How do I recognise fox droppings? | |||
Fox turds are 3-8cm long, about thumb-size and usually taper to a point at one end. The remains of food such as the fruit pips or mouse hair are often visible in the faeces. Foxes are inclined to deposit their droppings in higher places to mark their territory. | |||
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Foxes mark their territory with urine and faeces. They often leave droppings in visible places, for example on grass mounds or on the road curb. Even rubbish or places where foxes have found food are often marked with droppings. Con-trary to cats, foxes do not bury their faeces. Sand pits or dry spots with loose underground usually turn out to be favourite cleansing centres for cats but not for foxes.
Droppings from foxes, martens, badgers, dogs and cats It is not always easy to tell fox droppings apart from those of cats and dogs. Droppings from beach martens or badgers are hard to distinguish. The 3 to 8 cm long turds in the faeces of a fox usually taper to a point at one end and often contain easily recognisable remains of food such as cherry or plum stones, mouse hairs, pieces of bone or the remains of insects. But these remains could also be found in marten and badger droppings. Marten faeces, about 1 cm in diameter, are thinner and often twisted; badgers drop their faeces in small, shallow gullies called latrines. Raccoons and raccoon-dogs, not widely distrbuted throughout Europe, also leave their droppings in such latrines. Related questions What should I do if I find fox droppings in my garden? What is fox tapeworm? What can I do about fox tapeworm? home | © |