won't hurt. He/She may suggest a dog wormer that you can purchase OTC or directly from him/her.

A wildlife rehabber is another good source of information - not just anyone can be a rehabber - it's regulated.

[Equibrit]

Just leave him the hell alone.

[county]

I agree with Equibrit why do people think they can improve the balance of nature by intruding with wildlife? We have fox and coyote here and Mother Nature does an outstanding job with them all by herself.

[wendy]

I have used dog heartworm pills (hidden in chunks of liverwurst) to successfully cure a mangey fox. They suffer horribly from the disease and can die from it. Just guess at the fox's weight. It's fairly safe within a wide range of dose.

[MistyBlue]

Do NOT use paste wormer on fox. They are canids...but oddly enough more like cats in their sensitivity levels to meds.
Heartguard is okay for fox...do be aware that you need to give it every other month and not every month. There's no one shot wonder with that. Also be aware that the average fox weighs 8-12 lbs...they're light. Very light considering what they look like they weigh.
Mange isn't uncommon with fox...but they also tend to look mangey when they're not sometimes too. Skin rashes and even normal shedding can make quite a few look mangey. Check the brush/tail...if that's normal looking it's probably not mange.
They're fun to have around...smart as heck and pretty sociable...much like coyotes although coyotes don't have as much public approval. :winkgrin:

[MoonWitch]

I have a fox that is pretty mangey looking that I would like to treat with the ivermectin. DH went to TSC last night to get the liquid ivermectin. It is $60 per bottle. Ouch. I would only need a really small amount of the bottle.
Has anybody ever used the ivermectin horse paste for foxes? Will they eat it? Or should I try to get some liquid ivermectin from a local cow vet?

You're not far from me!! I have a bottle that I bought and will gladly share with you if you're interested! We've been treating ours with great success! PM me if you want!

[LMH]

Whoa!

Easy people-I am not going to do anything with him at this point.

I should have been more clear-I meant if I could catch him because he decided to show up and be tame THEN I would try to have the vet vaccinate him-but that was more wishful thinking and trying to think I would be responsible! :lol:

I certainly don't want to tangle with a wild one-I was thinking more of the Disney movie, foxie moves in and loves us so much he wants to be a pet. NOT trapping him! I have too many cats around that it would be pointless.

I would trap the entire feline community first!

I actually have TWO! One taller lighter colored one and one low rider red one.

So they have new names-Lucy and Desi. :lol:

I spoke to my neighbor and they have been around a little over a month-I guess they are just getting more comfy.

So far she said they have done no damage-just LOVE to play and run around.

Lucy was playing with a bird today-unsuccessfully hunting the bird I assume.

My other stray, black Miss Kitty was sitting outside watching Lucy and unimpressed with her bird skills.

The red one looks kind of skinny but the coats on each look healthy.

I was reading they have babies around March-I wonder if the one is mama and skinny from nursing?

[JSwan]

LMH -

If you are seeing two then yes, there may be kits around. If so, you are in a for a real treat. :)

[AKB]

We have a lovely fox who managed to solve our barn rat problem. She comes to our back door at night to look for large milk bones that our dogs have dropped. If she can't find a milk bone, she barks to get someone from the house to toss a few milk bones out to her.

Several of our neighbors have treated foxes successfully for mange using a few drops of liquid ivermectin placed in hot dogs. It apparently takes several doses before it works. I don't know the details, but it does work.

If anyone has access to the oral rabies vaccine, let me know. I have tried repeatedly to get it, but have been unsuccessful. We live in an area with a lot of rabies, and I don't want anything to happen to our nice fox.

[HowDoYouLikeMeNow]

For the last week to 10 days I have been seeing a pretty little fox around the farm. He (she?) was outside my dog yard, in the pastures, hanging out this morning while the horses came in.

We found a dead chicken in the road-I assume Mr Fox was looking for something yummy.

So...is the fox a risk to my cats or dogs? What diseases could he be spreading?

Does he need to go?

If you don't have chickens or any small animals that are outside you are fond of, I would think not. Do fox's eat opposoms? If they do, that'd be great!

[LMH]

I have a fox visit occasionally over here. He is a beautiful red that trots across the pasture and through my outdoor arena. I see his tracks frequently and have seen him a few times. I wonder if it could be the same one. We aren't that far apart as the crow flies.

I bet it could be the same one...you have not seen the taller more tan colored one?

The little red one IS textbook pretty!

[LMH]

LMH -

If you are seeing two then yes, there may be kits around. If so, you are in a for a real treat. :)

Oohmygosh that would be WAY too much fun!

I wonder if the parents will bring them around to teach them the ropes?

[Jumpin_Horses]

yep, I saw one of "Solider Fox's" baby's this morning! AWE! AWE! AWE! :cool:

they are SO beautiful!

you know, DNR in my area told me I was lucky because (according to them) apparently foxes and coyotes WONT co-exist. so, if you have a family of foxes you most likely dont have coyotes in the area... FWIW.. ;)

[5]

Now I must name him.

I would name him
Jeff. The worthy fox

[LMH]

I would name him
Jeff. The worthy fox

:lol:

[x-rab]

Just make sure if you decide to put out the oral rabies medicine for the Fox to use the Cat version not the dog one. The dog rabies medicine will kill fox.

[Just My Style]

We have a fox that lives up in the woods around our property. When you see one, it is considered lucky!