Things you may not know about the common fox Foxes are easier to see in the wild when their cubs are born in May - July. Here's a handy guide to the behaviour you are most likely to see.
How quickly do fox cubs grow?
For much of the year, foxes are difficult to see in the wild. But when their cubs are born between May and July, they are vocal and more active during the day, hunting, playing or just relaxing in the sun.
After 14 days, their eyes open. Their pupils are slate-blue. Guard hairs appear, giving cubs a fuzzy appearance. They have small, floppy ears and weigh about 350g.
Here is the key characteristics and some of the behaviour you are likely to see. How do you tell if a fox is male or female? Dog foxes and vixens are hard to tell apart, though dogs are generally about one fifth heavier. The dogs also have broader, slightly more domed heads. During winter (when mating), the male’s testes visibly protrude between his hind-legs, but these regress and are hard to see in summer.
Newborn fox cubs are blind, deaf, dark-grey in colour and weigh about 120g.
After four weeks, the cub’s pupils are grey flecked with brown. The muzzle starts to lengthen. White fur appears around the mouth and patches of red on the face. The coat is still woolly, but the ears are now erect. After eight weeks, the pupils become amber-coloured and the cub’s face approaches adult proportions. Its fur is largely adult colour but still looks woolly Throughout the summer, cubs are very similar to adults but have thinner coats and a lankier appearance.
When lactating, the vixen’s eight teats are obvious, and her belly fur is brick red (it’s normally white or grey).
They become indistinguishable from the adults by late September or early October, once their winter coats are fully grown.
In late winter, the vixen digs out several potential breeding earths. In rural areas, these will be in banks, at woodland edges or under piles of sticks or drystone walls. In urban areas, they can also be in or under sheds and buildings. 16
From late September, the family group breaks up and some or all of the cubs disperse.
