Fox hanging around house?

[Leay]

I have a question that hopefully someone here can help me with. There has been a fox hanging around my house for the last couple of weeks. I don't have a problem with that but I was under the impression that fox tend to avoid areas where people are. I also have a Rottweiler that is kenneled when not in the house. I'm very surprised that this fox would even come around with my dog here. I'm worried that he might have rabies or distemper. Is this normal behavior for a fox?

Thanks for any replies!
Leay

[VAkat]

We had one on the farm for a few weeks. We also had a husky/chow/wolf mix that roamed freely. She didn't care, it was free range corn fed chickens when she could get close enough! Day, night, didn't matter. I followed her one day & found her den. She had a few little ones. Animal control said if they came out they would have to put down the entire family. And they didn't know of anyway to get her to move. I did. When I found she was out of her den, I stuck a few of my ex's stinkin wet socks into the hole (of course I didn't plug it up or anything). She moved out w/babies the next day, never saw her again!
Kindest regards;
KAT

[Leay]

Originally Posted by VAkat

We had one on the farm for a few weeks. We also had a husky/chow/wolf mix that roamed freely. She didn't care, it was free range corn fed chickens when she could get close enough! Day, night, didn't matter. I followed her one day & found her den. She had a few little ones. Animal control said if they came out they would have to put down the entire family. And they didn't know of anyway to get her to move. I did. When I found she was out of her den, I stuck a few of my ex's stinkin wet socks into the hole (of course I didn't plug it up or anything). She moved out w/babies the next day, never saw her again!
Kindest regards;
KAT

Thanks for the reply, KAT! I feel a little better now that I know that this behaviour is normal. I don't have any chickens or rabbits so it doesn't bother me if this guy wants to hang around. My only concern was that he could possibly be rabid. He certainly looks healthy enough, so I guess he stays.
Leay

[uncle Will in In.]

Did them stiinkin' sox get rid of the ex also? That story is really funny..

[VAkat]

Hahaha, Uncle Will, the ex now lives in the shi-shi-poo-poo million dollar *own no land* burbs of DC, remarried to his first wife. From what I understand, he's livid that I continued on with my dream after he auctioned my farm animals & put my domestics to sleep (in direct violation of the court order). Not having to deal with halitosis (sp) of the feet is just one of the many bonuses!

Leay, I don't live on a farm anymore (moving SOON! YIPPEEE) but when I moved here 4.5 years ago, the area had some rural parts...err, kinda. I have a male (I think) who comes around nightly around 10 (yeah, I stay up to see him! . He used to come around at dusk but due to the development taking over the 600 acres of former soy field across the street, he comes by later. Saw him a few times during the day when it was quiet. It was so shocking I'd just stare in amazement at the beauty of him.
You will still of course want to use caution...not only with foxes. Read up on rabies as it can be shocking. For instance dogs can shed the virus days before symptom occur. Not everyone who is exposed to rabies gets it. Rabies symtoms can take years to develop...yadda, yadda! Personally I worry more about home invasion...but that is just me when I'm chewing my cuticles. *LOL*

Best wishes all!

KAT

[gobug]

Its common fox mother behavior to frequently move her litter. It is spring and it could be a mother fox. Follow her like VA above. It'll spook her. Daytime behavior as you describe is not common. If its a male something is up.

[big rockpile]

I would leave them alone,unless they are eating Chickens.They catch a lot of Mice.

big rockpile

[Leay]

[QUOTE=VAkat]Hahaha, Uncle Will, the ex now lives in the shi-shi-poo-poo million dollar *own no land* burbs of DC, remarried to his first wife. From what I understand, he's livid that I continued on with my dream after he auctioned my farm animals & put my domestics to sleep (in direct violation of the court order). Not having to deal with halitosis (sp) of the feet is just one of the many bonuses!

Leay, I don't live on a farm anymore (moving SOON! YIPPEEE) but when I moved here 4.5 years ago, the area had some rural parts...err, kinda. I have a male (I think) who comes around nightly around 10 (yeah, I stay up to see him! . He used to come around at dusk but due to the development taking over the 600 acres of former soy field across the street, he comes by later. Saw him a few times during the day when it was quiet. It was so shocking I'd just stare in amazement at the beauty of him.
You will still of course want to use caution...not only with foxes. Read up on rabies as it can be shocking. For instance dogs can shed the virus days before symptom occur. Not everyone who is exposed to rabies gets it. Rabies symtoms can take years to develop...yadda, yadda! Personally I worry more about home invasion...but that is just me when I'm chewing my cuticles. *LOL*


Hey Kat!
Sorry it took me so long to reply. Overtime at work has me screaming! I'm still worried about this stupid fox. I feel a big responsibility towards the animals I have running around outside. Two of them are feral cats that I feed but haven't mannaged to capture yet so I can take them to the vet for shots. Yesterday in broad daylight, I heard one of the cats fighting with something and when my SO went outside, there was the fox right up by the porch with the cat nowhere in sight. He just looked at my guy and slowly loped on down into the yard. I don't think thats normal behaviour for a fox is it? I hate to shoot it if it has babies but I just think that this fox is sick? Anyway, we'll see how it goes. If it was sick, wouldn't it look mangy or something. It looks just all sleek. Don't know what to do....
Thanks for your help. And ya know what???? I hope Uncle Will just LOVES his no own land..... Sounds like it will serve him well.
Leay

[Leay]

Originally Posted by gobug

Its common fox mother behavior to frequently move her litter. It is spring and it could be a mother fox. Follow her like VA above. It'll spook her. Daytime behavior as you describe is not common. If its a male something is up.

Hi gobug,
Yeah, it's the daytime behaviour that has me worried. And if we go outside and see the fox, he doesn't run away like he's really scared. He just kind of jogs down the yard. He doesn't look sick though. I don't know if they appear sick if they have rabies or distemper???? I really hate to shoot it if it has babies.
Thanks for the reply!
Leay

PS Can anyone tell me how to reply so that I don't have the previous posters message appear? It makes for a long post when that's included.

[Leay]

Originally Posted by big rockpile

I would leave them alone,unless they are eating Chickens.They catch a lot of Mice.

big rockpile

I agree rockpile. This guy (or girl) doesn't have me bothered. Less mice is a GOOD thing! I just worry that he or she is hanging around the house in broad daylight. Now it's fighting with the outside cats. I don't think that's a healthy fox but then I know nothing about them.
I guess I'll see how the next week goes and then decide what to do???
Thanks for the reply.
Leay

[Leay]

[QUOTE=VAkat]Hahaha, Uncle Will, the ex now lives in the shi-shi-poo-poo million dollar *own no land* burbs of DC, remarried to his first wife. From what I understand, he's livid that I continued on with my dream after he auctioned my farm animals & put my domestics to sleep (in direct violation of the court order). Not having to deal with halitosis (sp) of the feet is just one of the many bonuses!

Leay, I don't live on a farm anymore (moving SOON! YIPPEEE) but when I moved here 4.5 years ago, the area had some rural parts...err, kinda. I have a male (I think) who comes around nightly around 10 (yeah, I stay up to see him! . He used to come around at dusk but due to the development taking over the 600 acres of former soy field across the street, he comes by later. Saw him a few times during the day when it was quiet. It was so shocking I'd just stare in amazement at the beauty of him.
You will still of course want to use caution...not only with foxes. Read up on rabies as it can be shocking. For instance dogs can shed the virus days before symptom occur. Not everyone who is exposed to rabies gets it. Rabies symtoms can take years to develop...yadda, yadda! Personally I worry more about home invasion...but that is just me when I'm chewing my cuticles. *LOL*



Best wishes all!



Hey Kat!
Color me stupid, but in rereading your post, I realized that Uncle Will was the person you were responding to and not your ex! "Sorry Uncle Will" I thought that was kind of a weird name for an ex but hey.... I think I have weirder names for mine. I PROMISE to read more carefully from now on.
Leay

[big rockpile]

I've seen so many Foxes do just like this one,I don't believe there is anything wrong with it.It is probably finding easy food close and maybe more curious than anything.

I've let Coons in the House to eat long as the Dogs aren't around,mostly young ones.And sometimes Deer hang out close,got some Turkeys getting use to me.

big rockpile

[Jeff Hathaway]

I agree with rockpile!

Although foxes are generally secretive, some do get quite used to human surroundings. I've seen them up close around houses on several occasions.

If it is still looking healthy, rabies is unlikely to be an issue.

Jeff Hathaway

Daytime activity does not always mean rabies. In animals such as coons it would worry me to see one several days in daylight but not a fox. Fox are frequently active in the daylight hours. As one poster already stated the possibility of a mother or soon to be mother could be affecting behavior. Increasing hours of activity. Also this time of year is slim(on food) for many animals and any fox may need to hunt more. If the fox has a good looking pelt and no obvious injuries shown in its movement, I'd say it just likes your place They really are of no danger to humans so if you don't have small animals then just enjoy it!

[bumpus]

Originally Posted by Leay

PS Can anyone tell me how to reply so that I don't have the previous posters message appear? It makes for a long post when that's included.

Go to the bottom of the page on the far left
and there is a button that says ( Post Reply )

Have fun



bumpus
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