Foxes are carnivores that specialize in small prey, such as rodents.
Their diet depends on their environment and what’s available at the time of year.
For example, dependant on the season, they could also eat berries or other fruits found in a forest or field.
Foxes can be found throughout North America and Europe.
In the wild, foxes primarily eat rodents such as mice and voles.
They will also consume lizards, rabbits, insects (such as grasshoppers), birds, eggs, and other small animals including frogs and fish.
Foxes don’t need to drink much water if they get enough from the prey they eat.
This may be one reason that mice are a popular meal choice.
When raising their kits, foxes will hunt more frequently than they would in the wild because this food is for their babies.
The kits are born blind and deaf in dens underground or within an old tree hollow lined with moss and fur.
Here, the mother keeps her young safe until they become self-sufficient at 6 to 8 weeks old.
Factors Affecting What Foxes Eat
A fox’s diet can vary depending on where they live and what food is available.
For example, in the winter, foxes living in northern climates might eat squirrels while foxes who reside in southern climates might eat insects or other invertebrates.
Depending on the season, the main staple for their diet could be small rodents, such as mice, birds, or rabbits.
Foxes are able to find their prey by using their keen sense of hearing and they often hunt at night.
When food is scarce or if the fox is pregnant it will eat more than usual to build up additional fat stores.
This ensures that they have enough energy to live off of during pregnancy and when raising their young.
When food is less abundant, foxes may eat small rodents like rabbits but will also feed on birds (such as doves or pigeons), lizards, insects (grasshoppers), and other mammals including mice, voles, shrews, and moles.
Some foxes have even been reported to occasionally eat fruit and other vegetation, such as berries.
If these resources are readily available to them, they might also eat grass or leaves from time to time.
Check out our other animal FAQs here:
