There are several species of animals that are commonly known as foxes. Thus we have the members of the genera Lycalopex, Urocyon, Cerdocyon, and Otocyon. However, true foxes belong to the genus Vulpes, a term that means fox in Latin. Within these, 12 species are recognized, which, although they have characteristics that they share with other canids, differ particularly in their smaller sizes.
Foxes are widespread in a variety of ecosystems, some even present in urban areas. For this reason, at AnimalWised we want to present you with information specifically about what foxes eat, without a doubt, one of the most particular aspects of this group; so go ahead and read on.
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Type of diet of foxes
These canids, like the rest, are included in the order of carnivores, however, they do not follow a diet strictly of this type, as one might think. Due to the varied consumption of various food sources, foxes are truly omnivorous animals.
In this sense, foxes are truly opportunistic animals and, depending on the time of year, they can adapt to the available food. In this way, and in general, they include in their diet an important variety of small animals, which can be both vertebrates and invertebrates, in addition to:
Do foxes eat grass?
As we have mentioned, foxes have a varied diet and, in certain cases, the foods of plant origin that they consume include herbs. Such is the case of two species of types of foxes that do it in a particular way, such as:
But in general, foxes not only consume grasses but also choose various parts of different types of plants, depending on the availability of the habitat.
What do little foxes eat?
These are mammalian animals so, at birth, they depend on the female to breastfeed them. Although there may be some variation depending on the species, weaning of the puppies occurs around 12 weeks. Then, the male, who usually brings food to the female while she stays in the burrow, guarding the little ones, begins to share it with them.
Later, family outings from the den begin, and the parents begin to teach the young how to hunt so that they can then support themselves. In this way, the little foxes are started, in order:
- The first 12 weeks: only consuming breast milk.
- After weaning: from animal and plant remains brought by the father.
- When they come out of the burrow: they begin to hunt for their food.
What do adult foxes eat?
The diet of the fox, as we said, is omnivorous, that is, it includes animals and vegetables. However, depending on the species, a particular type may be favored, which to a greater extent has to do with availability, depending on the ecosystem and the time of year. In this way, let us know below what adult foxes preferentially eat, depending on the species :
In the case of the pale fox ( V. pallida ), it is dedicated to consuming:
The staple diet of the corsac type of fox ( V. corsac ) is based on feeding on the following foods.
Now, what does the Arctic fox ( V. lagopus ) eat? His diet is based on:
In the case of the Cape fox ( V. Chama ), it is dedicated to consuming:
The basic diet of the Tibetan type of fox ( V. Ferrata ) is based on feeding on the following foods.
What does the Blanford’s fox ( V. can a ) eat? His diet is based on foods such as:
In the case of the swift fox ( V. Velox ), it is dedicated to consuming:
Now, what does the Bengal fox ( V. bengalensis ) eat? His diet is based on:
What does the Rüppel’s fox ( V. rueppellii ) eat? His diet is based on foods such as:
The diet of the red fox ( V. vulpes ) consists of:
What does the fennec fox ( V. zerda ) eat? Your diet includes foods such as:
Finally, regarding the kit fox ( V. macrotis ), we find that it feeds on:
A curious aspect of foxes is that several species, such as the arctic fox, cape fox, and red fox, among others, have the habit of storing food when there is sufficient availability.
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In this way, they look for places where they hide food not only from other species but even, eventually, from members of their own family. They have the facility to move the stored food, and they come back for it in later days.
How foxes hunt
Foxes can exhibit different ways of hunting their prey. However, these canids have a peculiar way of hunting rodents, which consists of jumping and falling on the prey, so that it is immobilized.
To locate their prey they usually use their ears, which are sensitive to the slight sounds that these small mammals make when walking. This hunting technique used by foxes is learned from youth and it minimizes energy expenditure, as well as the confrontation with the other animal.
Those who live in areas where there are seasons with winters are grouped in packs to hunt cooperatively. Sometimes, a few grown-ups encompass the prey until they catch it. Also, it is common that when a pair of foxes hunt they share all the food they get. On the other hand, in species such as the Blanford fox, it is also common for it to hunt alone.
From an early age, these animals establish hierarchies to feed themselves, so that the most agile and strong management to take better advantage of the resources. But the competition between them is not very marked, since being animals so general in their way of feeding, they manage to take advantage of various resources as nutritional sources.
Originally published at https://bestpetslover.com on April 26, 2022.
