When in their solitary phase of living, most prefer to bed down in the open, under bushes, or among tree roots.  During inclement weather, they may nestle down in  an abandoned burrow.  When living as a family, the fox lives in a burrow called an earth.  These are often repurposed from other animals such as wolves, porcupines, or groundhogs.  If built by the fox, they are not overly complex.  They will have an entrance leading to a den, with perhaps some side tunnels.

The red fox can be found all across Europe, North America, Canada, North Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Red foxes are omnivores, but they seem to really like rodents and rabbits.  They will enjoy berries, grasses and tubers.  The will also eat birds, amphibians, and eggs.  In fact, they have been known to eat over 300 different kinds of animals. Their ability to find food, especially when it is most scarce, is one reason why red foxes have a reputation for being so smart.  In truth, it is often because of their excellent hearing that they eat so well.

The fox will mate in December/January and give birth about March. Males will mate multiple times over these months.  During mating, the pair may become “locked” together, much like other canines.  This is called a copulatory tie and resolves itself with time.  When not mating, the male and female will hunt and run together, searching for a proper den for their pups.

Following a successful mating the female prepares her den. The gestation period is roughly 52 days once mating occurs.  The vixen will give birth to 4-6 pups, although her litter could be as large as 12.  These little ones will be about 3.5 oz each.  The first few weeks of nursing, her Tod will supply all her food.  As the pups get older, she will supplement their diet with regurgitated food.  Eventually, she will bring them live prey to “play” with before eating.  Full weaning will occur between 6-12 weeks, and by 7 months they will leave their mother.

When food is plentiful, the red fox is not often a sought after meal.  However, they may be preyed upon by wolf, coyote, leopard, cougar, owl, snake, bear, and eagle.  Humans are also dangerous to the fox, but often for their coat instead of their meat.