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Foxes and water


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Hi all. Am in the process of setting up some chicken and duck areas on the side of a pond. The area will be well fenced with fencing dug 18 inches into the ground and fencing going a few feet out into the water. But there will still be a section open to the water. Does anyone know how willing a fox might be to swim round for a meal? Bearing in mind there are dozens of rabbits and pheasants outside the pen providing far too easy a meal.

I have never seen a fox in water and wondered if they have an aversion or if like some of their dog cousins they don't think twice about a quick swim for a fat chicken or duck.

Thanks.

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Heard stories from here from the old boys of then being out with sheepdogs and cornering a fox on a point out into a lake, fox went swimming. Also, think it was last year wasn't there a story about a fox swimming out to a nest on a little rock or island to rob it, can't remember if it was true or not. Uder pressure or hungry enough I'd say they'd go for a dip but I've not seen them in water myself besides after getting shot :wacko:

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They will swim with no hesitation if there is food available the other side, and your chickens and ducks are an easier meal than rabbits and pheasants. Foxes will not expend energy chasing animals or birds, unless they are wounded or sick, they know that they cannot catch healthy pheasants or rabbits. Dogs and foxes are not a good comparison, dogs chase rabbits for fun not for food. Your open pen is going to be an open invitation.

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I have never seen one swimming but I remember a story I once heard.

 

If a fox has a lot of fleas they have been known to take a mouthful of grass in their mouth and submerge in water.

With the tip of the nose above the surface, the fleas crawl up to the grass. The fox then lets go and comes out of the water.

 

I don't know how true this is but we all know that they can be pretty smart so it is quite possible.

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They will swim with no hesitation if there is food available the other side, and your chickens and ducks are an easier meal than rabbits and pheasants. Foxes will not expend energy chasing animals or birds, unless they are wounded or sick, they know that they cannot catch healthy pheasants or rabbits. Dogs and foxes are not a good comparison, dogs chase rabbits for fun not for food. Your open pen is going to be an open invitation.

 

 

:w00t:

 

 

 

LB

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when foxs go to gt rid of there fleas the fox gets a lump of wood in nits jaw and goes into the water. the fox then uses the wood as a float and its whole body goes under exsept the wood wich is used to to breath, the snout is only part sicking out with the wood for oxegen. hope this helps.

 

thomas

:yes: This was written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm as one of Grimms Fairy tales, back in the early 1800's, and you believe it? S'truth! :hmm::hmm:

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I was out lamping a few weeks ago along by a burn,when i heard a splash and could just make out in the gloom something swimming passed me.Tried to light it up with the lamp but there's a fair bit of vegitation and all i did was illuminate this,just making out a set of eyes.Wondered would a fox likely swim passed or more likely to turn tail and head away from me.There have been mink in the passed in this area and i thought that's what this was,however reading about swimming foxes made me wonder.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi mate,

 

in answer to your question they can and do swim, I had a text last night from a local farmer who forgot to lock his ducks up, and at 11:30 pm heard a noise outside, when he had a look foxy was swimming in his duck pond chasing and snapping at two of his ducks, foxy will be having the pleasure of my company tonight :good:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yes they certainly can and do.

 

I've only seen it once. I was walking down to the duck pond and there were a pair of foxes next to a dyke which ran in a straight line ahead of me.

 

They had a choice of running in to the woods on one side or crossing the dyke via a plank in to woods on the other.

 

Both took to the dyke without a second thought, didn't even waste time crossing at the plank, and I didn't even have time to get a shot in.

 

Foxes 2 - 0 Me

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when foxs go to gt rid of there fleas the fox gets a lump of wood in nits jaw and goes into the water. the fox then uses the wood as a float and its whole body goes under exsept the wood wich is used to to breath, the snout is only part sicking out with the wood for oxegen. hope this helps.

 

thomas

:good: This was written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm as one of Grimms Fairy tales, back in the early 1800's, and you believe it? S'truth! :good::lol:

 

 

Seen it with me own eyes bob a fox backed into a pond with just his nose showing :good:

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  • 1 month later...

That fox wont be swimming any more, went out May 4th with Red Thunder and Botch :lol::lol::lol: , charlie showed at 10.30 making his way to the pond, .243 55 grain balistic tip stopped his fun :lol::lol::lol: Sorry its a long time posting this one been busy after another well educated charlie shows most days but has eluded me for too long now gonna try using bait and the Warreners last sniff masking scent :lol:

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when foxs go to gt rid of there fleas the fox gets a lump of wood in nits jaw and goes into the water. the fox then uses the wood as a float and its whole body goes under exsept the wood wich is used to to breath, the snout is only part sicking out with the wood for oxegen. hope this helps.

 

thomas

:lol: This was written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm as one of Grimms Fairy tales, back in the early 1800's, and you believe it? S'truth! :lol::lol:

 

 

Seen it with me own eyes bob a fox backed into a pond with just his nose showing :lol:

I don't disbelieve you, although I can't imagine why a fox would do this, as this would not kill fleas, there is ample air contained in a dog or foxes coat to keep fleas alive. If this worked, all that you would have to do to get rid of fleas on your dog would be to take it for a swim. And if you held it underwater, the dog would drown long before fleas.

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