Red Foxes
Table Of Contents
Chapter 1 ~ Introduction
Chapter 2 ~ Life of a Fox
Chapter 3 ~ Prey and Predators
Chapter 4 ~ Mating
Chapter 5 ~ Glossary
Chapter 1
Introduction
SWOOSH! An animal runs and leaps into the air then pounces on its prey. When I look carefully I see the red fox
The Red Fox is a very quiet hunter. Red Foxes can hear a mouse squeaking up to 300 feet away. When the fox sees its prey they will leap and then pounce on top of their prey.
A female fox is called a Vixen. A male fox is called a Dog. Red Foxes are one of the fastest North American Animals. They can gallop up to 45 miles per hour!
Chapter 2
Life of a Red Fox
When a baby fox is born they can be called cubs, kits, or pups. They will be nursed by their mother and drink milk from their mother just like people. In the first ten days the baby cub will be blind and deaf. As soon as the kits eyes open up they will learn how to crawl and then learn how to walk.
Next, the pups will change colors from grayish brownish to red orange. The pups will stay with its vixen for 1-3 months until they leave.
Then, soon they will copy their dog and learn how to hunt by themselves. When they know how to hunt and take care of themselves they will finally leave and have their own litter.
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The cubs are on the search
out for what is coming
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Prey and Predators
What are Red Foxes prey and predators? The Red Foxes are omnivores. They eat about one pound a day. Red Foxes can eat ducks, rabbits, voles, birds, eggs, insects, roots, fruits, berries, frogs, and fish. Most days they eat a rabbit or a vole. Sometimes they will also eat garbage or dead animal scraps.
Two of the cubs predators are eagles and the great horned owls. Some of the larger animals like bears, wolf, lynx, bobcats, and mountain lion will sometimes kill red foxes but do not usually bother them.
Chapter 4
Mating
Most Red Foxes mate in the spring (also known as mating season) or in January or February. The dog will show what he knows to the vixen. If two dogs want the same vixen they will fight and the winner will win the vixen.
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| A dog is trying to let the vixen know that the he will keep her safe. |
After a couple of days the vixen will stay in its den or burrow. The vixen will have 2-8 kits that are 6 inches long with a 2 ½ inch long bushy tails. The cubs eyes will start off blue but after 8 weeks their eyes will change to golden brown.After mating season the litter breaks up and goes different directions. They will meet up again next spring.
Chapter 5
Glossary
- Blind- Cannot see
- Burrow- A hole or tunnel in the ground
- Deaf- Can not hear
- Den- Where foxes sleep
- Litter- A fox family (babies)
- Omnivore- An animal that eats plants or animals
- Pounce- When an animal attacks it, jumps into the air and lands on its prey
- Predator- An animal that does the hunting Prey- An animal that is smaller and will be eaten for dinner. For example the fox would chase the rabbit, its prey
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