# biggest fox ever



## evileye (Nov 3, 2009)

people in the park keep talking about a dog cross fox in the park - apparantly they had seen it....i saw what they were talking about today:gasp::gasp::gasp: it is not half dog half fox... but it is so big it looks like an ORANGE WOLF never mind a fox!!!! its up to my waist! its bigger than my dog!:gasp::gasp::gasp: i know this probably sounds like some one wanting attention after seeing a fox that is a little overweight - im not...blimey! i'll try and get a photo soon - its probably living off rabbits in the park. its quite tame as well....


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

On the basis that most foxes are the size of an average cat underneath all that fur I would be very interestede to see a photograph.

So what height is it to your waist?? :gasp:


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

5p says it's a stray dog...:lol2:


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

Let your imagination run wild, it could be a maned wolf! Prob just a stray dog though


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

LisaLQ said:


> 5p says it's a stray dog...:lol2:


Tend to agree - even my GSD doesn't come up to my waist! :lol2:


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## daikenkai (May 24, 2007)

Mu OH was brought up around foxes and he seems to think you were maybe under the influence of something? lol! 
Or it was indeed a dog or the like. :2thumb:


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

we get those coy-dogs here... half dog, half coyote...


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

HABU said:


> we get those coy-dogs here... half dog, half coyote...


 
Just googled..... WANTS ONE!! :whistling2:


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## Lenor (Jul 24, 2009)

Does kinda sound like a maned wolf, would be exciting if one had escaped!! But it is far far far more likely to just be a stray dog: victory: Less exciting though....


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## evileye (Nov 3, 2009)

srsly - not a dog....unless its bright orange with a white tipped bushy tail.
but really tis thing is HUGE. really want to get a photo, but it runs off whenever im close enough to get a decent one. stupid camera zoom wont work


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

evileye said:


> srsly - not a dog....unless its bright orange with a white tipped bushy tail.
> but really tis thing is HUGE. really want to get a photo, but it runs off whenever im close enough to get a decent one. stupid camera zoom wont work



So if it's running off whenever you get near how can you tell it's up to your waist in height? I bet it's just a fat fox that looks big in the distance but is really normal sized (or a bit bigger than normal).


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## bosshogg (Nov 19, 2006)

finnish spitz kinda look like a fox but not that big, i doubt thats its up to OP waist though biggest fox i have ever seen in all my years been on farm or hunting is springer size!


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## Salamanda (May 28, 2008)

seen a big fox in my garden about x2 size of my cat but not as big as a "big" dog.


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## Myth (May 22, 2009)

*ponders the likelihood of someone having lost a dog with a freaky hair-cut + dye-job...*

:hmm:


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## daikenkai (May 24, 2007)

Myth said:


> *ponders the likelihood of someone having lost a dog with a freaky hair-cut + dye-job...*
> 
> :hmm:


Not impossible! Remember the pink cat? :lol2:


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

*Red coated Belgian shepherd ???.*


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Pleco07 said:


> Let your imagination run wild, it could be a maned wolf!.


A more likly candidate would be the Dhole(wild dog), Only in 2009 some escaped from a wildlife park/Zoo in Canterbury. 
Onless ofcourse there been Maned wolfs escaped recently. I'm not sure if they found all the Dhole or not.

Dhole.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

We've had as many as 13 foxes where I work and none of them come up my knees


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## shadow05 (Nov 4, 2010)

lol get a better camera lol  just messin i think it might just be a dog u know i mean sometimes they do get a white tip on there tail as there patterns i know a couple of dogs that has a white tip on its tail they might not be orange but it happens. But it would be kool if it turned out to be a wolf or fox thats huge would be awesome. maybe not good for the wolf/ fox because someone would probs come and catch it or something seen as it is a bit unusal lol


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## shadow05 (Nov 4, 2010)

i heard that somewhere in scotland i think it was that they were actual gonna let a group of wolfs that are now extinct in this country run wild again. dont think the farms around there will let that happen lol i also have heard quite a large number of people have spotted a black panther/ leapord or watever u wanna call it running free. ive asked around a couple of people who i know cause i didnt believe it at all straight away and theyve told me that it is true apprently ages and ages ago someone had it as a pet and they soon realised that they had taken on to much and for some reason let it free. i still dont really believe it now but apprently lives on some moors somewhere.


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## samurai (Sep 9, 2009)

gazz said:


> A more likly candidate would be the Dhole(wild dog), Only in 2009 some escaped from a wildlife park/Zoo in Canterbury.
> Onless ofcourse there been Maned wolfs escaped recently. I'm not sure if they found all the Dhole or not.
> 
> Dhole.
> image


Thats what i was thinking


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## KathyM (Jan 17, 2009)

Headline tomorrow: "Dingo took my baby!" :lol2:


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

KathyM said:


> Headline tomorrow: "Dingo took my baby!" :lol2:


 
*more childish giggling*


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## Dragon Wolf (Oct 27, 2009)

*Hot off the press ready for tomorrows edition*


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Maned Wolves are extremely shy & are very difficult to see in zoos, never mind out loose! And Dholes are not big enough to be knee-height. Probably just an unusual looking cross breed stray or regular loose dog.


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## evileye (Nov 3, 2009)

corny girl said:


> So if it's running off whenever you get near how can you tell it's up to your waist in height? I bet it's just a fat fox that looks big in the distance but is really normal sized (or a bit bigger than normal).


 
it stands there for a second, but you cant get any detail - you just see an enourmous orange shape with a bushy tail. it did look like a maned wolf lol
i just with i could get a pic....oh. just came up with a plan. will get a photo by next mon.:blush:


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

evileye said:


> it stands there for a second, but you cant get any detail - you just see an enourmous orange shape with a bushy tail. it did look like a maned wolf lol
> i just with i could get a pic....oh. just came up with a plan. will get a photo by next mon.:blush:


OK, i was just joking when I said maned wolf :lol2: Was just the first animal that popped into my head when you described it


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

YouTube - Father Ted - On Holiday

Skewed sense of perspective perchance. Waist high fox? Unlikely.


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## Azz_87 (Jul 6, 2010)

lol i feel that this thread will end brilliantly when this photo arrives..............


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## Myth (May 22, 2009)

LisaLQ said:


> YouTube - Father Ted - On Holiday
> 
> Skewed sense of perspective perchance. Waist high fox? Unlikely.


That came to mind too, along with pink cats...

:lol2:


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## evileye (Nov 3, 2009)

srsly, this was up to my waist! i know where some possible den sites are now, so as soon as i get the time to go out and have a look around without my dog i might get a pic, or at least i can see how large the den entrance is ( unless foxes are like cats and can squeeze into anything...)


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Foxes can squeeze through tiny holes!


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

evileye said:


> srsly, this was up to my waist! i know where some possible den sites are now, so as soon as i get the time to go out and have a look around without my dog i might get a pic, or at least i can see how large the den entrance is ( unless foxes are like cats and can squeeze into anything...)


The entrance to a Fox's earth is not big, so you would not be able to gauge the size of the Fox by that.


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## Evilshiddenclaws (May 25, 2010)

is this gonna end up like the 'pink royal python' thread....


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## kerrithsoden (Dec 6, 2009)

girlfroend got home last night to tell me she saw a massive fox on the way home, reminded me of this thread


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## ern79 (Jul 26, 2007)

serious question, can foxes and dogs cross breed?


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

No they can't - I think it's something to do with the number of chromosomes


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

ern79 said:


> serious question, can foxes and dogs cross breed?


Red fox i beleave not, But there are fox species that it maybe possible.


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## shadow05 (Nov 4, 2010)

right from wat i know they cant but if they did then its offspring would be infertile because the chromosomes are two messed up.


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## Elina (Jul 22, 2009)

gazz said:


> Red fox i beleave not, But there are fox species that it maybe possible.


No. No type of fox can breed with dogs. Also no type of fox can breed with another type; for example my Corsacs could not breed with Arctics even though they are closley related, its just not close enough. (Before anyone says is yes red foxes and silver foxes can breed with each other but silver foxes are just a melanistic colour variant of the red).
-
Elina


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Elina said:


> No. No type of fox can breed with dogs. Also no type of fox can breed with another type; for example my Corsacs could not breed with Arctics even though they are closley related, its just not close enough.


First the term fox is broadly used. There are fox's in several differant branchs of the family tree, Some more related to dogs than the other. Red fox can't hybrid with dog, But Red fox can hybridized with the Arctic fox. So it is hightly likly that your Corsacs fox can hybrid with Arctic fox but the offspring will likly be sterile.

Arctic fox/Red fox hybrid paper.
SpringerLink - Biochemical Genetics, Volume 16, Numbers 1-2

The fox's in the GREEN branchs(below), It is possible that some or all could result in hybrid offspring if bred to a dog, However the fox's in the RED branchs(below) these are quit removed from the dog genetically so offspring from any is not likly but i wouldn't say never. Horse,Donkey,Zebra is why i say never say never. Just coz the Red fox can't have Hybrid offsping with a dog that dosen't mean any other from the RED branchs(below) can't.


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## Razaiel (Oct 17, 2006)

Elina said:


> No. No type of fox can breed with dogs. Also no type of fox can breed with another type; for example my Corsacs could not breed with Arctics even though they are closley related, its just not close enough. (Before anyone says is yes red foxes and silver foxes can breed with each other but silver foxes are just a melanistic colour variant of the red).
> -
> Elina


Hi Elina 

:gasp: :gasp: :gasp: Just visited your fox blog - they are so beautiful - the ears are amazing - I love the pic of Inari complete with big ears :flrt:

We have a regular fox who I assume is female - she is quite large (bigger than our Japanese Spitz) that has visited our garden for a few years now. We tend to put food out for her quite regularly and this summer she was spotted (unfortunately not by me as I was on holiday) along with a fox that although not a baby was much smaller - both at the same bowl.


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## Elina (Jul 22, 2009)

_No, red foxes and arctic foxes cannot hybridize. They are too genetically diverse. Even though both are in the Canine family, they are not in the same genus (the red is *Vulped Vulpes* and the Arctic is *Alopex Lagopus*) . Red foxes have 34 chromosomes, arctic foxes have 48 to 50 (depending on what info you are looking at).

Arctic foxes are the closest to dogs of all foxes and thus is not in the genus 'Vulpes' but instead in it's very own genus of 'Alopex'. If any of the red foxes (by this I mean the ones listed not Vulpes Vulpes) were to breed with a dog it would be the Arctic but that still is *not* possible.

-
Elina

Razaiel, I am glad you like the pic of Inari and yes his ears are great, even more so when you can compare them to Harry and Elspeth's little ones hehe!




_


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Elina said:


> _No, red foxes and arctic foxes cannot hybridize. They are too genetically diverse. Even though both are in the Canine family, they are not in the same genus (the red is *Vulped Vulpes* and the Arctic is *Alopex Lagopus*) . Red foxes have 34 chromosomes, arctic foxes have 48 to 50 (depending on what info you are looking at)._


*was studied in 60 intergeneric fox hybrids (Alopex lagopus × Vulpes vulpes), 33 females and 27 males.*
*SpringerLink - Biochemical Genetics, Volume 16, Numbers 1-2*


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Elina said:


> _Even though both are in the Canine family, they are not in the same genus (the red is *Vulped Vulpes* and the Arctic is *Alopex Lagopus*) ._


Let me show you how relivent scientific names are when it coms to hybrids. all below are in the family felidae but are not the same genus. Yet they have offspring, The male hybrids are sterile. It is likly the same for a Arctic fox/Red fox hybrid also.

*Exhibit A,* 
F1 Domestic cat/Asian leopard cat hybrid.
*(Felis catus) X (Prionailurus bengalensis).*









*Exhibit B, *
F1 Domestic cat/Serval cat hybrid.
*(Felis catus) X (Leptailurus serval).*


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Elina said:


> _Arctic foxes are the closest to dogs of all foxes and thus is not in the genus 'Vulpes' but instead in it's very own genus of 'Alopex'. If any of the red foxes (by this I mean the ones listed not Vulpes Vulpes) were to breed with a dog it would be the Arctic but that still is *not* possible._


Arctic foxs are NOT the closest fox species related to dogs (Look where they are on the family tree). Crab eating fox, sechuran fox, Clupeo fox, Pampas fox, Darwins fox, Hoary fox are the closest related to dogs and are the best candidate for hybridizing with dog.


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## Elina (Jul 22, 2009)

gazz said:


> Arctic foxs are NOT the closest fox species related to dogs (Look where they are on the family tree). Crab eating fox, sechuran fox, Clupeo fox, Pampas fox, Darwins fox, Hoary fox are the closest related to dogs and are the best candidate for hybridizing with dog.
> image


_



If any of the red foxes (by this I mean the ones listed not Vulpes Vulpes) were to breed with a dog it would be the Arctic but that still is *not* possible


Click to expand...



Sorry I meant of the 'true' foxes. (The foxes in red are classed as 'true' foxes). 
When a red and an Arctic have produced kits (this might I add would not happen without humans playing the major part in this. Sorry, silly me did not think we were including science experiments in this) a HUGE percentage die and they are not viable young so can we really count that when the initial question was about a dog and a fox mating of their own accord and producing giant foxes?

-
Elina
_


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Elina said:


> _Sorry I meant of the 'true' foxes. (The foxes in red are classed as 'true' foxes)._
> _When a red and an Arctic have produced kits (this might I add would not happen without humans playing the major part in this. Sorry, silly me did not think we were including science experiments in this) a HUGE percentage die and they are not viable young so can we really count that when the initial question was about a dog and a fox mating of their own accord and producing giant foxes?_
> _Elina_


Hi, I wasn't saying that hybrids of any type would happen on a natural leval, Ofcourse Red fox and dog i've said can't mate on any leval. Wheather Arctic fox and Red fox would mate off there own back is another question. But hybrid offspring are hybrid offspring, Sadly the Arctic/Red hybrids are most liky coats now as the stock used was from fur farm, But it was noted that the Arctic/Red hybrid offspring was bigger than both there pure parents, I was just saying that not all that are call fox's in the Canine family would be fruitless if bred to a dog, And these fox's that are more related to the domestic dog family than the "TRUE" fox's could very well result in offspring if bred together.


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## kellystewart (May 11, 2010)

whatever happened to the pic??


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## colinbradbury (Nov 16, 2008)

i must agree it is feasibly possible for foxes and dogs to cross breed , in all cases the offspring would e sterile and it would not generally happen in nature , it would require raising one animal with the other species so that it thought it was the species that you wanted it to breed with . also it can be achieved with humans doing it in a lab .

the chromosomes don't matter , they will still cross breed but be infertile , sometimes just in one sex sometimes in both , some cross breeding of similar species who share the same natural area will result in a fatal defect in the offspring , natures way of stopping it from happening .

so can it be done - yes it can

should it be done - no it is un-natural and just leads to the loss of certain species over a period of time. no one can truly predict all the needs for a created animal only guess from the parent species .


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## kirstie rose (Mar 8, 2009)

Yeah come on evil eye...wheres the pic???? :lol2:


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## shadow05 (Nov 4, 2010)

kellystewart said:


> whatever happened to the pic??


lol i was thinking that too when i saw there was a new post on here i got hopefull but i dont think its real now at all.


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## daz666 (Apr 17, 2008)

shadow05 said:


> lol i was thinking that too when i saw there was a new post on here i got hopefull but i dont think its real now at all.


dont know i seen a fox the other day an was bigger than a horse :lol2:


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Maybe the giant fox has EATEN evileye!!!! :lol2:


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## Tomcat (Jul 29, 2007)

LMAO Colin... But on a serious note, ive seen the giant fox too..

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31YAmRrxlKL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

See, and i haz a picture as PROOF!


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Tomcat said:


> LMAO Colin... But on a serious note, ive seen the giant fox too..
> 
> http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31YAmRrxlKL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
> 
> See, and i haz a picture as PROOF!


Ooo, very foxy! :mf_dribble:

:lol2:


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## Tomcat (Jul 29, 2007)

Zoo-Man said:


> Ooo, very foxy! :mf_dribble:
> 
> :lol2:



That, mr zoo man, i shall use as evidence in the PM sent  Yes! I blame you! Mawhaha


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Zoo-Man said:


> Maybe the giant fox has EATEN evileye!!!! :lol2:


 
Maybe you are right Super Gran fights off giant fox with shovel


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## Tomcat (Jul 29, 2007)

Lmao Shell! Hmm i have very interesting thoughts in my head now due to that article haha


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Tomcat said:


> Lmao Shell! Hmm i have very interesting thoughts in my head now due to that article haha


 
Its just a bit OTT isnt it:lol2:


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Shell195 said:


> Its just a bit OTT isnt it:lol2:


Especially the bit about a dog getting savaged by the fox!


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## Tomcat (Jul 29, 2007)

Yeah, it is just abit OTT Shell! All i can imagine is an old lady chasing a fox round with a spade! And when i say old, i dont mean 68 old, for some reason i am picturing a really ancient kinda old haha


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## evileye (Nov 3, 2009)

You know how it is.... whenever i come to the park with a camera - normal fox turns up.
whenever i forget the camera, the huge one turns up. AGGGGHHHH!!!

and now the dog has chewed up the USB cable, so even if i get the pic, i cant put it on the computor.....i got a new one. it was found in the dog's bed.AGH!!!

o'm bringing my phone out this evening - i might see him/her then, but the pic wont be particularly good.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Shell195 said:


> Its just a bit OTT isnt it:lol2:


Just a tad! After all it's a wild animal and if it's hungry and has caught a rabbit, albeit a domestic one, it's going to try and keep people away and the only means it has is to be threatening and of course it would come back for the rabbit after having killed it.

It does kind of clarify my standpoint about foxes not killing for fun and that when they kill a coopful of chickens they will come back for the rest and cache them for leaner times. It's just that by then the owner has usually been alerted and sees a load of dead chickens and no sign of a fox and decides that it killed them all needlessly - so very far from the truth.


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## bobby (Sep 26, 2006)

A pretty big fox actually approached me and Rebel a few weeks back.....it approached with aggression.....never seen anything like it...

It wasn't up to my waist but it was a hell of a lot bigger than a cat...folk have been talking about it here too.....very much a fox, just a big one....


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

One of our neighbours told us he saw a fox in our estate the other night - never seen a fox here before! :2thumb:


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## sammy1969 (Jul 21, 2007)

I know here we have large foxes which are not urban but rural and really well fed as we do tend to supplement their food in winter, admittedly they are not to my waist but they are larger than any of my cats but also quite friendly, the vixen brings her cubs every spring to be inspected from a distance by us which is really sweet, mind you she is now getting old but we helped her when she hurt her leg a few years ago and so she comes to us to let us know she is still ok. I dont think we will see cubs wiht her next spring as she must be around 5 or 6 now.


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## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

not much to do with this but the other day there was a fox walking up to me up town and it was full of people in broad daylight in a very busy area


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Urban foxes are very bold compared to rural ones - they've learned to live alongside us humans and just aren't so scared.


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