Do Foxes Hibernate in the Winter?
Well prepared for all but the worst of winter, foxes don’t hibernate. In fact, low temperatures hardly change their routine. On colder days, foxes may spend some time lying in sunlit areas to warm up, but only severe storms will drive them to seek shelter.
How Do Foxes Spend the Winter?
Foxes develop a thick winter coat, so their cold-weather behavior isn’t much different from any other season. The animals devote most of the winter to hunting or foraging with no need for a den until the mating season begins. It’s not uncommon to find a fox sleeping in the open beneath a blanket of fresh snow.
Since foxes don’t hibernate, mating and raising offspring are common winter activities. They breed from January into the first weeks of March. Male and female foxes stay together to hunt and care for their kits until the newborns are about six weeks old.
Winter Scavengers
One drawback of an active winter is that food and prey are often scarce. The search for a meal may bring a hungry fox to residential lawns and yards.
Although foxes don’t hibernate, they can den under porches or burrow under homes during their breeding season. To prevent foxes from invading lawns, residents should contact Critter Control. These professionals have the tools for humane fox control.
Do you have foxes on your property? Critter Control Near You