Roxy’s Busy Day
By Kathy Kranking; photos by Chase Dekker/Minden PicturesHi! I’m Roxy. Want to spend the day with me? You’ll get to see what fun it is being a fox kit!
When you hear what kind of fox I am, you may be surprised. Ready? I’m a red fox! But as you can see, I’m not red. Not even a little bit. That’s because Washington red foxes like me come in other colors, too, such as gray, black, and brown. Sometimes we’re even a mix of those colors. But no matter what color we are, there’s one thing that always shows we are red foxes: our white tail tips!
I live in Washington State with my family: Mom, Dad, and my brothers and sisters. Keep reading to learn more about us and spend a day the foxy way!
Our Story
Red foxes like me didn’t always live in my part of Washington. A long time ago, people brought rabbits to live here so they could hunt them. But the rabbits multiplied like, well, rabbits, and soon the place was overrun with them. So then people brought in red foxes to catch and eat the rabbits. Rabbits are one of our favorite foods. We also eat other foods, such as voles, snakes, and large insects.
Play Time
Today, like every day, Mom and Dad are off hunting food for us. And when parents are away, little foxes play! Of course, we play when they’re around, too. Basically, if we’re not eating or sleeping, we’re playing. Playing helps us practice pouncing and other skills we’ll need when we start hunting for ourselves. Besides, it’s fun!
Our games don’t really have names. But if they did, some of our favorites would be called “Got Your Ear,” “Bite Your Face,” “Pull Your Tail,” and “Jump on Dad When He’s Not Looking”!
Eyes on the Prize
When Dad returns with a fat bunny for lunch, things get even crazier. We all race to grab the prize to keep for ourselves. Today, I get there first, and it’s mine! I run in circles as my brothers and sisters chase after me, but I’m not sharing. I take my tasty treat into the den to eat. Mom will be back soon with another rabbit for the others to fight over.
After all the playing and eating, I’m pretty tired. Time for a catnap. Er, make that a fox nap. And then I’ll be ready to play away the rest of the day!