Self Domesticated Fox
- Thread starter Smoke
- Start date
Most likely has distemper. That is not normal fox behavior. Be careful.
OP
Smoke
US Veteran
I think he was born on site and has lived his whole life inside the fence at work; people are a normal part of his world. Unfortunately it’s probably gonna get him killed some day.
Ranger514
Member
Are there housing subdivisions nearby? It might be that the fox is just accustomed to being in close proximity with people. Lots of folks leave food out for animals. My In Laws lived in town and fed a pair of foxes leftovers, but they just watched them from the deck. The pair would come in one at a time, snag food, and scurry back into a ravine where they had a den. There are fox living in the city park that have never posed a health threat to anyone, though I would be cautious of approaching them or letting them approach you. Beautiful animals.
kozmic
Member
We've seen a gorgeous red fox in the field behind our house the past week and there have been tracks across my yard in the snow. She must have a den close by. We haven't seen too many fox with the influx of coyotes the past few years. I'm happy to see one.
dougb1946
Member
Russians did an experiment with foxes bred for fur. Apparently the base breed bites when handled, doesn't take well to being skun out. They bred non aggressive to non aggressive. After a few generations, the foxes started to change. Fur color changed and they started acting like dogs. Of course now they have the problem of trying to kill a fox that is licking their nose and always glad to see them.
The fox around my neighborhoods became very tolerant of people over the last 20 years.When my kids were young,a female had a den about 50 yards from my deck behind an old farmhouse.In the evening she'd bring the pups out to play,it was very entertaining.This went on for 4-5 years and I swear she had 5-7 pups in every litter.
Edit: If you have cats,keep them inside this time of year.I was always finding cat parts back there.
Edit: If you have cats,keep them inside this time of year.I was always finding cat parts back there.
OP
Smoke
US Veteran
The place I work at is roughly 50 acres with an 8 foot fence around it. About 5 years ago they tightened up the perimeter (closed off some drainage ditches and such) to the point that Coyotes can’t come in but foxes can and the foxes stared hanging out here.
This guy comes and goes through the drain pipes; I’m certain he’s eating out of people’s dog bowls and such in the neighborhood and he gets the occasional rabbit here and doesn’t have to worry about Coyotes.
I'm not sure how complex a fox's thought processes are but surely they note the absence of other, lager predators here.
Since no human has (apparently) ever tried to harm him he tends to ignore us most of the time. Occasionally he will come and sniff to see if we’re packin’ hot dogs.
I took this picture on Christmas Eve 2012. I literally walked up stood over him and took the picture no zoom or anything. As you can see he wasn’t impressed
This guy comes and goes through the drain pipes; I’m certain he’s eating out of people’s dog bowls and such in the neighborhood and he gets the occasional rabbit here and doesn’t have to worry about Coyotes.
I'm not sure how complex a fox's thought processes are but surely they note the absence of other, lager predators here.
Since no human has (apparently) ever tried to harm him he tends to ignore us most of the time. Occasionally he will come and sniff to see if we’re packin’ hot dogs.
I took this picture on Christmas Eve 2012. I literally walked up stood over him and took the picture no zoom or anything. As you can see he wasn’t impressed
Attachments
Smoke, fox's can be carriers of rabies, please be careful..
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
I've lived in my present place for six years, and for the first four we had grey foxes and an occasional red one in a little strip of woods behind the complex. They wouldn't get that close, but they'd sit and look at us from twenty yards away at dusk.
The only one that ever came close to me was many years ago in a farm field where I was hunting. He wouldn't back down when I yelled and waved my arms, just kept coming, and was clearly sick. I had to shoot him.
The only one that ever came close to me was many years ago in a farm field where I was hunting. He wouldn't back down when I yelled and waved my arms, just kept coming, and was clearly sick. I had to shoot him.
He seems pretty sly to me.
J. R. WEEMS
Member
Probably looking for some ground birds to kill.
george minze
Member
That one curled up blows my mind. I have seen some that didn't appear to be afraid of humans. Years ago a judge I was assigned to lived in a converted farm...He left the sturdy but un-used barn just as it was. A family of foxes moved in and seemed content to stay...Some of the pups when grown would come up to the main house and sort of beg for hand outs..Eventually one would even take food from the hand (of the owner) They never seemed scared of humans .. Of course the only humans that they saw were living on the farm...No dogs..The judge told me one day about a year later they just disappeared..No carcasses and only nesting evidence to show they were ever there...Go Wonder The judge told me that about three litters was it.
Texas Star
US Veteran
I've told here about the Arctic(?) fox that came up to the door of a radar station in Newfoundland. I threw him food a few times, but never tried to feed him from my hand, as some airmen did. I don't think any of us got bitten, but it didn't seem a good idea to let him get too close.
A few years ago, I was protecting a wealthy widow who'd received death threats. She lived in a splendid neighborhood where a stream flowed behind her home and there were acres of woods. This is smack in north Dallas, off of a busy street.
I saw quite a variety of wildlife, including big herons stalking fish in the stream. But the grey foxes were probably the most interesting. I sometimes encountered them while walking the property. I once was within 15 feet of a vixen and her kits on a driveway. I pretended not to notice them and after a pause, she led the little ones past me. No violence on either side.
But one big male fox was very territorial or something. This varlet snarled if he saw me and once perched himself on a column in front of the main house and "demonstrated" as the colonial British termed the ragings of a tiger.
He once almost came for me after snarling a bit. I drew my .357 ( S&W Model 66-3, Pachmayr Presentation grips; Federal Hydra-Shok.357 ammo with 158 grain bullets) but he finally stalked past, snapping at me from maybe 12 feet.
I called the zoo and talked with the Curator of Mammals and we agreed that he was probably being territorial, not rabid. But I was glad when I saw the last of him. Maybe a neighbor shot him. Or the man who worked on my night off...And there was a really big Great Horned Owl that might have been harmful to his health. He was a nasty beast, and I was glad that I didn't have to shoot him, as it might cause a problem with the police or some wild animal law or group.
I was recently told that a coyote was seen a few blocks from my home. I believe it. I saw one once along Lover's Ln. in north Dallas, just past the city limits of Highland Park. It was loping though a parking lot about 4:30 AM.
A few years ago, I was protecting a wealthy widow who'd received death threats. She lived in a splendid neighborhood where a stream flowed behind her home and there were acres of woods. This is smack in north Dallas, off of a busy street.
I saw quite a variety of wildlife, including big herons stalking fish in the stream. But the grey foxes were probably the most interesting. I sometimes encountered them while walking the property. I once was within 15 feet of a vixen and her kits on a driveway. I pretended not to notice them and after a pause, she led the little ones past me. No violence on either side.
But one big male fox was very territorial or something. This varlet snarled if he saw me and once perched himself on a column in front of the main house and "demonstrated" as the colonial British termed the ragings of a tiger.
He once almost came for me after snarling a bit. I drew my .357 ( S&W Model 66-3, Pachmayr Presentation grips; Federal Hydra-Shok.357 ammo with 158 grain bullets) but he finally stalked past, snapping at me from maybe 12 feet.
I called the zoo and talked with the Curator of Mammals and we agreed that he was probably being territorial, not rabid. But I was glad when I saw the last of him. Maybe a neighbor shot him. Or the man who worked on my night off...And there was a really big Great Horned Owl that might have been harmful to his health. He was a nasty beast, and I was glad that I didn't have to shoot him, as it might cause a problem with the police or some wild animal law or group.
I was recently told that a coyote was seen a few blocks from my home. I believe it. I saw one once along Lover's Ln. in north Dallas, just past the city limits of Highland Park. It was loping though a parking lot about 4:30 AM.
Last edited:
OP
Smoke
US Veteran
He sleeps in that area frequently and a lot of times I walk by, he looks and me and goes right back to sleep.
LVSteve
Member
The urban foxes back in England can be that tame. I was being dropped off at a railway station one night and a guy up the street at a bus stop was oblivious to the fox sniffing his ankles and looking up with that "Got snacks?" look. Reckon it was the same one that came down onto the railway platform to see if any of us late night travelers had any goodies.
george minze
Member
Amazing well they are part of the dog family....Darned of he don't remind me of the lazy family pet, curled up for a nap...
Biginge
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I fooled with a "tame" one 50 years ago. He wasn't quite as tame as I had hoped. Still remember the 14 shots in my stomach cause he was rabid, not timid. Listen to Old Bears advice.
when in question and there to close just shoot em, as cold as it has been up north. You could make a nice wrap for your neck
I've heard more than once of baby coyotes being raised as pets and doing very well; even one that lives with another dog and a cat without problems. I suspect the same could be done with a baby fox, and this guy has been desensitized to humans to a similar extent. I would not interact closely with most, for all the health reasons given, but this one under the circumstances described does not concern me much.
OP
Smoke
US Veteran
Yeah, I'm not about to start popping off rounds in the middle of 1.6 million gallons of Liquid Propane
Last edited:
