Foxes are some of the most fascinating and adaptable creatures in the animal kingdom. With their sleek fur, pointy ears, and bushy tails, they are easily recognizable and have captured the imagination of humans for centuries. When it comes to their diet, foxes are remarkable in a number of different ways, but what do foxes eat? Well, the answer is ‘most things’.
In this article, we will explore the diet and feeding habits of foxes and provide answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about these intriguing and often misunderstood animals.
What Do Foxes Eat?
Foxes are the ultimate opportunists — they will eat whatever is available and convenient for them to obtain. They are classified as opportunistic omnivores, which, as the name implies, indicates that they’ll eat pretty much anything they can get their paws on. Opportunistic omnivores consume a wide range of foods, including both plant and animal sources, and have flexible feeding habits depending on what is available in their environment.
Opportunistic omnivores have the advantage of being able to adapt their diets to changing circumstances, such as seasonal fluctuations in food availability or changes in habitat. Other examples of opportunistic omnivores include bears, raccoons, and us — humans.
However, when given the choice, foxes can be predators. In this regard, they are also opportunistic; not picky, and settle for what they can find.
Foxes are skilled hunters, and their hunting strategies can vary depending on the type of prey they are targeting. They typically course back and forth over an area, scouting and looking for signs of potential prey. For example, when hunting small rodents like mice and voles, foxes will often use their acute sense of hearing to locate them in their burrows and then dig them out. They may also stalk their prey and pounce on them when they least expect it.
When hunting birds, foxes will often use their speed and agility to catch them in mid-flight or surprise them on the ground. They’re adaptable and smart and in fact, some studies suggest they even use magnetic fields to help detect their prey.
The meat diet of foxes can consist of small mammals and animals such as:
- mice
- rabbits
- voles,
- birds and their eggs
- insects
- reptiles
- and even fish.
They are also known to scavenge for carrion and will feed on dead animals if they come across them.
How much do foxes eat?
A fox requires around 0.5 kg (1 lb) of food per day, which often means they don’t have enough meat around. Because they cover such a large territory and because their diet can be so varied, it can be difficult to quantify how much foxes eat. Their diet depends on where they live, the season, their habitat, what other animals are around, and so on.
Foxes are also cautious: when the hunting and foraging are good, they cache excess food. They dig up storage sites and check them regularly; sometimes, they return to a cache and move it if they feel it is in danger. In fact, foxes love food caches so much that this is one of the main methods with which farmers try to control fox populations.
A study that looked at the diet of the red fox on five continents in almost 300 different locations found that their diet varies substantially depending on their location. In most cases, foxes preferred small mammals and invertebrates (yes, foxes also eat worms and insects), and the farther away from the equator they were, the more meat they consumed in general.
However, when human presence was strong in the area, foxes tended to eat less mammals and more birds and fruits. Notably, insects were found to make up a large part of a fox’s diet. In the wild, foxes spend time foraging for crickets, beetles, worms, and grasshoppers (among others) and don’t shy away from things like crayfish, given the opportunity.
Ultimately, the authors note “the flexible and opportunistic dietary behavior of foxes at the global scale. This behavioral trait allows them to thrive in a range of climatic conditions, and in areas with different degrees of human-induced habitat change.”
Wait, Do Foxes Eat Vegetables and Fruit?
They do.
As mentioned, foxes are omnivorous animals, which means that they eat both meat and plant-based food. Foxes have also been known to eat fruits and vegetables.
In the wild, they have been observed eating fruit such as berries and apples when they are in season and readily available. They may also consume fruits from gardens or orchards, especially if they are in close proximity to their habitat. Additionally, foxes have been known to eat vegetables such as root vegetables and tubers, which they may dig up from the ground.
They may also feed on agricultural crops like corn, wheat, and soybeans if they are readily available. However, this is not their preferred food choice if given the option.
According to research, they seem to prefer small mammals or even insects more than fruits, although foxes on all continents eat some fruits.
Is It Fine If I Feed Foxes?
While it may seem like a kind gesture to feed foxes, it’s not recommended. Although they are increasingly starting to show up in cities, foxes are wild animals and as a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t feed wild animals unless you absolutely know what you’re doing.
Feeding foxes can lead to several problems. First, it can encourage them to become too comfortable around humans, which can lead to unpredictable behavior. Second, it can disrupt their natural hunting and foraging behavior, leading to a dependence on handouts. Third, feeding foxes can attract other unwanted wildlife, and fourth, they can carry diseases and parasites.
When foxes become too comfortable around humans, they may start approaching them for food and can become aggressive if they are denied. They may also lose their natural fear of cars and other potential dangers, which can lead to increased mortality rates — so you’re probably not helping foxes even if you are feeding them.
This is becoming a more pressing matter as research is showing that foxes are evolving and adapting to city life, mirroring the patterns of domestication. Urban or semi-urban foxes are developing different tastes than those in the wildlife, and this could have
What Should Foxes Never Eat?
Foxes don’t eat grains in the wild, so they shouldn’t really consume things like wheat, rice, or oats. Bread is not as bad for them, but it’s definitely not good for them either.
Processed foods in general, and processed sweets in particular, are not good for foxes as they can be harmful or even fatal to them. These include:
- Chocolate: Chocolate contains a compound called theobromine, which is toxic to foxes.
- Dairy products: Foxes are lactose intolerant, and dairy products can cause digestive problems.
- Cooked bones: Cooked bones can splinter and cause internal injuries.
- Processed foods: Processed foods like crisps and sweets do not provide any nutritional value to foxes and can lead to health problems.
Just like with dogs, grapes, and raisins can be very toxic to foxes and should never be offered to foxes.
How to Deter Urban Foxes from Your Garden
If you live in an area with a high population of foxes, you may be concerned about them raiding your garden. Whether it’s to feast on the delights in your garden or simply because they dig for worms or other insects, foxes can be quite persistent, and they can also eat things like chickens or eggs.
There are several things you can do to deter foxes from your property. First, make sure your garbage cans are securely closed, as foxes will often raid them in search of food. Second, remove any fallen fruit from your yard, as this can be a major attraction for foxes. Third, consider installing motion-activated lights or sprinklers to scare off foxes. Finally, make sure any openings in your fence are securely closed to prevent foxes from getting in.
We hope you won’t use any cruel methods of deterring foxes. There are several humane ways to deter urban foxes from your property:
- Install a fence: A fence can prevent foxes from entering your garden and damaging plants or structures.
- Use a repellent: Foxes have very good scents, so strong yet natural scents, such as eucalyptus or peppermint, act as a natural deterrent for the foxes, without causing any harm to them. Commercial repellents can also work.
- Remove food sources: Make sure that any potential food sources, such as trash cans or pet food bowls, are removed from your garden.
Why foxes scream
If you’re interested in the point above, the odds are you may also be familiar with fox screams. Foxes are usually remarkably silent (cat goes ‘meow’, dog goes ‘woof’, foxes go… how exactly?). However, foxes have a large repertoire of howls, barks, and whines. Foxes are usually shy and wary, but they are also curious. But the screams are pretty different.
Foxes are known for their piercing and eerie screams, which can be heard especially during the breeding season, which typically occurs from January to February. The reason behind this screaming is mainly to communicate with other foxes and establish territories. During the breeding season, foxes become more vocal as they compete for mates and territory, and the screaming serves as a way of announcing their presence to potential mates and rivals.
It’s important to note that while foxes’ screams may sound scary, they are generally not a threat to humans. In fact, foxes tend to avoid human contact and will usually flee when confronted by people. If you do hear a fox screaming, it’s best to keep your distance and avoid approaching the animal, as they may become aggressive if they feel threatened or cornered.
Conclusion
Foxes are an intriguing and fascinating species, and their eating habits are just one of the many fascinating aspects of their lives. As we have seen, foxes eat all sorts of things and are adaptable and flexible, eating everything from mammals, birds, or lizards, to vegetables, fruits, and even insects.
You shouldn’t really feed foxes, because they are wild animals and it can lead to a lot of trouble. As foxes become more and more common in urban areas, we can expect interactions between foxes and humans to become more common and we should tread with care when it comes to such interactions.
Ultimately, foxes are adaptable and can adjust to multiple environments (which is also why they’re taking a liking to cities), but they’re also threatened by habitat destruction and climate change.
Understanding variation in the diet of widely distributed species can help us to predict how they respond to future environmental and anthropogenic changes.
