Mother Red Fox and Eight Kits

Here are some video captures of momma and babies.

This mother has one of her offspring from last year staying to help raise the kits. There are eight kits to feed. Kits are nursed and fed regurgitated food in their first days and weeks, then small animals are introduced. The first sightings of these kits appears to be 3 to 4 weeks old.

Both the mother and father hunt, but mostly the male will provide food. If food is scarce, both will hunt. In this case, a (likely female) from the previous brood has stayed with the mother and will help raise the kits. She will also hunt. I see many deliveries of mice, rabbits, groundhogs, and other unidentifiable “lumps” carried in every day. When they get to the den entrance, they will drop the meal and make some high pitched squeals to inform the kits to come and eat.

Red fox will capture and store food in their dens and burying it.  Kits learn to find food buried in the dirt near the den.

Red fox home range varies. There was another fox family in a den within 200 yards of this den. It isn’t inhabited this year. I’ve read that fox have up to 15 mile ranges. I think that depends a lot on the local resources. These fox live along a river, where there are plentiful resources.

 

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