The Return Of The Fox Family... We Hope!

Mr. Snooty was doing something out in the garden beyond our yard and saw some activity at the former summer residence of the gray foxes who lived here for many years. We haven't seen any signs of them for almost a year, so this is definitely exciting news, right? Besides, this is the time when they hook up with their mate and impregnate.

Last night was the first night that I've heard the neighborhood dogs bark endlessly, which they only do when foxes are *in the hood* or there is a burglar somewhere near. We are the ONLY home in the immediate neighborhood without a dog. I swear it's true. We're surrounded by barking dogs of all shapes, breeds, and sizes.  Being familiar with most of their *calls of the wild*, I can assure you that their brethren, the foxes, are now into mating season. I've listened to the sounds at night for enough years to know.

Anyhoo, the digging activity in the garden (which was the previous home to many litters of fox pups kits) is indeed an encouraging sign that they might be back for a while. My intention is to not be as intrusive as I've been in the past. I had a long relationship with Felicia and I must realize that our next fox mommy might not be so friendly as Felicia, at the onset. Frankly, I figure that she too, will get used to me, just as Felicia did for many years. That's what I'm hoping for, at least.

Fox Facts:

1. The gray fox is monogamous until a mate dies. I know humans that cannot achieve that status.

2. The gray fox mates in  late January to early February in West Texas.

3. Gray foxes have litters ranging from 1 - 7 kits.

4. Gray foxes have a gestation period of approximately 53 days.

5. It's a myth that foxes attack household pets, unless they are rabid or sick somehow. They don't like noisy victims so they prefer *Squirrel Tartare* and other rodent delicacies.

6. If everything goes according to Mother Nature, then we should have fox pups *in the hood* this Spring. 


Let's keep our fingers crossed and say our prayers that they take up residence again this year....

OMG! We've Got Baby Foxes Again!

When I started calculating the mating period of foxes and the gestation period, I suddenly realized that they (the babies) should come out to play this week, if they're still alive. Mr. Snoots said forget it, there weren't any this year. Still, Fifi and Rolando have really been hanging together in our yard. Be sure to click on the pictures for a larger pic. They are just too cute!

Lo and behold, when I ran up to the store for a quick item, the pups revealed themselves to Mr. Snoots, which is so NOT FAIR! However, he did get a couple of pretty good shots of them. There are only two pups, which makes sense. Fifi is only a year old.

Mr. Snooty said they are like a couple of wild Indians, which they always are. I'm hoping to be able to see them tonight, and I'll try to get a video. They're always so much fun to watch!

Several nights ago, I was able to get some good video of Fifi eating her dinner (a squirrel). She must have known I was there because I was listening to music on the patio and singing. It didn't seem to bother her in the least. There's nothing like a captive audience, I assure you.......

Guess Who I Saw Today?

(This was actually written yesterday...)I saw the lovely Felicia.... It's been bitterly cold for our region and she was in the backyard, laying in the flowerbed where the Oleanders are. She looked so cold that I told Mr. Snoots that I wanted to go out and put a blanket over her.

He merely raised his eyebrow and gave me that "Are you totally insane?" look.

Okay, fine. So, I didn't take a blanket out to her. Poor baby. However, Mr. Snoots did snag a squirrel the other day that he heaved over the fence into the garden. As usual, it was gone thirty minutes later. You know she has to love us! We are like the most awesome landowners where foxes live, ever.

Feet Don't Fail Me Now... Another Day In The Wild Kingdom That I Call Home

I've still been avoiding the garden until Felicia (our resident fox) gets her pups raised and off on their own. Don't get me wrong here. I'm not staying away because I'm scared of the foxes. I'm staying away so that she won't find it necessary to move them before it's time. If the mama fox feels her babies are in danger, she will move them to a new and undisclosed location, which I don't want to see happen. I like my little wards. I like them even if it means everything I've planted in the garden is going to die. I can replant soon for a late summer and fall garden.

However, yesterday I decided to go out and peek over the fence to see if they were all there. Sure enough, they were. All three pups were outside playing and as soon as Felicia heard me, she somehow related to the pups to get in the den… Pronto! This is the picture I got. I knew they moved fast, but you'll get a huge kick out of this picture of one of the pups, in full run mode. View the enlargement by clicking on the picture. You won't be sorry.

Did you know that the gray fox is the only member of the dog family that can climb trees? Yes, it's true. But, what I really find fascinating about foxes is that they are monogamous, which means they have only one mate for one mating season. Hey, that's more than I can say for millions of humans.

From what I've been able to read, The Grey Fox mates from February to March, bearing their young from April to May, having a gestation period of about 50 to 55 days. (Seriously, I would have had a lot more kids had my gestation period been that short.) They usually have between 3 and 7 pups that are dark brown in color. They are blind for the first ten days. They are allowed out of their den after about 5 weeks and are usually weaned by the time they are 10 weeks old. This is when the father stays gone a major part of the time, to hunt for food. The family remains together until late fall, then separates, spending the winter in solitary.

It's curious that we seldom see one during the winter months, which leads me to think they almost hibernate like a bear. I do enjoy them living on our property and having their babies here. It makes me feel like Snow White or Doctor Doolittle… You know, talk to the animals and all.... In My Dreams.

We Have Fox Pup Pictures!!!! Mr. Snoots Is The Man...

Well, I am excited beyond belief! My attempts to get shots of the fox babies were fruitless. However, Mr. Snoots (My Hero) is taller than I and can lean over the fence with a camera. We attempted several shots yesterday but they were not good and I feared that we wouldn't get a shot at all.


You need to click on the pictures to get the larger version.







Tonight when Mr. Snoots got home, he said he'd go try again and the result was a whopping success! Of course, we were only able to get a picture of one of the pups. When Felicia smells or senses pending danger, she moves fast to get the pups back into the shelter under the old playhouse. So, the other two had already been herded under the little house. These are such amazing creatures, these foxes.



So, I'm feeling almost like a proud Grandmother tonight…



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Tiptoeing To The Garden.... The Pitter Patter Of Little Paws

When I awakened this morning, the first thing Mr. Snoots told me was that there are TWO foxes and the new one is much larger. He'd seen them out in the garden this morning and was shocked, since we've only ever seen the one, and the pups that one time a few years ago. This really excited both of us!





I ran the water in the garden for most of the morning and into the afternoon, as it dries out quickly in the West Texas sun. I also hoped it would provide our foxes with some thirst prevention.



The rest of today we spent finishing the cleaning of the patio and preparing to have friends over for dinner tonight and we worked exhaustively to finish in time. Then as we were preparing dinner, I looked out the kitchen door to see Felicia sauntering along the back sidewalk as I've seen her do so many times before. I watched as she gracefully glided over the fence to the garden and disappeared.





At that moment, our friends arrived for dinner and sat around the kitchen island, talking, as we finished the preparations for said dinner. We told them about the new fox we've never seen before and they were as fascinated as we were. At that moment, the hubby was looking out the door and said, "Hey, it's the fox." Then she quickly disappeared over the fence that leads to the vegetable garden. His wife and I crowded around the door and we decided to put dinner on hold as we all tiptoed out to the garden for a closer glimpse of her beauty.





Like little children, we made our way to the garden as quietly as possible and were graced with the most precious glimpses of the Felicia's pups. We only saw three total, but that doesn't mean there aren't more. Immediately, I mentally named them Huey, Dewey, and Louie for some odd reason. But, you should have seen the look on Felicia's face. It was that "Don't make me hurt you" look. So, we quickly bowed our way out of the garden and returned to our final dinner preparations.





Still, we could barely talk of little else, even throughout dinner. So, of course, we had to steal another silent glimpse of the babies. I could shoot myself for not having the camera with me. I was in dinner mode, not guest mode. Anyway, they were still out playing and she still had that stern look on her face, so I shooed everyone back to dinner on the patio.





So, I think I'm going to have to get a strap to carry the camera around my neck, in order to have it at the ready. I'm bound to see them again tomorrow evening when I attempt to tend my vegetable garden. If they're there, then I'll try to get some decent shots and blow off tending the garden. Water will do it sufficient good right now, which I turn on in the backyard by the guesthouse. So, I'm good with that.





Good Grief! I feel like a grandmother! And, maybe this means we'll have less destructive little rats squirrels around now. I mean, the fox pups have to learn to hunt, right? Meanwhile, I'm keeping Trouble The Cat inside, for safe keeping...