MY own observations; Red Fox are the 1st canine I learned from. Since I started predator hunting. That year was in Fall of 1964. Over all of the following. Fall-up into Springtime & Summer months. I observed & learned from them. Mainly in my old main hunt area. They were numerous back in those days. Because the coyotes had not moved into that area yet. Due to observing where alpha pairs, were seen, hunting/traveling, bedded down & denned. I came to my own conclusion(s). Their territory consisted of approximately 2-3 square miles. I also realized neighboring pairs. Territory's over lapped by quite a bit. The Red Fox I observed due to territory over laps. Allowed to a great extent. Trespassing by other Red Fox. Your observations may differ. Who cares.
What I observed from alpha pairs of Red Fox & their kits. While the female was heavy laden. The male would often bring his kills. To the "main" entrance hole & leave it there. Not any exit hole, but the main entrance hole. While she was using her den hole. I never witnessed her mate use that same den hole to sleep in. The males bedded elsewhere. But would often visit the den site.... After the female gave birth. She would go on short hunts. Either coming back to the den site. Around Sunrise, or prior to Sun rise. Early morning is when she would often nurse them. When her kits were around 5-6 wks old. She would nurse them outside of the entrance hole. Even after being weaned. Her kits would still try to suckle. Sometimes the female would let them at times. But around 6 wks old. She would start stopping them form wanting/trying to suckle.
It IS, the female who does most of the teaching/protecting/nurturing of her kits. Often around Sun set. She would take some of her litter out learning & exploring. I observed one active den site. Where the female was killed on a nearby highway. It just so happened her kits were weaned(5+ wks old) in my view. Because the male then assumed her duties & those kits survived.
Do they bed down on flat & hilly land. Of course they do, just like the coyotes. Just like the coyotes, 99.9 % of the time. They put the wind at their backside when bedded down. The only times I've observed either canine bedded down. "With the wind in their face". Where warm days, with virtually little to NO wind. Red Fox use the wind & terrain. Just like the coyotes do. I've observed those same behaviors. Hundreds & hundreds of times.
What I observed from alpha pairs of Red Fox & their kits. While the female was heavy laden. The male would often bring his kills. To the "main" entrance hole & leave it there. Not any exit hole, but the main entrance hole. While she was using her den hole. I never witnessed her mate use that same den hole to sleep in. The males bedded elsewhere. But would often visit the den site.... After the female gave birth. She would go on short hunts. Either coming back to the den site. Around Sunrise, or prior to Sun rise. Early morning is when she would often nurse them. When her kits were around 5-6 wks old. She would nurse them outside of the entrance hole. Even after being weaned. Her kits would still try to suckle. Sometimes the female would let them at times. But around 6 wks old. She would start stopping them form wanting/trying to suckle.
It IS, the female who does most of the teaching/protecting/nurturing of her kits. Often around Sun set. She would take some of her litter out learning & exploring. I observed one active den site. Where the female was killed on a nearby highway. It just so happened her kits were weaned(5+ wks old) in my view. Because the male then assumed her duties & those kits survived.
Do they bed down on flat & hilly land. Of course they do, just like the coyotes. Just like the coyotes, 99.9 % of the time. They put the wind at their backside when bedded down. The only times I've observed either canine bedded down. "With the wind in their face". Where warm days, with virtually little to NO wind. Red Fox use the wind & terrain. Just like the coyotes do. I've observed those same behaviors. Hundreds & hundreds of times.
