Fox Pictures (next to the coop)

[CMV]

You might want to notify Fish and Game that you have a sick animal in your area. They might come out and deal with it. Mange is a nasty way for an animal to go. They suffer terribly. I wouldn't wish it on any animal.

 

[Biddieacres]

I dont have a gun. My son was upset about loosing our hen the other day so he ran in and got his nerf gun. Poor kid. I think DH will know what to do.

 

[Biddieacres]

Quote:
I am in MA. Sort of near you. Good idea.

 

[Hoosiermomma]

No offense, but how can you tell it has mange? From the quality of the pictures (sorry) you can't hardly tell anything definate other than it is a fox. Just because it goes after food and is somewhat near children doesn't indicate mange or sickness. We have plenty of fox near where we live and neither do they have mange nor are they sick. It's just like coyotes more and more are getting fearless of humans due to areas being built up and them having to relocate their homes and familiar surroundings.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for putting an animal out of it's misery if indeed it is suffering. I would call animal control or the gaming commission to see if either could help out.

 

[Biddieacres]

It is hard to tell from my picture but in real life I can see that the tail is missing 90% of the fur and the rump is almost bald. It also looks sort of grey compared to foxes I have seen. The red fox who used to live near me was redder and a bushier tail. That is why I posted the pictures because I thought with that slim tail maybe it is some sort of wild dog.

This is interesting....I searched for "fox with Mange" and this image came up. It is interesting that "My fox" has fur missing in the same places.

 

[maine chicks]

one of our dogs got mange a couple years ago-we were staying in a cottage where foxes had lived under the house. What a sad pup we had for about 4 months until the meds kickd in. He also had to be shaved-a bald shelty is not a pretty sight. Take care of the situation ASAP.

 

[Nostalchic]

I don't agree that, on the basis of the picture, this is a fox with some kind of disease. You've seen it better, but it does not have upright ears, it is short-haired (mange? it looks shiny to me) and it doesn't have a long tail. I think it is more likely a dog or a hybrid of some kind. I agree with the previous poster; contact your local wildlife rescue or humane society, and keep your chickens protected (and your children, of course, though they would have to cuddle up with it to get mange, if it even has that). It's eating your chickens, yeah! they're yummy, but thats just doin' what comes naturally. I love it that you took a picture and didn't immediately resort to the all-out assault.

 

[Biddieacres]

oh, that is sad. I dont like that it is lurking around my chickens. I dont want any mites giving them a problem.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Quote:
Nostalchic you are right, it does look shiny and it does kind of appear short haired but it's tail looks pretty long and it's ears look pretty upright to me although it's ears are not 100% errect, they kind of look like they are going off to the sides. it is weird. it has some foxy/sickly traits and some not so foxy/sickly and/or other traits so I am not really sure, maybe a fox or a coyote or maybe some kind of a dog or hybrid or something dogs can breed with coyotes but I don't know about foxes so maybe it's some kind of wild hybrid animal/dog or something but I am not sure and don't really know but that is my best estimate. But what really concerns me is that it is so bold, it makes me think it has rabies or is sick or something. I would either 1. call your local wildlife people or animal control or something and report a sick animal or 2. shoot it/kill it (or maybe trap it with a live trap or something) and have it tested (for rabies and/or whatever else it may have) or 3. do both. Maybe you could show them some pictures to better identify it and/or figure out what's wrong with it or something and also that way they know what they are looking for/dealing with. I hope you figure this out. good luck.

 

[CMV]

Mange mites cannot live on birds, but they can transfer to mammals... all mammals. That means you, your kids, dogs, cats... They are unable to reproduce on humans, but that doesn't stop them from making your life incredibly itchy for a few weeks.

I have a pig that is blind from an advanced case of mange mites. I got him as a charity case with the problem present. He was a pathetic looking creature- skin all nasty and calloused, eyes dripping pus, purple red skin, wouldn't move around except to shake his head constantly. Gads! What a mess! I cleaned him up and he looks ten times better. He is so much more comfortable, now. It was awful to see him before.