FABlux's foxes

Post by **FABlux** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:21 pm

We're just keeping a promise we made to them in December when Mum & Missie were so worried about whether there would be enough food for 2 families. Looks now as though they are going to test us. Just as Mum is getting slimmer Missie is thickening round the middle!

:worry:
I don't think she realises yet ,although she is being taught how to care for cubs, in a way Mum wasn't. Whether she'll go full term only time will tell.
Went to the Cash & Carry Monday to stock up on HH & fox food, plus cat food so we're well prepared! Missie reminded me today about the Fluffies, they have to be bought in early enough to defrost & she reminds me daily, & then said she had been working hard too so how about jam furs tonight! After her generosity in carrying back a marmite fur to Mum, which Missie hates, we thought it was the least we could do.

All 4 came down last night at different times, although Tufty also came down with Mum whilst Kinkie (Dad) & Missie stayed at home with the cubs.
They shpuld hopefully have a very good chance of survival with all the support they are getting.

Post by **PRchick** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:24 pm

Remind me what a jam fur is?:oops:

Post by **FABlux** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:32 pm

It's just a jam sandwich. So called because when they had their first sandwiches they were surprised to have different centres. Mum then likened the bread outer with different fillings to like a rabbit & a squirrel, which both look alike because they have grey fur but taste different in the middle. Whenevr she wants a sandwich she asks for a "fur". Originally it was an image of grey fur with a different taste of filling, now its brown bread & the flavour.

Post by **FABlux** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:37 pm

Spoilt foxes tonight, my son cooked dinner, pork loin for 4 & chicken breast for BBLUX (he doesn't like pork) all with madiera sauce, bulgar wheat & veg, far too much so they have got the leftovers, plus "fluffies" Missies request & a dish/tray of beef cat food (Mum's request) plus the normal dried dog food, Shape's biscuits, chew sticks & raisins! Think I'm running a vulpine restaurant.

Post by **Quinonostante** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:41 pm

FABlux wrote: Think I'm running a vulpine restaurant.

'Chez Fablux'

Post by **FABlux** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:49 pm

Not sure whether Mum's abilities are getting stronger or BB is tuning in to her but last night he asked me to check whether she wanted anything special and he got the response "Marmite furs" at the same time I did. Although she is pleased to have them she doesn't normally ask for them but seems to sense that she needs them at the moment, naturally her wish was granted. Presumably some essential vitamins?
We decided to try to increase the light levels by removing the red film from 1 of the lights & asked her whether that would be OK?
She said she was sure it would but Kinkie might not like it. Just then I walked through & turned the kitchen lights on, which are very bright undimmed, & she said "Oh no that's too bright!"
I laughed & said "No it won't be like that!" I dimmed them down & she said that was fine.
We watched Tufty come down later & could really see his colours.
Tonight Mum came down early & we all watched each other, she really is so slight compared to the males, but very fit & happy.
Mum asked a few days ago whether we could put the food out early so that she can have a feed before she feeds the cubs, so we make sure it's out by 9 now, tell her & she comes down within a few minutes.

Post by **PRchick** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:21 am

Did she say how many cubs there are?

Post by **FABlux** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:09 pm

No we haven't managed to get past the counting thing. I still get the feeling probably 5 because 1 teat is not being used but can't be sure. Last time she said 2 + 1, which turned out to be the 2 bigger strong boys & Missie who was much smaller & weaker, I know 1 is bigger than the others but other than that I just know more than before!
Tonight she was very sweet, we fed them very early & she said "Oh why? Are you going tails over noses because you're hurting?" (Her way of saying going to sleep.) My back/neck are exceptionally painful tonight, next thing I felt her sniffing round my back & the pain eased

Then a cub woke up & distracted her.
Last night I went down to the kitchen about 12.45 just as Missie arrived in the garden, she is really beautiful in colour, so slight & dainty (albeit pregnant). She moves as though she has springs on her feet, really bouncy.

Post by **sue** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 5:54 pm

This is fascinating Fablux, I must ask you about the fluffies though are they really chicks that are a day old?

I hope Lady mates sometime and brings her babies to see me, do you think she is perhaps a bit young yet. I haven't seen the Dog fox again yet either, he is very low profile.

Post by **FABlux** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:31 pm

Sue afraid they really are

Copied from an old post of Barry's
"In chicken breeding most of the male chicks are culled at 1 day old (once gender is determined) as they are of no use for egg laying production
They are a rich source of food for small mammals in animal parks and for birds of prey. I have a work colleague who is also a falconer and he supplied us with a box of 200 ready frozen. "

They have finished the last box tonight but hopefully a fresh box will arrive tomorrow or Sunday. As you've reminded me I have asked Barry to get a chicken out of the freezer so that I can cut the wings etc off for the foxes for tomorrow before I cook it. Not being lazy, I can't move much as my neck is really Bug****ed!
Wednesday night I realised I hadn't got the fluffies in, Missie normally reminds me, & when I apologised to the foxes she said "Mum said I wasn't to remind you as you werent well." I thought that was so caring, not sure what Missie thought! Barry has done it before work ever since.

Watched 3 nights fox tapes yesterday, 1 showed Mum & Kinkie together, 1 Missie & Tufty together & the third Mum & Missie. Interesting to see the 2 couples 1 ate whilst the other waited, except when Kinkie nipped in & stole the pigs trotter from under Mums nose

When the 2 females were down 1 took a fluffy & stepped away, then the 2nd took 1 and stepped away & they alternated like that all the time.
Sue, Lady is about the same age as Mum was last year when she had her cubs so it is quite possible she'll mate this year. I would have expected her to cub late March (the normal time) so she will show soon if she is pregnant. Missie is definitely putting on weight but you can only see it from certain angles, much easier to see from above because it looks as though she has swallowed a football looking down on her!

Early mating might run in families, maybe ours are just promiscuous!

Post by **sue** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:24 pm

Well Lady has visited us on a regular basis this week, once bringing another Vixen with her who was thin and very light in colour but who was also so nervous she ran off before picking up any food.
I know the pictures are not up to much but this last one is my best so far, I really must try to get someting set up outside, taking a picture through a patio door without a tripod or flash is so tricky. Most of the shots come out looking double due to movement by either myself or Lady. Anyway so pleased she is coming to see me a lot now.
Do they tend to bother in the summer Fran or find their own food source elsewhere. Also I imagine as the nights get lighter they stay away until dark I suppose.

Post by **BBLUX** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 10:38 am

Oh Sue what a wonderful picture!

: Sorry just seen this on Barry's log in

Fran

Post by **sue** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 11:43 am

Thanks Fran, I hope oneday she has some cubs, now that would be a good picture to get.

Have you anymore good ones to show us yet?

Post by **FABlux** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:50 pm

Hopefully soon, Barry set up a video camera which works with the extra light levels and the foxes are quite happy with it. So we are now seeing them in colour.
They are all well, we're slightly confused by Missie she's no longer pregnant. I said something was happening one evening with Mum & Missie & when we reviewed the tape both males came down & took food back, no sign of the females. She's not unhappy, don't think she even realises what happened. She's doing her best to get that way again, from the noise in the garden last Sunday night!

We did know that if more than 1 was pregnant only the the alpha female normally went full term so I guess it was just nature's way.
Mum & cubs are all fine, won't see them for another month at least but she is coming down ever earlier for food, 7.30 most nights now, she says it's better for her to eat before feeding the cubs. Certainly she is not having the weight loss she had after her cubs last year, she has a lovely figure but isn't getting overly thin this time.
She says there is 1 bigger male cub then, I think 3, about the same size & then 1 smaller, unusually it also seems to be male, but she is feeding all of them, without any concerns for food supply so hopefully they'll all be fine.
Sue ours cut right back on food here in the summer when there is ample elsewhere but they still came down just for the treats. Often Mum would just come down and sit in the garden to get peace and quiet away from the cubs.

Missie also comes down to wander or sit on the side of the pond, without eating anything at all. They have both said it is their own quiet/safe place, so yours may well do the same. I wonder who the thin vixen was, maybe a sibling of Lady's?

Post by **BBLUX** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:45 pm

The first captures from the colour video camera. We are using a temporary setup through a window until I can make a new weatherproof housing for this much larger camera.

Mum

Tufty

Mum and Missie(left)

Post by **LuxorFan** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:09 pm

Wonderful pictures! That's quite a spread you put out for your fox friends.

Post by **BBLUX** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:15 pm

We probably spend a small fortune. Not just on the foxes but also on the 6 hedgehogs fostering in our conservatory.
Don't mind any of it though, they are worth every penny.

The foxes have a mixture of day old chicks, dog chub (a large slicing sausage of chicken, beef, rabbit or tripe) dried dog biscuits, peanuts, raisins and various sandwiches...but not all together on the same night!

Post by **tut bar dancer** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:43 pm

Really lovely pics BBLUX, i used to have a fox in my back garden a few years ago and i would be on the PC late at night and the security light would come on and he/she would stop and stare at me through the patio window.I used to be facinated with them and how they have made homes in the towns as well as the country side.

Post by **sue** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:00 pm

The pictures are great, so clear as well. Lovely

Post by **BBLUX** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:07 pm

They are not bad for a scrap camcorder. We were going through the W.E.E. process at Uni for the disposal of old equipment. I found 2 of them in the heap. Recorder parts broken but the camera sections are still good. Needless to say I rescued them

Good fast low light zoom lens...perfect for this job

Everything is now recorded straight to hard disc so it is much easier to capture stills.