AIBU to ask a stupid question about this fox cub?

[Sundiamond]

So around 6pm every night for about a week/10 days, a fox cub has come to our back door and tapped. I believe there are foxes living somewhere over one of the back fences that are in our neighbourhood.

Why? What does he want? Food? Is he intrigued by our dog? We never feed him, we shoo him away. Although I have to say, he has the most gorgeous little face...

You will come into contact with dander, saliva and urine/faeces which can all be vectors for zoonotic disease.

Perhaps educate yourself on the concept of zoonosis before being quite so snippy?

Lol. I’d still come into contact with those substances if I didn’t feed foxes though so that makes no sense. Foxes would very likely still be in my garden, they’d certainly be in my local area, on the streets, in parks etc where I go. So.....🤷🏻‍♀️

HundredMilesAnHour

Great photos. They’re such beautiful animals.

NikeDeLaSwoosh

Maybe speak to your GP if you think of the world as such a dirty and dangerous place as you can’t live in a sterile world.

We had a fox that used to do similar. It took us a while to work it out, but he came every other week on a Wednesday, come rain or shine. Tapped on the glass on the French doors he did. Turned out he only wanted to come to bingo with us.

We got him a lovely blue velvet suit, crushed velvet it was, lovely deep blue colour, with a red and white polka dot neckerchief. Two pairs of spats - we mistakenly bought one pair only to realise our mistake - and a little black cane with a silver top.

He was delightful and kept all the bingo goers well entertained. No smell at all, but he did use to have a bath before we went out. Fish and chips on the way home, though he would just run off with them until the next time.

@BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze

NikeDeLaSwoosh

Maybe speak to your GP if you think of the world as such a dirty and dangerous place as you can’t live in a sterile world.

Have you been living under a rock since March?

Have you been living under a rock since March?

In terms of covid, I’m following the rules, staying home as much as possible and washing my hands when I come home. That’s all I can do. I’ll continue to feed wildlife.

Do you have any understanding of how the virus came to infect humans though?

I hate the mangy ginger little bastards. It was all I could do to stop myself from kicking a fox ornament in the head in B&Q this morning. The kids stories would only ever have 'Mr Bastard Fox' mentioned.

Love the idea that foxes are in towns/cities because people can build houses faster foxes can run though - slowest fox hunt ever!

...it’s clear from your posts that you don’t, so here is a useful fact sheet from the WHO.

TL/DR

“Zoonotic pathogens can spread to humans through any contact point with domestic, agricultural or wild animals...People living adjacent to wilderness areas or in semi-urban areas with higher numbers of wild animals are at risk of disease from animals such as rats, foxes or raccoons”

Do you have any understanding of how the virus came to infect humans though?

Pretty sure it wasnt foxes.

I live somewhere a bit 'wildernessy' - have yet to see a raccoon though so one less thing to worry about I suppose ...

@AlwaysLatte

As cute! They love eggs, you could give him those?

Bloody hell, not 20 minutes ago I was having a conversation with MIL about how the hell foxes get hold of eggs.

MIL has foxes living next door and is forever finding eggshells on her lawn.

I wonder if many people give foxes eggs to eat?

@HundredMilesAnHour

There's some shocking ignorance on this thread.

But it's reassuring to see that kind, sensible people seem to be in the majority.

I volunteer at The Fox Project and it really is the most amazing experience. It's a privilege being able to get up close with such wonderful animals. They all have their own unique personalities and they're incredibly clever. And no, I've never been bitten. These are photos of some of my favourite patients.

(I've posted the teddy bear photo before so apologies to those who've seen it already).

I love this

Are we seriously trying to suggest foxes were responsible for covid now?!

The official line is it was transmitted from bats as a result of the disgusting, filthy conditions within the wet markets.

Nothing to do with foxes.

Though everyone I know, myself included, think it was developed and either released deliberately or released accidentally from the laboratory...
So again, nothing to do with foxes

Do you have any understanding of how the virus came to infect humans though?

Yep.

There’s a whole topic area on coronavirus if you want to talk about that with someone.

As I said before, I will keep feeding my local wildlife including foxes.

@kirktonhouse

I hate the mangy ginger little bastards. It was all I could do to stop myself from kicking a fox ornament in the head in B&Q this morning. The kids stories would only ever have 'Mr Bastard Fox' mentioned.

Love the idea that foxes are in towns/cities because people can build houses faster foxes can run though - slowest fox hunt ever!

Really? You love the idea that humans concreting over fields and woodland has decimated native wildlife and destroyed their habitats?

This arrogant human attitude will destroy the planet and all living things eventually.

@NikeDeLaSwoosh

...it’s clear from your posts that you don’t, so here is a useful fact sheet from the WHO.

TL/DR

“Zoonotic pathogens can spread to humans through any contact point with domestic, agricultural or wild animals...People living adjacent to wilderness areas or in semi-urban areas with higher numbers of wild animals are at risk of disease from animals such as rats, foxes or raccoons”

Yes but no-one here is suggesting eating undercooked foxes or inviting them in their house. People have said they are leaving food out for them which poses no additional risk to them being generally around the local area.

Unless you're suggesting that we cull all animals (domestic, agricultural or wild), I'm not sure what your point is?

@UsernameN0Tavailable you made me giggle madly with “Yes but no-one here is suggesting eating undercooked foxes”

It is an unbalanced ecosystem that is and will continue to be the problem, the more we build and crowd out nature, the more things will return and nip us in the bud.

(Off to feed the badgers) 🦡 🦡 🦡

They are such beautiful creatures, but I couldn't bring myself to feed them. I've lived on farms for a few years now and the farmers have told me how they've lost some of their lambs, hens etc to foxes. Residential areas aren't suitable for them either. I don't think anyone should be encouraging them by feeding them.

I fed all our food scraps to the local wildlife population of foxes and badgers.
I even buy a bag of wonky apples a week of which one is cut up every night and put out for a local badger. In summer I add bowls of water around my garden for them.
I am on the edge of a conservation area with a large wooded area which is where lots of foxes make their dens and has badger setts which have been inhabited for years.

Pinkfreesias

They need to eat so I feed them which our local sanctuary advises. In the past I’ve put the treatment for mange on the food as advised by them.
It’s sad that lambs and hens are eaten by them but the farmers are only bothered as the animals are money to them. That’s a whole other thread though.

@BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze
Agree.

To put it into perspective for others: “ Millions of British lambs may have to be slaughtered and then buried or burnt, rather than eaten, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, government officials have told farmers.”

But,y’know, stop the nasty mangy foxes getting a few per year. and lets raze over their woodland as fast as we can for more homes.
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/no-deal-brexit-threatens-cull-of-10m-lambs-jp7c87qtm

@userxx

As do dogs ....

And people. Someone shat on the step outside work once.

Brighton's Argus recently carried a story, with picture, of a woman having a shit outside the main shoppinf centre, in broad daylight, while shoppers passed by.

@CunnyLingus 🤣

Brighton's Argus recently carried a story, with picture, of a woman having a shit outside the main shoppinf centre, in broad daylight, while shoppers passed by

Not sure if I'm horrified or impressed by her confidence 🤷‍♂️. I'd definitely get stage fright.