A year in the life of a fox

Understanding the way foxes behave and in particular, what they are doing and why at different times of year, is very important to successfully deterring them from your garden.

For example, during February each year, pregnant vixens will be looking for a secure spot to make a den in preparation for the birth of her cubs.

Knowing this means that during late Jan/early Feb, you can ensure that any tempting places for foxes (e.g. under sheds or decking) can be blocked up in advance, avoiding the disruption caused by a litter of cubs in your back garden.

JANUARY

The first month of the year is peak mating season as foxes only breed once per year and there are just a few days where the vixens are in heat. Around this time, expect an increase in screams, barks and fights, as communication and jostling for position is incredibly important to foxes in order to successfully find a mate.

FEBRUARY

As previously mentioned, vixens who have successfully mated will be looking for a place to have her cubs. Vixens are pregnant for 53 days, so you need to make sure that any appealing areas are blocked off and inaccessible. Vixens like safe and secure places which can typically be found under houses, garages, sheds, decking and even in heavy undergrowth. Use this time to perform any last minute checks in vulnerable areas in your garden. It’s far less stressful to secure your garden ahead of time, rather than facing the smell and mess caused by cubs as well as an aggressive vixen trying to protect them.

MARCH

The peak birthing season. Vixens will be settled into their dens to have and initially look after the cubs, so increased pressure is on the males to forage, hunt and bring food back for her in the den.

APRIL

April is a time when foxes start to moult and lose their winter coat. It’s during this period that people often mistakenly think they see foxes suffering from mange or malnutrition. Although mange does exist, often what you are seeing is simply a fox naturally shedding it’s coat to prepare for the warmer summer months. The loss of the thick, fluffy coat makes foxes look thinner and their legs look longer and is simply part of a natural process. So bear this in mind during April, before automatically assuming a scruffy-looking fox has mange.

MAY

Cubs will really be old enough and brave enough to venture out of the den during May and they will start to practise their survival skills. What this means for you is an increase in digging (maybe for earthworms, or just as an excuse to practise digging!), noisy play-fighting and the potential for things from your garden (e.g. shoes, gardening gloves, small animal or kids toys) going missing or being chewed. May is a really important time to get things put away at night otherwise you face the prospect of foxes using them as hunting or chewing practice. An important time to have your favoured fox repellent product set up and in working order.

JUNE

Those of you who didn’t manage to prevent foxes from breeding in your garden may be able to breathe a sigh of relief as June is normally the month when the foxes leave the earth they used for breeding. You might find an extensive clear up operation is needed with bones, animal carcasses and garden toys or items all being common things found in and around the entrance to a fox den.

JULY

The cubs will be far less dependent on their parents for food now and will be very visible as they start to hunt for themselves. Again, digging will be apparent as will flattened flowerbeds and the potential for stolen garden items. Make sure the temptations for a fox in your garden are kept to a minimum and keep up your fox deterrent efforts.

AUGUST

Through the summer months, foxes are going to be more visible than in winter. This is partly to do with the light evenings and you being outside more, and also to do with adults foraging for food in order to give their cubs the best chance of survival. Cubs learning how to be adults will also be very visible and in August particularly they will be taking more and more risks as they grow bigger, more confident and increasingly independent from their parents.

SEPTEMBER

By the close of summer cubs are now fully grown adults and you will no longer be able to tell the difference between cubs and adults. This is just before the family group starts to break up so still expect a lot of similar activity to the previous summer months and stay vigilant!

OCTOBER

For those who have had foxes nearby all summer, you may start to see slightly fewer sightings than before. Of course it will be colder, the nights darker and you spending increasing time indoors, but the fox families will start to go their separate ways. Whether it’s the young ousting their parents or the young moving on, new territories will be sought. So for those who haven’t seen many foxes throughout the year, October could be a time when you start to have sightings as foxes seek to establish their own territories.

NOVEMBER

Some similar behaviour to the previous month with establishing of new territories, but November is probably the quietest time in the fox calendar, particularly as far as we humans are concerned.

DECEMBER

The final month of the year becomes much more lively again. You will notice an increase in noise and screaming because of some serious defending and fighting for control of territories in the build up to the January mating season.