Red Fox

The Red Fox is a small streamlined animal which ranges over most parts of the United States, Canada, and is also found in other countries, including England and Wales. In the United States as well as England and Wales they were at one time hunted quite heavily by the upper classes.

Red Fox are solitary animals, with most living alone, with the exception being during the mating season which runs from January to about March, and when they are raising little fox, which are called kits.

Large adult fox will curl up with its tail surrounding it for warmth, very selcome using a den unless to raise its young.

The Red Fox

Often you can find images of a fox with snow covering them sound asleep. The snow serves to insulate them from the cold when applied over their long tail.

A red fox can be any color from orange red to gray, but most of them are a deep russet color with a white underbelly and a white tip on their tails.

They weigh about 10 pounds but may weigh as much as 15. Their body is longish, about a yard long in many cases, with their tails another foot in length.They are usually about 14 inches high at the shoulder.

Red Fox have long slim legs which are well suited for running and very sharp teeth for chewing meat, as well as a very long thin nose.

They are well known for their cleverness, and stories have been written over the years along with fairy tales which exemplify their intelligence.

Baby fox, which are called kits are usually born in April or May. The mother fox, called a vixen, will build a den for them well before they are due to be born and will often use that same den year after year.

Young Kit

A mother may have as many as ten kits in her litter.
For about a month they are fed mothers milk, after which the mother will return to the den and regurgitate meat for the kits to eat. After several months she will bring back live animals for the kits to learn to take their own prey. At about seven months the kits will venture out on their own.

Fox do need meat to eat for proper nutrition, however they also eat a very diverse diet. In the summer they can be found feeding on corn, apples and acorns, as well as insects, mice, squirrels and other small mammals. They are intelligent animals who have a very interesting way of hunting.

Their ears can sense low frequency sounds, such as the burrowing of underground animals. They will listen intently and then dig frantically to uncover the small animal as a meal.
Find out more about the Red Fox over at Wikipedia »