Foxes!

[Rebecca]

Opposite my university accommodation there is a fenced-off flattened embankment that we assume is the local water supply. Asides from climbing up a 2 and a half metre wall/risking impalement on metal spikes it is pretty impossible to gain access and so provides the ideal haven for a couple of foxes.

Today, in the snow, I saw two of these gorgeous animals mating and then proceeding to frolic in the snow. I'm incredibly excited about the cubs, but was also wondering if anyone has any answers as to the pairs' behaviour - I understand foxes to be most active at dusk and dawn, and have certainly never seen one before 9pm before.

Is anyone else expecting to see any little orange cubs in a couple of months time?

 

[Brum]

This thread caught my eye as about 3 hours ago (9.30/10 pm) I was watching the snow falling outside and saw two foxes chasing each other up and down our cul-de-sac, they appeared quite young and were having a whale of a time skidding in the road. My 4 year old stepdaughter had just come down stairs and was so happy to see them that she wanted to stay up and watch to see if they came back.
I'm not expecting cubs because they were a young pair but it was amazing to see them so active at a relatively early hour in a residential area, I normally don't see any until about 12 am usually.

 

[volvox]

"Our" foxes (north London, I mean N7 not out in the sticks) are active all day in the back gardens, jumping from one to another over the fences like cats. I haven't seen them mating but they are emitting the usual blood curdling yelps at night that indicate they are! The other day two young ones got up on a flat roof at the bottom of the garden and were quickly seen off by next door's two small female cats. They come up to the back door and jump on our garden table just out of curiosity. They seem to have no fear of anything... except for a couple of feisty cats!

 

[Rebecca]

Well it seems we now have THREE foxes. I know one is definitely a female as she has been seen mating, so I'm assuming she is in the company of two males... Is this normal behaviour? I certainly don't know about any other species that tolerate another male around a female so close to mating season.

They are still fully active in the day, coming out every couple of hours for a run around.