by Tammy L Mahan

Created on: August 04, 2009

The Silver fox (urocyon cinereoargenteus) is actually grey in color not silver as the animals name implies. The fox family is made up of 37 species the silver fox is one of the smallest and can be found as a pet, after 50 years of patients scientists were able to domesticate a good number of silver foxes.

Physical appearance

The silver fox is one of the smallest foxes weighing only 9 to 11 pounds and measuring only 3 feet long from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. The fox has grey and black fur with red fur on its neck, legs, underbelly and feet. The fox's tail is busy with black stripes. The silver fox and red fox are very similar looking in appearance with exception of the partial grey coloring on their body.

Natural habitat

The silver fox is known as a traveler, making its home in wooded areas along its traveling path that can reach up to 800 acres. The fox is native to Canada and the northern part of the United States. They tend to inhabit areas near farmland, where the food source is abundant. The silver fox is nocturnal although it is not uncommon to see one during the daytime. They do the majority of their hunting at dawn and dusk.

They are naturally skilled climbers and can be found sleeping or resting in the tops of trees during the warm summer months. Their small size allows them to jump from branch to branch without much trouble.

Diet

The silver fox enjoys a wide selection of food and is considered an opportunistic eater. They eat insects, small rodents, small birds, acorns, grains, wild berries, apples, and whatever they can steal out of the bins on the farms. The silver fox does not pose a threat to any livestock, most often the fox becomes an unplanned meal for the farmer's carnivorous livestock. The foxes are also killed by the farmer's dog(s) while searching for food.

Mating

The mating season for the silver foxes is February through late March. After mating has taken place the male and female build a den in bushy areas of the woodlands, in large hollowed out trees and occasional they will build the den in a previously used burrow.

They cover the den entrance with brush, or bark and the inside is lined with leaves and grass.

The female remains in the den during the pregnancy and until the pups are a few weeks old. The male will bring her food during this time and will stay with her and the pups until the fall season.

Reproduction

The female will give birth to 2 to 4 pups after a gestation period of 35 to 40 days. The pups are born fur-less, blind and weigh only 12-13 ounces. Within 2 weeks their eyes are open and their fur has begun to grow.

The silver fox devolves at a rapid rate by 12 weeks of age they leave the den with their mom and she starts teaching them how to hunt. By 16 weeks of age they are able to hunt for themselves. The pups stay with their parents until the fall and then set out on their own.

The age life span of the silver fox in the wild is only six years. The silver fox fails victim to hunters and cars on a regular basis. They also succumb to a large amount of predators including; dogs, coyotes, bobcats, and diseases from parasites.

Resources

http://www.wisconsinhunter.com/Pages/grayfox.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox

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