Do foxes steal things from the garden? | |||
Foxes are mischievous, playful animals with a marked preference for articles made of leather or plastic that they can easily take away. To avoid such losses, put these things away in the evening. | |||
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A wide range of objects can be found close by a breeding den – besides pieces of paper, plastic and bone there is an array of leathergoods like chewed shoes, gardening gloves or balls. Fox cubs have used them to play with. These “toys” are apparently presented to the young cubs by adult foxes. Later, older cubs bring them back from their own adventure tours (for more). Learning by play Through play the cubs learn important patterns of behaviour for later on. While playing with their siblings they practise not only how to fight and mate but also use various objects to train their hunting skills such as how to catch and handle their prey. This enables the fox cub to become familiar with its own body as well as learning to live with its fellow foxes. Fox, you stole my shoe! Reports of missing shoes or other things out of gardens abound during the season from April till July while cubs are being raised.
Related questions When do fox cubs emerge from the den? How can I prevent foxes wrecking my flower beds or vegetable patches? home | © |