Foxes are small to medium sized mammals that are omnivorous, which means they eat both plants and other animals. They have upright, pointy ears and a long bushy tail. While many foxes are orange, they can come in all sorts of colors, including gray or white.
The red fox is found in every state from Alaska to Florida. You can see gray foxes in the Eastern, Northcentral, and Southwestern United States. While they are wild animals, sometimes they can be found roaming around urban areas in search of food or shelter.
Mostly active at night, foxes are actually considered crepuscular instead of nocturnal. This means they are most active at dawn and dusk. Sometimes foxes are active during the day when it is spring or summer and they need to feed their young.
If you find foxes on your property, you might be wondering how to get them to leave. While foxes are not usually a danger to humans, they might hunt small animals like chickens. Because of this, it is best to contact a wildlife professional who can safely trap and relocate them.
Do Foxes Come Out at Night?
Foxes are primarily nocturnal, which means they mostly come out at night. However, they are considered to be crepuscular. This term means an animal is mostly active during twilight hours, such as dusk and dawn.
It is possible to see a fox during the day. While rare, sometimes foxes need to hunt during the day when it is spring or summer in order to feed their babies.
If you see a fox in your yard early in the morning, during the day, or at night time, it is best to leave them alone. While foxes generally do not harm humans, approaching them could cause them to become defensive and attack. When fox sightings become common on your property, it might be time to contact a professional wildlife removal expert like Nuisance Wildlife Rangers.
What Else Should You Know About Foxes?
There are many interesting facts to learn about foxes. Knowing more about their diet, habitat, and behaviors can help you feel more comfortable if you come across one.
Diet
Foxes are omnivores that eat a variety of plants and animals. They might eat berries, apples, corn, seeds, and nuts. When it comes to animals, they stick to small species like birds, insects, and snakes.
If you have chickens on your property, they might be susceptible to foxes. Because chickens are small birds that do not fly well, they are easy prey for neighborhood foxes.
Habitat
Foxes are incredibly adaptable, which means you can find them in a variety of habitats. You might see foxes in farm areas, brushy landscapes, swamps, mountainous terrain, and urban areas.
Behavior
Foxes can either be solitary or live in groups. While some foxes live in families, they tend to hunt solo and at night, using their exceptional night vision. They can also be territorial, marking their areas by urinating on them.
While foxes are predatory, they do not usually bother humans. They see humans as a larger predator, which means they will usually run away when they spot one. That said, approaching a fox could cause one to attack you out of fear.
Coexisting With Humans
As mentioned, foxes are shy and will not approach humans. Because some of them live in urban areas, it’s important to know how to coexist with them.
You should:
- Never feed foxes or other wildlife
- Avoid leaving out pet food bowls or bird feeders at night
- Keep garbage and compost in sturdy containers with lids
- Avoid approaching foxes and never try to pet one
Should You Call a Wildlife Professional to Remove Foxes From Your Property?
Foxes might come onto your property in search of food or shelter. If you have small animals like dogs or chickens or children who like to play in the yard, you might not want foxes to be frequenting your space. Additionally, foxes can cause damage to gardens that can be costly to fix.
You might be tempted to approach the foxes to scare them away. While yelling at them might work, getting close to them can be dangerous. Instead, you should contact a wildlife professional to come and remove them from the area.
At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we trap and relocate animals like foxes using humane and ethical methods. In other words, we will never harm a fox in the process of removing them from your property. Typically, we either release the fox in a safe place for them to live or bring them to a wildlife rehabilitation center if they need assistance.
Get Connected to a Fox Removal Service Today
If you or a loved one is dealing with a fox problem, it’s time to contact a professional. Nuisance Wildlife Rangers has years of experience in wildlife removal, making us the ideal choice for relocating foxes away from your property.
Nuisance Wildlife Rangers is a full-time wildlife and animal removal company that extends its services to both commercial and residential clients. We have a great team of animal trappers that will work tirelessly to ensure that your home is free of any nuisance critters. We do not use any harmful products and we will focus on the humane methods to exterminate the animals.
Contact us today for more information on our fox removal services.
