Rabid animals

[Daren Todd]

Encountered this little guy yesterday just after leaving a rock quarry.

Came around a corner and this fox was just sitting in the road

This immediately set off the alarm bells. Never seen a fox just "hang" out somewhere.

Pulled up to it in an F550 service truck pulling a 10,000lb piece of equipment. So you can imagine the noise i was making coming down a rough road.

Rolled down the window far enough to snap the photo. Fox is roughly 15ft from me. I then honked the horn. It di nothing. Just sat there looking dazed.

I then yelled "hey!!!". Darn thing stood up, kind of faced away from me and started doing this weird thing with it's mouth, and spewing spittle. Thankfully it wasn't facing me, at this point. But the window went right back up fast.

I then pulled down the road about 50 or so feet past it, and called 911 to report it. Watched it in the mirrors while talking to the operator. Thing was wobbling back and forth while trying to walk, and still acting extremely strange.

Operator was able to get a pretty exact location from my GPS on the cell phone so she could notify game and fish about the location.

I did call my customer and let them know about the encounter so they could warn their employees to keep an eye out for it.

 

[aaluck]

Yeah. That's very strange behavior for a fox. Probably should have done it a favor and shot it.

 

[Daren Todd]

Yeah. That's very strange behavior for a fox.

My first thought was someone domesticated it. But then after seeing the other strange behavior, I changed my mind and reported it.

 

[SAR Tracker]

Could've been poisoned also.....

 

[85Hokie]

My first thought was someone domesticated it. But then after seeing the other strange behavior, I changed my mind and reported it.

Cute little guy - but like you, getting a bite from that would ruin your day.......... shyt ...maybe the year!!!!

great picture!

 

[bearbait]

I'm no expert but I'd say that fox is domesticated. Beautiful coat on it which is not normal for a rabid animal in my experience. My guess is that the neighbourhood has been keeping that critter well fed whether it be hand outs or their smaller pets, say cats rabbits unless you live in a farming area. Usually when they get rabid they get the mange and their coats look real bad. A few years back, well 5 maybe 10, forgive me I'm getting old and everything seems like yesterday we had a fox (Louis) that would show up for the morning feeding along with all the other critters in the hood. Long story short, he/she became too friendly and we began to worry about our dogs being left out on their runs so a few mornings I went out with the 12 pump and cracked off 3 or 4 shots in the air and haven't seen him/her since. A bobcat wasn't so lucky. Started showing up even in the middle of the afternoon and had a living on the street look to it so out came the 30:06 as it was a little to far out of range for the 12 and as much as I hated to the dirty deed was done. Have to say one more time that is one beautiful animal.

 

[hagrid]

Unfortunate for such a lovely animal.

 

[Freeheeler]

Could have a concussion from a prior encounter with a vehicle. I agree that it does look well taken care of.

 

[bearbait]

Hopefully it won't become a nuisance animal and natural resources won't have to dispatch it. Take away the handouts and it will learn to fend for itself. Wife and I will be leaving our dream after 18 years in a couple weeks where we've been guilty of feeding wildlife. The new area that we are moving to is loaded with deer and I refuse to turn them into pets. Really not sure how the critters that I feed every morning here in the back forty will fare out when we leave. This has really made us realize that we have been doing them no favours in the long term and people really should listen to their local DNR when told not to feed wildlife. Listen to the educated and say no to your heart.

 

[Tughill Tom]

I've put down a couple of racoons around here but they didn't look like that little critter. The ones i shot were walking in circles, drooling and all matted coats.
I did call the DEC and they said we'll get someone right out there, after 3 hours i took care of the poor thing. It's good to have a backhoe some days.

 

[Fordtech86]

Take away the handouts and it will learn to fend for itself.

Wonder if this works for humans too

 

[Daren Todd]

I've put down a couple of racoons around here but they didn't look like that little critter. The ones i shot were walking in circles, drooling and all matted coats.
I did call the DEC and they said we'll get someone right out there, after 3 hours i took care of the poor thing. It's good to have a backhoe some days.

Well this one was giving out spittle and walking in circles. My first thought was domesticated. Then once it started doing the weird thing with it's mouth, the spittle flying out, and the walking in circles like it was confused as the dickens, is when I got concerned.

 

[DevilDog]

Well this one was giving out spittle and walking in circles. My first thought was domesticated. Then once it started doing the weird thing with it's mouth, the spittle flying out, and the walking in circles like it was confused as the dickens, is when I got concerned.

Wow what a beautiful looking animal that is1 I've seen a few raccoons that had rabies but am no expert, that does not look anything like what I saw. Another poster said something about poison, maybe that is the case, too bad as the beauty it gives us.

DevilDog

 

[Daren Todd]

Cute little guy - but like you, getting a bite from that would ruin your day.......... shyt ...maybe the year!!!!

great picture!

Yeah, I didn't really want to have to get them shots

 

[Daren Todd]

Hopefully it won't become a nuisance animal and natural resources won't have to dispatch it. Take away the handouts and it will learn to fend for itself. Wife and I will be leaving our dream after 18 years in a couple weeks where we've been guilty of feeding wildlife. The new area that we are moving to is loaded with deer and I refuse to turn them into pets. Really not sure how the critters that I feed every morning here in the back forty will fare out when we leave. This has really made us realize that we have been doing them no favours in the long term and people really should listen to their local DNR when told not to feed wildlife. Listen to the educated and say no to your heart.

Little old lady managed to domesticate a flock of wild turkeys near our old house. Darn turkeys would follow you around like a dog. How we found out about it, was when one came up onto our neighbors back porch and started pecking at his sliding glass window.

First thing he said when he called me to get us to come over to check it out was " I swear to you I haven't been drinking!!!!" Followed by "your not gonna believe this shi......!!!"

 

[bearbait]

Wonder if this works for humans too

Not if their in laws.

 

[ctfjr]

That is a fine looking animal. Two years ago one of our local foxes appeared to have mange. Diagnosed by Dr CTFJR (I didn't go to Vet school but I must have stayed at a Holiday Inn sometime). I got some Ivermectin and left food for him that was laced with it. In several weeks he looked a lot better - wasn't scratching gnawing at himself. Mange is a tough way for them to die.

From this morning
Fox

 

[bearbait]

Little old lady managed to domesticate a flock of wild turkeys near our old house. Darn turkeys would follow you around like a dog. How we found out about it, was when one came up onto our neighbors back porch and started pecking at his sliding glass window.

First thing he said when he called me to get us to come over to check it out was " I swear to you I haven't been drinking!!!!" Followed by "your not gonna believe this shi......!!!"

When I go out at day break I whistle twice and caw a couple times bluejays come soaring in and crows fly up from the shore line or across the lake which and call them all blackie and a couple ravins that I call big boy and big girl, anyway when I ask them if they are hungry they ( the crows and ravins) start pecking at the branches on the old rotten tree but none of them will come down to get their food till I turn my back to them, seems to be some sort of respect. Damn I love wild life.

 

[bearbait]

That is a fine looking animal. Two years ago one of our local foxes appeared to have mange. Diagnosed by Dr CTFJR (I didn't go to Vet school but I must have stayed at a Holiday Inn sometime). I got some Ivermectin and left food for him that was laced with it. In several weeks he looked a lot better - wasn't scratching gnawing at himself. Mange is a tough way for them to die.

From this morning
Fox

Beautiful animal!!!

 

[aaluck]

I'm not a vet but the fact it is SITTING in the road with a blank 1000 yard stare going on with a truck and human 10 feet away doesn't scream domestic to me. Screams problem of some sort.