# Found a litter of cubs today



## Orangehorse (22 March 2011)

My son lifted a big bale from the bottom of a stack of bales and found a nest with 5 "animals"
he had no idea what they were.  They were quite large considering that they didn't have their eyes open and at first I wondered if they were puppies as they were dark brown all over. Then it dawned that they must be fox cubs -idiot me.

Anyhow we just left them alone and when I peeped back a couple of hours later they were gone, only I hope the vixen can move them somewhere where they are not going to get disturbed again soon. 

It is a nice quiet spot a couple of fields away from a village with lots of nice dustbins around.
The little cubs looked very well fed and healthy.
We don't have sheep or chickens so we are not particularly worried about foxes nor do we have a dog or it might not have been such a happy story.

Is it quite early for vixens to give birth, it is only mid March?


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## lh1975 (22 March 2011)

Hello,

Just in case you need some advice or practical help with this here are a couple of contacts:

www.foxproject.org.uk
www.harperaspreywildliferescue.co.uk

I don't know where you're based but even if these organisations aren't local to you, they'll be able to put you in touch with some that are. There are reports ofcubs being admitted to rescue centres already.

Good luck with them, I hope they do well


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## Fiagai (22 March 2011)

THe breeding season of foxed (ie mating) generally occurs from late December to early February.  The gestation period is approx 53 days and cubs are born between late February and the end of April.  The female fox may move the cubs once they are born.  She is probably availing of the dutbins in your area to scavange food.  I doubt they need to be rescued tbh.


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## Orangehorse (22 March 2011)

No they don't need to be rescued.  The vixen seems to be doing an excellent job of looking after them.


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## Simsar (22 March 2011)

Phone the local hunt they will know what to do with them.


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## lh1975 (23 March 2011)

I provided the contact details of the rescue centres as a 'just in case'... Glad they're doing well!


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## Simsar (23 March 2011)

Because they are interfering tree huggers that like to interfere with nature thinking they are doing some good.  Very sad.


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## rosie fronfelen (23 March 2011)

Bet the vixen is tucking into a juicy lamb or chicken somewhere.


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## Simsar (23 March 2011)

rosiefronfelen said:



			Bet the vixen is tucking into a juicy lamb or chicken somewhere.
		
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PML!  Hello Rosie.


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## rosie fronfelen (23 March 2011)

Simsar said:



			PML!  Hello Rosie.
		
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Hiya Simsar how goes your in foalers?


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## Simsar (23 March 2011)

Still waiting got the camera on three of them!! Oh for a nights of sleep.


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## rosie fronfelen (23 March 2011)

Simsar said:



			Still waiting got the camera on three of them!! Oh for a nights of sleep.
		
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when are their due dates, Sali is not as big as i thought she would be?


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## lh1975 (23 March 2011)

skiddaw_lad said:



			why would you contact a rescue center as all they will do is bring them on then release them in some poor buggers patch where they are not wanted  , let nature take its course
		
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Without wanting to get in to an argument as it completely detracts from the original post - but you completely missed my point. 

Also, please do not bandy around the 'tree hugger' thing left, right and centre. I'm fully aware of how nature works, thanks and I do not make it my business to interfere with it either.


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## Simsar (23 March 2011)

rosiefronfelen said:



			when are their due dates, Sali is not as big as i thought she would be?
		
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I have two a week over one due 29th and three from then on till end of April.  Hoping the sun on their backs might bring them on. x


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## Orangehorse (23 March 2011)

The vixen could well be chewing on someone's chicken or lamb, and in retrospect maybe we should "have done something."  But we didn't, the "ah" factor took over and I left them undisturbed, and when I went back again they had gone.  Deeper into the straw stack I expect.  My family do not shoot, so regard foxes as just part of the country and hope that they eat rabbits and don't feel that they have to kill them at first sight.  Although this isn't a anti-hunt household.

I had never seen a litter of cubs before, so it was something unusual.


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## applecart14 (23 March 2011)

ORANGEHORSE said:



			The vixen could well be chewing on someone's chicken or lamb, and in retrospect maybe we should "have done something."  But we didn't, the "ah" factor took over and I left them undisturbed, and when I went back again they had gone.  Deeper into the straw stack I expect.  My family do not shoot, so regard foxes as just part of the country and hope that they eat rabbits and don't feel that they have to kill them at first sight.  Although this isn't a anti-hunt household.

I had never seen a litter of cubs before, so it was something unusual.
		
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Hi Orangehorse - I've watched Wildlife SOS and seen lots about foxes and know that you were right to leave them alone and not touch them.  And if you did get your scent onto them you have to 'wash' your hands and that of the animal you have touched in soil to rid them of the smell of humans (I know you didn't touch them).  You did exactly the right thing.  I for one am glad you let them be.  The vixen will have moved them to somewhere she considers 'safer', one by one until they have all been moved (I've seen this on some urban fox programme too).

I too would think it was fascinating and would have been well chuffed at my find.  Don't let the other posters put you down. x


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## Simsar (23 March 2011)

Ignorance is bliss.

This is a hunting forum what did you expect.  Post on NL if you want the cute factor apprieciated (SP)


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## Mike007 (24 March 2011)

ORANGEHORSE said:



			The vixen could well be chewing on someone's chicken or lamb, and in retrospect maybe we should "have done something."  But we didn't, the "ah" factor took over and I left them undisturbed, and when I went back again they had gone.  Deeper into the straw stack I expect.  My family do not shoot, so regard foxes as just part of the country and hope that they eat rabbits and don't feel that they have to kill them at first sight.  Although this isn't a anti-hunt household.

I had never seen a litter of cubs before, so it was something unusual.
		
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Whilst I have hunted most of my life and while I was sheep farming ,waged constant war with foxes,I would have done exactly what you did. Somthing just not quite right to me about picking on the defenseless.


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## ladyt25 (24 March 2011)

I don't think just because this is a hunting forum it means you have to kill any fox that you may see!!! I thought the idea of fox hunting was it was the ill and old foxes that were caught - surely that is what 'legitimate' hunting is about???! ;-)


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## tootsietoo (24 March 2011)

I've just re read the thread and no one anywhere suggested that the OP should have killed the cubs.  There was only a disagreement about the usefulness of wildlife rescue centres!

Before it all descends into anarchy here!


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## Simsar (25 March 2011)

tootsietoo said:



			I've just re read the thread and no one anywhere suggested that the OP should have killed the cubs.  There was only a disagreement about the usefulness of wildlife rescue centres!

Before it all descends into anarchy here!
		
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Well said!  Who said kill them, just because I said ring the hunt doesn't mean kill them. It was more for the wildlife aid T***S.


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## EAST KENT (25 March 2011)

You`re just plain naughty SS...now me ,I love foxes (really do) but I love them best in front of a pack of hounds.......


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## natalia (27 March 2011)

From a hunting point of view even when proper hunting was allowed you weren't really meant to dig out from late feb, just in case you hunted a vixen feeding cubs, not really fair now is it? Leave well alone and let them get on with it.


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## Simsar (27 March 2011)

EAST KENT said:



 You`re just plain naughty SS...now me ,I love foxes (really do) but I love them best in front of a pack of hounds.......

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LMAO!  Whoop windy.


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