We love foxes here at Cotswold Baby Co. and Bertie Fox and Woody Acorn have put together these fun facts about fantastic foxes to share with you and your little cubs!
Basic Fox Facts
Foxes are part of the Canidae family, which is the same family as dogs, wolves and jackals. A female fox is called a ‘vixen’, while a male fox is called a ‘dog’ and fox babies are called ‘cubs’, (or #littlecubs at Cotswold Baby Co!’) A fox can live up to the ripe old age of 14 in captivity, but in the wild they tend to live for between 2 – 5 years.
Bertie fact: Did you know that a group of foxes is called a ‘skulk’ or a ‘leash’?
Baby Fox Cubs, Credit – Hugh Clarke, Sussex Wildlife Trust
What do foxes look like?
Foxes have pointy noses, thin bodies and swishy bushy tails. Foxes are smaller than you may think, and are a little bit bigger than a cat weighing between seven to 15 pounds. Don’t be fooled by their small size though, foxes can run up to 30 miles per hour!
Bertie fact: Did you know that a fox’s tail makes up a third of its body? Check out Bertie’s lovely bushy tail below!
How great is Bertie’s Bushy tail?
Foxes have a fantastic sense of smell and can smell food even if it’s buried! Did you know that foxes have whiskers on their legs as well as on their faces? This helps them to navigate while out in the dark.
Foxes also have incredible hearing, which they use to catch insects and small mammals by pouncing from where the smell is.
Bertie fact: Did you know, foxes are the only type of dog capable of retracting their claws like cats do?
What do foxes eat and where do they live?
A fox lives in a ‘den’ or an ‘earth’. In the countryside, foxes build their dens in underground burrows, providing a safe cool space to sleep. However in urban areas dens are found in bushes, under tree roots and sometimes even under a garden shed!
Urban Fox, Credit – Sam Hobson
Foxes are omnivores,which means they eat plants as well as meat. While countryside foxes eat anything from worms and berries to rats and rabbits, urban foxes like to raid bins and eat our leftovers, including jam sandwiches!
Fantastic Fox Treats
If you love foxes as much as us, then take a look at our ‘Fantastic Fox’ Collection which is full of fabulous foxy clothes, gifts and toys for little cubs aged 0-5 years. Bertie’s favourite is of course our Bertie Fox soft toy, which he likes to snuggle up with in his den! Have a look and find your favourite foxy treat. And for some fun fox themed activities, then take a look at Bertie’s Activity Pack and download our FREE fox colouring sheets!
