What's wrong with that fox? (Graphic!)

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Preitler

Preitler

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Hi,

after 4 rabbits disappeard in the last weeks (plus, from neighbours, lots of chickens, a few rabbits , a cat and some other stuff like apples) I put up a camera, and this ist the culprit:

Fuchs1.jpg

But what is wrong with that fox? Look at that sorry tail, that isn't normal.
Maybe anything I should worry about if I happen to catch or kill it? I know they can carry a veriety of diseases and parasites.

I added a fence around my hutches, with the double purpose of a trap. I trust my rabbits not to freak completly out when I trap the fox, they had almost daily visits by it and he also tried to get into the hutches (made hole, and then made off with the stupid buns that took the oportunity to go for a stroll), so they are more or less used to it.
 
My guess would be mange. We get Timber Wolves around here from time to time that look like that. I'm not sure if a fox could transmit mange to a dog, but I wouldn't take any chances. If you have some kind of animal control in your area, I suggest asking if they could trap the fox and remove it. Show them the pictures you got.
 
Yup, looks like mange

Be careful as your dogs and cats can catch the species that live on foxes, at least in North America, I don't see why it would be different from Europe but maybe look into it :)
 
Yikes, really looks like that :x Since googling it I have that scratching urge... :?
Would also explain why it comes that close to people.

I'll better wear gloves and wash everything hot after dealing with that, if it is stupid enough to stumble in my trap :twisted: . I wont miss that, hooked a 130dB siren to the trap door :mrgreen: .
I have neither cats or dogs, so no worry there.

We tried to talk about the high predator population to the hunters that do animal control here last year, but they were not interested, not their problem. So if I don't do something, nobody does. Alfred actually talks about getting a gun and wait for it some nights, not very likely he actually will do anything but talk, but if he would his mothers cats chance to survive would be slim :? :D
 
Ew! Looks like a giant opossum to me, and those things creep me out in their normal smaller size... I wouldn't want to run into that thing! It's amazing what hair can do for animals (like how squirrels are "so cute"... but I am sure if you took away that fluffy tail people wouldn't be so protective of them!). "Sly as a Fox" is a saying for a reason - hopefully you can get him before more harm or damage is done!
 
Lol, that camera is worth it's money :D , better than TV.

I obviously have a bigger fox problem than I thought, yesterday this one paid a visit. Must be new to bunnies, on the left pic he enters the fenced in area with the hutches, right: seconds later, rabbits saw him, stomped, dozens of feet clawing into wood when rushing into their hiding places - quite a spectacular noise :lol:

So the rabbits saved this one for the time being, the trigger for the trapdoor is about 1 meter inside the fence, they scared him off before he got that far. Mybe I should screen the cages with sheets...

Fuchs2.jpg

Also, there is a cat visiting. I have never seen it before.

Katze statt Fuchs.jpg
 
The second fox sure is a pretty one! The first one looks like it not only has mange, but also might be nursing kits. It's torso seems a lot thicker than the new one.

The cat looks too well fed to be a stray, so he must belong to someone in the neighborhood.
 
Homer":1hpnahel said:
I take it you don't own a shotgun or any buckshot? :|
Click to expand...

No need for the big guns, that's why I've set the trap. A .22 will do nicely and wont wake the neighbours. I'm not going to sit all night in the cold with the coach gun in my cold, stiff fingers :roll: waiting for a fox that'll never show up while I'm there :gun:
 
Download the screams of a rabbit in distress and call them in. Your picture time stamps indicate they visit between 0200 and 0300 so You know when to hunt them. :mrgreen: The first pictures don't have a time stamp.? :?:
 
Ah, they do have time stamps, these pics are cutouts from video clip screenshots. They came at 10pm, midnight, 2-3am, 6am...

And actually hunting them would be teeny-weeny too far on the illegal side :?

-- Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:03 pm --

Argh, I almost messed it up. Came home from work, was going to feed the rabbits - lots of thumping, cage-rattling noise, and missing bait from the trap trigger - somehow I forgot to close the trap door in the morning, but disabled the trigger. I do this while feeding, otherwise I'll just trap myself.
I didn't see what was in there, but something was there. I didn't expect them coming during dayligt - or soon after.

Rabbits were scared but ok, whatever it was tried to pry open the hutch at the same spot as last time (No chance) - well, now it has an engineer to deal with :twisted: . A stupid engineer maybe, but whatever :oops: . That spot gets reinforced with snap rat traps tomorrow.
 
And actually hunting them would be teeny-weeny too far on the illegal side :?
Click to expand...
You must live in town huh? Not getting caught is part of the game. :mrgreen:
As an engineer you should be able to come up with all kinds of devious ways to "get'm". :clover:
 
No, not in town, but hunting is very restricted here. I must not carry a rifle outside anyway, so if I get caught poaching foxes I have to face dire consequences, first of all losing my gun license.
There are many ways to get them, but not wanting to hurt cats limits the choices.

So, last night...

AAHHHHRGGhhh.... :wr_brick:

There was a broken wire in the extension cord I used for the alarm, every time I tested it it had contact, but not when it should have :evil:

Fox escaped, had all night to climb the fence (will be much more difficult now, fenced in the top too :twisted: .

But the trap door works nice, see video:

http://www.rcmovie.de/video/318657504b2 ... Fuchsfalle
 
Poison is forbidden too, rats are about the biggest critters we may kill with that, and here are too many cats, I don't want to accidentially kill my neighbours pets.
 
Austria, Germany and Switzerland have some of the best meats and bakeries in the WORLD but your gun laws and restrictions on protection of personal property are quite sad! Good for you, operating within the law, though. You're a very patient and skilled man. I've killed many foxes but I've only been able to trap one (and that was a juvenile). I hope you catch him and many more:!:
 
LOL!!! You would think he wouldn't want any part of those monsters coming after him.
scared-smiley-emoticon.gif
 

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