123456 146 Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 last week we were returning from lamping and found a small fox cub on the road, a fox that looked like it had just left the sett. it still had some of its black guard hairs visible and looked the size of the cubs i was seeing around april-may time. anyway was out last night around miles from home on a fairly large bit of permission when we saw several cubs on different parts of the farm, foxes of the same size as the one we found on the road and not only where the foxes small they where also in there broods still, 3-4 foxes on a field in some places. has anyone else found this lately? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
STAFFY poacher 90 Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 i was digging to cubs about 2 weeks ago mate...found 2 in 1 sett and 1 in another on same permission Quote Link to post Share on other sites
123456 146 Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 do you think this is a second brood then ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
seang 163 Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 as far as i know foxes only breed once a season, could be a late starter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
123456 146 Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 i know what you mean sean but mate i think they may have started to breed twice a year, seen them pairing up not to long ago or it appeared that way anyway Quote Link to post Share on other sites
seang 163 Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 (edited) i googled it and this what it said"Monoestrous species, such as bears, foxes, and wolves, have only one breeding season a year, typically in spring to allow growth of the offspring during the warm season to survive the next winter." but then again if the cubs died or were killed would it pair up again Edited September 17, 2012 by seang Quote Link to post Share on other sites
123456 146 Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 yeah i understand that mate but as the weather has been so warm and wet with cold spells in the middle could they have been tricked into thinking they are in a new year? i thought that at first sean but there have been to many cubs both close together and in areas far apart to be that coincidental Quote Link to post Share on other sites
whippet 99 2,613 Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 well what ever it is there are alot of cubs about the size of domestic cats still..............................would love to know the truth , i think some are having two litters ................. spot on ............long live old reynard........... lads remember its not setts , its earths................... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
123456 146 Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 thats the best way to describe them, also there are also cubs the size they should be. how would we find out? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
moonlighter 1,160 Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Funny you should say this as my brother called me tonight to say his labadoodle had just killed a fox cub in his garden when he let it out for a pee. He said it was smaller than a cat, so I wondered if was a late litter or maybe a second litter? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
seang 163 Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 if you see a larger cubs hanging about with the smaller ones dont they sometimes hand around to rear the following years cubs with their parents Quote Link to post Share on other sites
123456 146 Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 no these are this years cubs sean mate and not directly around them but in the same area Quote Link to post Share on other sites
STAFFY poacher 90 Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 (edited) the EARTH i dug to with 2 in i would say were the size of a 6-8 week old russell pup really small...ive also seen woodies sitting eggs and my ferrets are in season again..........weather is f*****g everything up Edited September 17, 2012 by STAFFY poacher Quote Link to post Share on other sites
123456 146 Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Fox breed once per year. Mating takes place in January and February. Foxes are not always monogamous. Sometimes a female, called a vixen, will accommodate several males, if there is enough food to support more than one. A 52 day gestation period is followed by an average litter size of 3 to 5 pups, born between March and May, depending upon the time of conception. Born blind, the pups' eyes open in about 12 days. They live off their mother's milk for 8 weeks, then the mother introduces the pups to their first meal of meat by regurgitating partially digested meat she has already eaten. Until the pups are old enough to play outside, the mother keeps the male out of the den. Once the pups emerge from the den, their hunting skills, which are instinctive at birth, are honed through practice. For about two months both parents bring gifts of live mice for the pups to stalk, kill, and eat. At about 3 months, the pups leave the den to hunt on their own. Some pups may remain near the birth den throughout their lives, if food remains abundant in the area. For the young that survive their first winter, breeding will take place in the spring. The life span of a fox is only 1 to 4 years. in theory if they had bred last september rather than the dec they could have had the cubs and be on a secon litter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
STAFFY poacher 90 Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 magnifying glass any one or maybe a telescope Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.