This young fox has been hanging around for a couple of weeks. He usually comes at night to eat food I throw out for the possums and raccoons to keep them out of the trash cans.
However, he keeps coming around today in broad daylight.
He’s not aggressive in any way and I only have 1 animal I allow outside on a regular basis so I’m not thinking he’s rabid but it appears he has a bad case of mange.
There’s an animal rescue a few hours from here but I have no way to catch him and if I call the local people they’ll probably just kill him then ask questions and I’m not up for that.
Anybody know of anything I can trick him into eating that might help with the mange?
He just looks so pitiful and I’d love to be able to help him, but I certainly don’t want him killed needlessly.
We see some like that when they are lacking food.
Some years back we had an ice storm which took all the big branches off the trees
Next year the undergrowth that never saw sun flourished in the newfound sunlight providing abundant cover and food for rodents. The next year there was a huge swell in predators. Hawks, foxes, falcons all were everywhere. But the next year the food was gone and the predators began to suffer and that’s what happened to the foxes. I don’t think you want to feed him. He is wild. But he’s sick. If you relocate him he will most likely die as he wont know the area and will probably fall victim to other predators.
Here is Missouri’s Department of Conservation advice on animals around the home.
I deal with it all the time as I live on the outer edge of town with lots of empty land around.
After you trap a damage-causing animal, you must dispose of it properly. Although relocation may seem like a good idea, we do not recommend it. Moving an animal can spread disease. Also, a strange animal coming into an established local population of the same species (a strange, disoriented squirrel coming into an established community of squirrels, for example) can upset the local group’s social order and possibly its health. Further, a relocated animal does not know where to find food or other resources and may likely starve to death. Finally, moving the animal might simply create a problem for someone else at the new location. You should also know that most federal, state, and local agencies prohibit the release of wildlife on lands they own or manage (including Department properties). For these reasons, we recommend killing the animal.
I know its not pleasant, and I would like to know if you find another solution as I deal with it too.
Well, I already feed everything else in the neighborhood so what’s 1 more mouth! LOL!
I’m certainly not willing to kill him either. I’ve been doing some research and it seems there are treatments.
Apparently it’s a big thing in the UK and they have all kinds of tips and tricks for treating them in their environment.
I am gonna call the animal rescue joint and see what suggestions they have.
Well, he just came back and ate the can of dog food I put out for him. i left him a pile of dry food too.
I’m just glad my neighbors are at work. they’re a little redder than me and might kill him if they see him. I need to steer him towards the back of the property.
I’m totally cool with having a family of foxes nearby. Who doesn’t like a bushy tailed red fox? Or Redd Foxx, for that mater.
Just be careful. Don’t assume he is friendly just because he doesn’t run away.
Hunger will make him bold. If you have neighborhood children think about them.
No, he runs away when I go out. If he didn’t I’d totally think rabid. And yeah, I’d call the locals immediately. We don’t have a bunch of kids in the neighborhood but enough that I’d be concerned.
The problem is they built a bypass about 10 years ago and cut through a huge piece of undeveloped land. Well ever since then we’ve had deer out the wazoo, snakes, foxes, hawks and 2 bear sightings in the neighborhood. Before the bypass we rarely saw a deer, now they eat everything!
Wild animals can get mange when they’re immune system is compromised usually from malnutrition. Its a parasite mite thats usually is suppressed somewhat by their immune system. It can be treated but if you dont do anything about their nutrition it will keep on spreading.
@Tylersays as an animal lover with five dogs this pulled at my heart strings… It’s so nice to see people like you are still around and by that I mean willing to help an animal no matter what… Your a good guys keep us posted
Little guy/girl looks like its got demodectic mange (as I see someone else noted). Happens frequently in pups, my little humane society rescue had it when I got him, well was treated for it and was looking rough at first.
Don’t know if this will work, read the thread did some googling. I’m right with you, I even live on a farm and hate to see animals suffer. I hope this dose not violate forum protocol, sorry
That you all so much for your replies. I am worried about the little guy and am hoping he’ll come back tonight to eat again after things quiet down. There’s a couple different food stashes out there tonight if he’s too skiddish to come back up front. I put a water bowl out there too. There’s not a reliable source of water around here for him either.
@Kingkupa - Thank you so much for the link and I will be ordering it straight away! In my Googling I discovered quite the community in the UK for fox rescue. I guess they feel bad for the way the aristocracy has treated the poor animal for eons.
And yeah - I brake for a snake and stop for a turtle.
For me i would place some food out there for him and try to help him but i would stay away from him just in case of rabies and i think wildlife people will come me out and put it down which is never nice for any animal
I’ve spotted him twice since that day. He looks maybe a little better, but at least no worse.
I have the meds on order hopefully they’ll get here soon.
I need to get a trail cam for my alternate feed spot because something eats there.
The last sighting was 3 days ago.
in your profile lol!! You’ll be his new bf!!