Fox tails 'n tales
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
United States
October 10, 2023 10:59am CST
I'd seen this handsome fella out by the big barn fer near a month off/on. He'd watched quietly perched'n the fender 'f one 'f the horse trailers. I confess to bein' quite giddy o'er the prospect 'f him havin' a family so close by that I could watch youngsters grow.
Grow they did 'n soon moved residence, 's foxes do. Ne'er would'a guess they'd dig out a hole(er, holes) 'nder my house. This brought some challenges...
Folks were horrified I not 'nly 'llowed their presence, but 'mbraced 't. Horror stories 'f 'em eatin' the feral cats made me a tad concerned. No need, they walked passed 'em like they didn't 'xist. E'en the kittens came to no harm.
Momma fox 'twas shy, leery 'n quite petite. Poppa fox 'twas very protective 'f his family. I could'a ran 'em off I reckon, but chose to let 'em be. Selfish reasons, 'f course.
Watchin' the kits go from wobbly tiny creatures followin' the 'dults to teenagers 'twas most fascinatin'. My 'nxiety level high 's they learnt to climb trees. Quite oft which required a tumble 'r 2 fer their descendin'.
Yup, I missed 'em when they moved to other parts....
11 people like this
11 responses
@rebelann (112872)
• El Paso, Texas
10 Oct 23
The Great Spirit loves you for that.
I think I'm the only one in my community that didn't put plastic tarp with gravel on top on my property, weeds are whats keeping bees, wasps, a toad and ground squirrel fed here. I wish I had a fox living here but it would starve.
5 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (106226)
• Marion, Ohio
10 Oct 23
It would eat mice and your ground squirrels.
5 people like this
@rebelann (112872)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Oct 23
True but considering how much poison these idjits use around here the poor thing'd probly die cauze of that @wolfgirl569
4 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
ya might've one 'round yer place'n not e'en know. they're purty nocturnal 'nless their learnin' those kits. i drive the folks out here a bit o'er the edge i'm certain. my grasses 're tall, e'en when cut i leave 't 4". worked hard since 2021 to tame the massive weeds 'n such's been quite successful. i've patches 'f blue 'n black grama that i'm waitin' to trim when the seed heads mature. giant bluestem 'tis growin' quite 'bundantly where once 'nly weeds thrived. a pre-curser fer the native grasses return. 'lso leave the wildflowers fer the bees 'n other critters.
've lots 'f horned toads 's ant beds 've 'come quite prevalent. 'nother sore spot fer my family 'n the folks out here. jest doin' my best to give critters a safe haven.
2 people like this
@much2say (55601)
• Los Angeles, California
11 Oct 23
Handsome indeed 
, wow! I know nothing about what foxes, horrors and holes, but I'd probably think it'd be neat to let the family be . . . especially if they weren't doing anyone any harm. Do they tend to come back to their old "nesting" places?
, wow! I know nothing about what foxes, horrors and holes, but I'd probably think it'd be neat to let the family be . . . especially if they weren't doing anyone any harm. Do they tend to come back to their old "nesting" places?3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
he 'twas a beauty. i learnt lots whilst they hung their paws here. what diff'rent calls, barks 'n other communications they used. quite fascinatin' to witness 1st hand. they did some damage to the skirtin' 'round my home, but such 'twas a mess to start with. which reminds me, i still need to fill the hole they dug 'nder the wall from the big barn to the shop...
no ma'am, they rarely return to the same. mostly take o'er someone elses den - rabbits, skunks, etc. when their 'bode gets dirty, they move to 'nother. lots 'f lil fox poop next to my compost pile 'n front flower beds, lol. i jest covered such with compost, will let nature do its thingy.
1 person likes this
@kareng (59107)
• United States
11 Oct 23
@crazyhorseladycx A gift indeed! And their instinct told them that they could trust you!!
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
@kareng purty certain there'd be one'f those neon signs that 'nly critters can see which tells 'em if'n they need shelter 'n water, this'd be the place. 
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
@just4him some folks out here've fashioned 'em shootin' ranges 'f sorts. but when ya jest here one 'r two shots....my heart jest sinks.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317041)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
13 Oct 23
@crazyhorseladycx I know it does.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
'twas a great gift! wish i could'a gotten a better pic 'f him. out'n the 'wild' 't dusk 'twas not great pic takin'. didn't wish to use a flash 'n startle him.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
@JudyEv most kind 'f ya, ms. judy. i take such from a fellow pic snapper quite humblin'. he'd been layin' down, watchful eye'n the kits playin'. 'twas good fortune i'd my 'real' camera 't hand. gotta love zoom features, lol.
we'd sorta'n 'greement? they learnt my schedule 'f feedin' time (horses) quick. 'twas the groomin', weedin', fence patchin' that'd catch'em off guard. he'd a shrill bark fer the youngsters when he'd since i 'twas near. sent 'em scurryin' 'nderneath the house. learnt lots 'f their language, what e'ery lil sound they made meant to the others. i'll treasure that 'lways, this glimpse 'nto their lives.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Oct 23
@crazyhorseladycx It's still a great photo. He has posed very nicely for you and is watching you closely but without seeming too worried. You couldn't have positioned his legs better if you'd tried.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
they swiped quite a few chickens roamin' 'bout, but don't tell, k? those folks need to build better coops 'nstead 'f their chickens runnin' 'mok. miss 'em dearly, worry 'bout 'em 'n their fate. many folks out here shoot 'em, jest cause they 'xist. no care fer nature'n ecosystems.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
12 Oct 23
@nela13 yes ma'am, most 'nhumane. sadly they aint protected, not much 'tis'n these parts.
1 person likes this
@nela13 (58667)
• Portugal
11 Oct 23
@crazyhorseladycx it is awful what some people do to animals, those poor creatures need to be protected.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (106226)
• Marion, Ohio
10 Oct 23
That's a great picture. They usually don't bother cats but if hungry will sometimes grab kittens. I had a female here for a few years that didn't even come nosing around my chicken coop. I had a trail camera pointed at it to make sure.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (106226)
• Marion, Ohio
11 Oct 23
@crazyhorseladycx Start saving and watching for a sale. I found the best price at Amazon. These I can check with my phone. I just had to get in a certain range of it for the signal to reach. All but one I could check from in the house
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
@wolfgirl569 hard to save 'round here. too much schtuff gone 'wry. perhaps santa'll send me one? my phone 'tis not 'llowed such wizardry.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
i wish i'd the funds to get one 'f those. kept debatin', 'til 'twas too late coz they moved'n. they walked right past the cats'n wee kittens with no malice. did've a curious kitten startle on 'f the kits when 't snuck out 'lone to fetch a drink. quite hilarious 'n sad 't the same time.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (79833)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
11 Oct 23
That is one handsome looking fox, Their little ones must be so cute,
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
12 Oct 23
he 'twas magnificent! they were 'dorable 'n full 'f spunk when out. 'f course they ran 'n played 'nder the house 't night which took a bit to get used to, lol.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
19 Oct 23
he 'twas not's happy's i fer the 'ntrusion, lol. i found he 'twas not fond 'f bein' squirted with water. whilst not my choice 's i prefer to let 'em be, i'd the need fer that water spigot! ya know coz horses 've gotta drink.
thanks!
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
i'm sure there 'round here somewhere, they mostly hunt'n venture out't night. they felt safe here, so's the youngsters got to play'n learn durin' the day. most oft early morn, late eve. when one comes to the aid 'f wild'uns, shows 'em kindness 'n sets 'em free, such quite oft 'ccurs.
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
11 Oct 23
a great treat fer me, i tried to respect their space 'n most oft they did'n kind. missed ya, too, ms. ruby. been a bit rough 'round here. got off the net 'n tried to 'bsorb 't all. still not there, but workin' 't through.
finer'n frog hair 'n hope the same fer ya. 
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
12 Oct 23
@RubyHawk one day 't a time. lots 's happened since i went dark'n the net. 'd to get my head wrapped 'round 't all.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99405)
• Atlanta, Georgia
12 Oct 23
@crazyhorseladycx I’m doing ok, not the best but okay. I hope you are too.i think you left about the time I cane back.Ive wondered what happened.
1 person likes this
