What do red foxes eat? 7 Foods They Love!

Red foxes are found throughout the continental United States from Alaska to Florida. They are the most widely known foxes in the canine family. Red foxes prefer woodlands, rural and suburban areas, wetland habitats and open scrub fields.

Red foxes have long snouts and red fur on the face, back, tail and flanks. Their necks, jaws and bellies are grayish white. The ears of red foxes are large and pointed, and the tips of their claws are black. They grow three feet long and stand about two feet tall. Since these foxes are so common, you might be wondering what exactly do red foxes eat? Let's take a closer look at the diets of these omnivores!

What do red foxes eat?

Red foxes eat a wide variety of plants and animals, including: rodents, rabbits, small mammals, birds, insects, lizards, frogs, fish, and berries. Foxes can adjust their diet according to the environment and season.

Red foxes are very intelligent omnivores and eat a wide variety of foods, including:

small mammal

Red foxes prefer small mouse-like mammals such as gerbils, voles, rabbits, opossums, raccoons and squirrels, which are the main food of red foxes. Even rotting corpse flesh or carrion can be a treat for them.

plant

Red foxes eat many plants, including grasses, acorns, tubers, grains, and even fungi. Although red foxes like grass and trees, they prefer to eat fruits in autumn. Cherries, persimmons, mulberries (blueberries), grapes, plums, apples and raspberries are their favorites.

Invertebrates

Red foxes eat a variety of invertebrates, including insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, and beetles. They also consume molluscs and crayfish in abundance in the right environment.

reptiles and amphibians

Red foxes are known to eat small reptiles and amphibians such as frogs, toads, lizards and snakes. If they can catch it, the foxes will most likely eat it!

fish

Red foxes are master hunters. If they're near the right water supply, they can catch fish and small crabs to feast on.

birds

Red foxes will also eat small birds, such as juveniles or eggs. They are especially fond of songbirds and waterfowl.

"Kitchen Sink"

Red foxes are always on the lookout for the next food source. They'll even pick up food from trash cans or farms. They can find food even in the cold of winter, which explains why red foxes have earned a reputation as shrewd and intelligent predators.

What is a fox's favorite food?

Nearby red foxes have been known to eat cooked or raw meat, even canned dog food. Additionally, they love peanuts as well as all kinds of fruit, cheese, and even wild apples.

What does the little fox eat?

When red fox pups first emerge from their dens, they are more likely to attack brown rats, as these are usually the first creatures they see and are easy prey. Also, at an early age, parents will regurgitate food for their young. Kittens will start eating solid food when they are about a month old.

What Do Pet Red Foxes Eat?

If you're considering keeping red foxes as pets, here's everything you need to know about the food these animals need. Fish, eggs, boneless poultry, jam, wet or dry dog food, and peanut butter sandwiches are on the list of home-cooked treats they seem to enjoy.

Do red foxes eat cats?

Make no mistake, a red fox will run after a cat when it sees it. Kittens and cats under 5 pounds are especially vulnerable to foxes and are no match for them when attacking. They are easy-to-hunt wild animals, however, foxes tend to run away if they are threatened by cat's claws and teeth. It's not something that happens very often.

Do red foxes eat porcupines?

Hedgehogs are occasionally preyed upon by red foxes, which are smaller versions of porcupines. Hedgehog remains were abundant in the fox droppings, however, it was unclear whether these hedgehogs were predated or scavenged by red foxes. To remove spines, foxes tend to bite them.

How do red foxes forage?

Red foxes forage alone, and at night. Unlike other large carnivores, red foxes thrive in suburban and rural areas. Red foxes can inhabit park and woodland edges and are solitary hunters, which makes them easy to hide in.

Red foxes also have very good hearing. They can detect low-frequency sounds and hear rodents burrowing underground. A combination of jumping and digging is used to find animals that move underground or under snow in winter.

To catch prey, red foxes dig in dirt or snow. Like a cat, a fox approaches slowly, and if its prey escapes, it will swoop in and give chase! Red foxes will continue hunting even when they are full. It will hide extra food in fallen leaves, snow or dirt as a form of storage.

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