Red foxes are adorable forest creatures that hop and hunt through the woods.
They’re intelligent animals that will do whatever it takes to get a meal.
Red foxes are crafty and stealthy, making them excellent hunters.
Can Red Foxes Climb Trees?
Yes, red foxes can climb trees, and they do it quite often.
Foxes love to eat birds and their eggs, which are most commonly up in the trees.
They’re willing to do whatever it takes to get the food that they want.
Trees also offer an excellent escape from predators, such as wolves.
A fox’s body is built for climbing trees.
Although they may be related to dogs, foxes share a lot of physical traits and tendencies with cats.
Their cunning nature paired with their strong bodies make them excellent tree climbers and hunters.
Similar to cats, foxes have semi-retractable claws.
Their long, thin nails are perfect for piercing through the bark of a tree.
Their nails are also incredibly strong, which makes them able to withstand the weight of gravity pulling the fox’s body towards the ground.
Like their dog relatives, foxes have powerful hind legs.
Their hind legs allow them to leap from the ground and onto the tree.
They then use their hind legs to brace themselves as they are going up the tree.
A fox’s hind legs aren’t the only strong limbs that they have.
Red foxes have smaller, but just as mighty forelegs.
The fox uses its forelegs to pull itself up the tree.
It will use both its forelegs and hind legs to brace itself if the wind picks up.
Foxes also have flexible ankles, which allows them to latch their semi-retractable claws onto the tree at the right angle.
The rotation that their ankles have allows them to scale the tree more easily by moving with the bark.
You may be surprised at how well a red fox’s coat acts as camouflage in trees.
When the trees change colors in the fall, the amber color of the red fox’s coat is undisguisable.
Can Red Foxes Climb Fences?
Yes, foxes can climb fences just as well as they can climb trees.
A fox may choose to climb your fence if your yard has something it wants, or if it sees your yard as a safe place to relax.
Although most foxes who come into a yard won’t stay long, they may choose to stay if they can find something to eat.
Chances are that the fox is not going to hurt you or want to go near you, as long as you stay away from it.
Foxes are extremely skittish and quite easy to scare off.
These cunning creatures know when they’re outmatched.
However, foxes are known to make homes out of the underside of people’s patio sets and children’s playsets.
It’s not a safe idea to have your children or pets running through a yard with wild animals.
Therefore, it is understandable if you don’t want the fox to take up residency in your backyard.
There are many ways to keep foxes from staying in your yard, even if there’s little to no way of actually stopping these mischievous animals.
In order to make a fox leave, you need to make your backyard unappealing.
Start by removing any food scraps that may be left outside.
This will stop most animals from coming into your yard.
Don’t use fertilizers that smell like food to a fox, like fertilizers that contain fish, blood, or ground-up bone.
Cover up any bodies of water that you may have in your backyard at night.
This can include fish ponds, in-ground pools, or kiddie pools.
If you have a garden, make sure to pick up any produce that has fallen to the ground.
You should also clean up any toys in your yard because foxes will come back to play with toys.
Will A Fox Climb Through A Window?
Yes, foxes are extremely curious and will take the opportunity to climb through a window.
In parts of England, this is actually such a common occurrence that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea had to make a statement about the problem.
Those who are looking to avoid having a fox enter their home will want to take the proper precautions.
It doesn’t take much to prevent these pesky animals from getting into your house.
Do not leave your ground-level windows wide open.
That’s inviting in not only foxes, but also squirrels and other potential pests. Instead, only crack ground-level windows open by two to three inches.
You should also make sure to not leave your doors open, especially at night.
Windows with screens will have a smaller likelihood of being entered through, but animals will still chew on the screen material to make a hole if they are determined enough.
You can also put animal repellent near your windows and doors.
Don’t assume that second-floor windows are safe from fox intruders just because they’re higher up.
In 2016, a red fox made its way into the second-floor flat of a 64-year old man while he was taking a bath.
The homeowner had been relaxing in his tub with the bathroom window open when he watched the fox leap across the room and scurry through his house.
He chased the fox through the house and back into the bathroom where the wild animal came in.
Sadly, the fox was too frightened by the whole situation to figure out how to get back out of the room, so the homeowner had to attempt to herd the fox out through his front door.
The fox managed to run out the front door and would come back for visits.
Can Foxes Climb On Your Roof?
Yes, foxes can climb on your roof, if they can find a way to scale the side of your house.
Although it isn’t common for foxes to climb onto a roof, they are very capable of doing it.
During the pandemic, there were many sightings of foxes running along rooftops.
Lockdown may have not been enjoyable for the people of the world, but wildlife enjoyed the freedom of roaming quiet streets that were usually filled with cars and busy humans.
All over the world, animals were doing things they hadn’t been seen doing before.
Foxes are extremely adventurous animals, who weren’t going to miss this opportunity to explore.
One town in England found a family of foxes gallivanting across their roofs.
The foxes mostly went up on the roofs to hunt for birds and bird eggs.
It isn’t uncommon for foxes to climb up on roofs, especially in the winter.
Snow can make an excellent ramp for the foxes to leap from.
Seeing pawprints on your roof is a telltale sign of having a fox on your roof.
Due to their claws, foxes are known for ruining your shingles.
They climb up your roof the same way they climb up a tree.
A fox can step on a loose shingle and tear it clear off, so you should hire someone to spray your roof with animal repellent.
Urban foxes tend to be even more agile and crafty than their woodland-living counterparts.
These city-dwelling foxes have adapted their skills to fit the city setting.
They’re able to climb a fire escape just as easily as they can climb a tree.
There is a positive side to having a fox that likes to climb on your roof.
You don’t have to worry about animals like birds or squirrels making nests up there.
Are Foxes Dangerous?
Yes, any animal has the potential to be dangerous, especially wild animals.
Foxes are not aggressive or feisty animals by nature and will only attack to protect their young or if they feel cornered.
You are more likely to be bitten by a dog than a fox.
The danger of foxes comes from the potential for them to have rabies.
Luckily, the fox strain of rabies is rarely transmitted to humans.
Post-exposure treatment to the fox strain of rabies is 100% effective.
If you are bitten by a fox, seek medical help immediately to keep the infection from being a problem.
The fox strain of rabies is more dangerous for your pets than you.
That is why it is incredibly important to get the rabies vaccination for your pet and to not leave them outside unattended for long periods of time.
Even if a fox doesn’t bite your pet, they could still give them mange.
Mange is a skin disease that’s caused by mites, which are easily transmitted between animals.
There are two different types of mange: sarcoptic mange and demodectic mange.
Foxes can be a major hazard for small dogs and cats.
A fox doesn’t know the difference between a wild animal and a pet.
If their prey is small enough, they will try to catch it and eat it.
Vulnerable pets should not be left outside, unattended.
Don’t count on foxes only being out at dusk and dawn.
Some foxes will hunt during the day to avoid nearby predators or if food is scarce at night.
A fox being out in the daytime may also be a sign that the fox has rabies or mange.
Unless a fox has something noticeably wrong with it, you won’t have to worry about it if you’re standing with your pet.
How To Tell If A Fox Is Sick
There are a few signs to look out for when trying to figure out if a fox is sick or not.
It is important to remember that you can’t always tell if an animal is sick by looking at them.
Early signs of rabies or mange may seem like normal behavior or a minor issue at first.
Foxes that are staggering around like they got into someone’s liquor cabinet are most likely dealing with some kind of illness.
They may also walk in circles, sometimes even spinning.
You may also notice that their limbs seem unable to move naturally or they may even be paralyzed.
A fox with a nonfunctional leg is as good as dead in the wild.
A diseased fox may try to hurt itself.
You can even see them gnawing at their own limbs.
This is especially common in foxes with mange.
The itch and burning get so insufferable for the poor animal that it decides to try to bite away the mange.
The only time foxes will be outwardly aggressive for no reason is when they have something wrong with them.
It isn’t uncommon for any animal to become unusually aggressive when in pain.
They have no other way of expressing it and don’t typically get any help in the wild.
If a fox seems unnaturally tame or friendly, there is a chance that the fox has something wrong with it.
The early stages of rabies can cause an animal to lose their sense of fear and appear unnaturally friendly.
Even foxes that have been given treatment for their rabies after this point will not regain their sense of fear.
Foxes without fear cannot survive in the wild.
The best thing you can do for the fox and your neighborhood is to call an animal rehabilitator.
What To Do If A Fox Comes Up To You
A friendly fox is not commonly found, and you should always assume wild animals don’t want to be friends.
At best, wildlife is willing to coexist in the same area as you, normally.
The only reasons a fox will come up to you is if they’re sick or you’ve got something that they really want.
If you notice a fox in your neighborhood, you should take the proper precautions to keep yourself, your pets, and the fox safe.
There are a few habits that you can pick up to keep foxes away from you.
When walking outside, announce your presence.
You may seem a bit odd to neighbors who don’t know there’s a fox in the area, but it’ll work as a great way of letting them know.
It also alerts any nearby foxes to your presence, which will typically make them hide or run away.
Should a fox approach you, clap your hands and gently shout in its direction.
You want to teach foxes that humans are another predator to avoid, even if you have no intention of hurting the fox.
Even if a kit walks up to you, do not pet it, and do not feed it.
You shouldn’t feed any wild animals that are in places they shouldn’t be.
This will make them reliant on humans and will keep them in the area.
Foxes are mischievous creatures that cause a lot of trouble and property damage.
While it may be tempting to befriend a fox, you shouldn’t try to mess with its nature.
Foxes are extremely complex creatures that need plenty of mental stimulation and an extremely particular diet.
They’re also prone to having multiple medical and behavioral problems that only trained professionals can fully handle.
Helping The Red Fox
Whether a fox is somewhere they shouldn’t be or is possibly ill, the best thing you can do is contact your local animal rehabilitator.
For those who have come across a fox they really want to help or potentially keep, try volunteering at your local animal rehabilitation center.
The world around us belongs to the animals that inhabit the areas just as much as it belongs to humans, if not more so.
By being smart around wild animals, you are keeping them safe and keeping them from needing to be removed.
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