This cub has been visiting our pond to drink for a few days now. This image was taken today at around 8:30pm, through a double glazed french window. We saw the vixen a few times earlier in the year, but we've only seen this one cub recently. I had just put out some brazil nuts, an egg, and some bread with honey on it. It ignored the nuts (which were all very rapidly scoffed by the local crow), didn't know what to do with the egg, and licked the honey. It stashed the biggest bit of bread under the hedge, then fell asleep at the end of the garden on grass cuttings.
Nikon D50, Nikkor 500mm f/4 P at f/4, 1/100 sec, ISO 1600, Manfrotto 055 and 393. Cropped a little from the left, cloned out the egg, and done some noise reduction on the background.
I have compared this photo and one taken two nights ago, and the ears were just drooping at the tips then. It has also picked up a eye infection in this period. I'll put out some dog food tomorrow.
the posture showing this "tucked up" stance suggests it've very hungry. if you are going to feed it, do it little and often as eating too much will cause it damage also.
maybe the vixen is now dead? i think it looks like it has grass seed in its eye.
poor little guy. try feeding it some milk.
it might die anyway as it may not have had the nutrients from its mother to support its early immune system. also, should we interfere in the natural course of things. darwinism and all that? a difficult call.
Very nice NH image and shows just what nature is really about and I think it's a good thing to help out our garden visitors. Sad little fox and is probably suffering a heavy parasite burden and could do with some relief. You might like to chat with your local vet or contact the 'Fox Project' who will be able to advise on the best approach. Try and keep away from using milk products as, although animals lap it up, they are fairly intolerant and this results in gastric upset. Simple dog or cat food is fine as the tins contain about 70-80% moisture so the fox will get lots of fluids, however nutritionally they are quite poor. A young animal needs lots of fats and protein and therefore some puppy food would be the best option..
Good luck in whatever you decide to do and thanks for sharing with us all.
Thanks for all the comments and interest in the cub. At 5 am the morning after this photo, I saw another cub- a much more healthy one, and then an adult with the first cub, then all three together.
I have been putting out puppy food on the two evenings since this photo, and will continue. The first night they didn't visit until after dark, or early morning, but all the food was gone. Last night I saw this hungry cub visit at around 8pm, and it ate 2/3 of a can, and by morning the rest was gone. I was reassured by seeing this cub eat the food that it was not being eaten by the adult or sibling.
The white stuff in the cub's eye in this photo is a gooey substance, not a tick. I was happy to see this had completely gone by last night, and his ears were a bit more perky (about the same as when I first saw him). I hadn't noticed the "tucked up" stance, but now I can see it clearly in the photos- I shall look for improvement in this.
Discussion
9 repliesNikon D50, Nikkor 500mm f/4 P at f/4, 1/100 sec, ISO 1600, Manfrotto 055 and 393. Cropped a little from the left, cloned out the egg, and done some noise reduction on the background.
Dave
I have compared this photo and one taken two nights ago, and the ears were just drooping at the tips then. It has also picked up a eye infection in this period. I'll put out some dog food tomorrow.
Ben
You've certainly captured a sad, sad fox! Nice composition though!
Poor looking fox.
Regards
Alan
Nice shot Ben , we don't have many foxes in my neck of the woods
Andy...
the posture showing this "tucked up" stance suggests it've very hungry. if you are going to feed it, do it little and often as eating too much will cause it damage also.
maybe the vixen is now dead? i think it looks like it has grass seed in its eye.
poor little guy. try feeding it some milk.
it might die anyway as it may not have had the nutrients from its mother to support its early immune system. also, should we interfere in the natural course of things. darwinism and all that? a difficult call.
Very nice NH image and shows just what nature is really about and I think it's a good thing to help out our garden visitors. Sad little fox and is probably suffering a heavy parasite burden and could do with some relief. You might like to chat with your local vet or contact the 'Fox Project' who will be able to advise on the best approach. Try and keep away from using milk products as, although animals lap it up, they are fairly intolerant and this results in gastric upset. Simple dog or cat food is fine as the tins contain about 70-80% moisture so the fox will get lots of fluids, however nutritionally they are quite poor. A young animal needs lots of fats and protein and therefore some puppy food would be the best option..
Good luck in whatever you decide to do and thanks for sharing with us all.
Brett
I have been putting out puppy food on the two evenings since this photo, and will continue. The first night they didn't visit until after dark, or early morning, but all the food was gone. Last night I saw this hungry cub visit at around 8pm, and it ate 2/3 of a can, and by morning the rest was gone. I was reassured by seeing this cub eat the food that it was not being eaten by the adult or sibling.
The white stuff in the cub's eye in this photo is a gooey substance, not a tick. I was happy to see this had completely gone by last night, and his ears were a bit more perky (about the same as when I first saw him). I hadn't noticed the "tucked up" stance, but now I can see it clearly in the photos- I shall look for improvement in this.