There have been movies made about how fantastic the fox is and even a worldwide hit song pondering the question of what the fox actually says. With its big, bushy tail and amazing face markings, the fox is a beautiful animal.However, when you have a mysterious bushy-tailed fox hanging around your home, it can be a little disconcerting. You may be wondering what types of fox there are in your area and what you should do if you see a fox hanging out around your house.

What Are the Signs of a Fox?

There are 37 species of foxes, with the 2 most common being the red fox and the gray fox.

Foxes are naturally shy and reclusive animals. They are social within their species, especially during mating season when they mate and live as a family in a den to raise their young.

A fox may make screaming, yelping, barking, or yapping sounds. The fox may leave a distinctive odor, either a skunky or musky smell.

You may see a fox in your yard more often at dawn and dusk times, although it is not uncommon to see them at many different times of the day.

The red fox would be found most often at the woodland edges and along open fields, lawns, and meadows. The gray fox tends to migrate more toward brushy and forested areas. The red foxes may dig its own den, find refuge under your deck, or use an abandoned woodchuck burrow. The gray fox often likes to live in brush or wood piles, hollow trees, or rocky outcrop. A fox will often reuse the den from year to year.
Since flying squirrels are tenacious, and the only way to get rid of them is to seal off and block any future entry points, it is best to call for one of our professionals to assist you. While you are waiting for the technician to arrive, you can begin to identify the entry points into your residence, which are usually towards the eves of your home.

What Do I Do Now?

Now that you have properly identified the bushy-tailed occupant of your property, what do you do now? Before we get to what you can do, let’s address what you should not do:

• Do not try to trap a fox with a leg-hold or paw-hold trap; these traps are inhumane.
• If you try to use a large cage trap, make sure it is in the shade to prevent dehydration and death of the trapped fox.
• Do not ever try to poison a fox.
• If you are not completely comfortable and knowledgeable about humanely trapping a fox, please leave it to the experts.

At Critter Control of Gainesville, we have all of the expertise, experience, and equipment necessary to properly and humanely relocate the fox that has taken up residence on your property. Give us a call today to learn more.