[SAcres]

So I went to bring in the horses this morning and saw a baby fox in one of my fields. Being the naturally curious (and slightly stupid) person I am, I started wandering towards it, wondering how close I could get. I got withing 10 feet of it before it took off. It didn't go very far though, it seemed curious too. It looked skinny...I want to feed it. Is this bad? Should I just ignore it? It wandered away after having a nice nap on one of the old hay piles from winter. It was very small, cat sized, looked like a baby. He/she just looked so sad and skinny.
Anyone have a pet fox? I'm pretty sure I could catch it with a trap. JK, um, about the pet part.

[JSwan]

Leave it alone. Might be a cub exploring the big wide world and it's best to keep them wild. If it's a sick fox....it's unlikely you can help it.

[clanter]

we have had them around for years

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...r/P1050498.jpg

they tolerate our cats
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...Picture120.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...Picture083.jpg

in this photo there is a large cat that has been around for a couple of years
it is about three feet long
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...Picture047.jpg

a bunny rabbit comes out each evening to eat with our old pony...they share

[NMK]

They can carry distemper. Be careful.

[birdsong]

Slip it some food with wormer in it.

[JFJ]

we have had them around for years

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...r/P1050498.jpg

they tolerate our cats
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...Picture120.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...Picture083.jpg

in this photo there is a large cat that has been around for a couple of years
it is about three feet long
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...Picture047.jpg

a bunny rabbit comes out each evening to eat with our old pony...they share

I have a family of foxes around and I am worried they'll go after my one remaining barn cat. So far they've taken out a duck, a few chickens (from my neighbors) and some other unidentified critters (I'm guessing groundhogs, by the bits they left, yuck). We've had foxes come though in the past but this group of two or maybe more must have a den close by.

[mybeau1999]

We have a similar problem this year - a baby fox has been freeloading off of our barn cats' food. No matter where we put it, that's cat accessible, the little bugger finds a way to get into it. Not sure how to go about discouraging his behavior... he's cute though. I wouldn't mind having him around so long as he left the cats alone, but I don't necessarily want him IN the barn.

[RedMare01]

Just to further warn you away from the pet idea, a (dumb) lady I work with has one as a pet (99.9% sure she bought it as opposed to saving an orphan, only because she previously bought a wolf and was upset when she had to euthanize the poor thing at 6 months ). She's always complaining about "Oh, she bit me again, and I DON'T KNOW WHY...(boo hoo)." Again. Anyway, they don't make good pets.

Caitlin

[dressagetraks]

To mybeau, regarding cat food and other unwanted things getting it: In the first year out at my farm, I realized that the only truly effective method was going to be feeding the barn cats under supervision. There is NEVER any food left out for the barn cats. Serving hours are established, and the cats learn them quickly. It gets put down, they get about 15 minutes while I'm in the immediate vicinity and in direct close visual range, and anything left gets picked back up until next time. If they want snacks in between meals, they can obtain for themselves some Fast Food.

Before this system, I was feeding raccoons, possums, and skunks. And probably other things I didn't know of. I once actually petted and lightly tossed a skunk to move him to the next perch in the dark so I could get what I was after. He didn't spray me; I think my utter confidence that he was a cat stunned him as much as realizing what that was, confirmed a minute later by belated flashlight, stunned me. That night was the final straw. The barn cats lost their permanent supply and have to eat under my eye, but they haven't suffered at all health wise for it.

I've seen a few foxes around here but no babies.