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REPRODUCTION | |
| DESCRIPTION RANGE AND DISTRIBUTION REPRODUCTION HABITAT DIET
Page created by Michael Jaramillo |
Females have one estrous cycle per year and contain eight milk-producing glands. Breeding times vary in different parts of their range, but generally take place from December to March, earlier in the south and later in the north (Chapman and Feldhamer). Estrus lasts 1 to 6 days and females may breed at 10 months of age (Chapman and Feldhamer). However, not all females breed their first year. Most young males are capable of breeding their first year. Newly born pups remain at the den for the first month of their life. After this the parents may move the pups 3 times before they are 6 weeks old and many times they end up splitting their litter into 2 different dens (Chapman and Feldhamer). By mid September or early October they begin to leave their parents, males often leave before female pups (Chapman and Feldhamer). The red fox may use the same den for many generations. They sometimes dig their own den but more often than not they use the den of a previous owner. There are many factors that influence den selection, the most important one being the type of cover, human disturbance, water, and the length of use (Chapman and Feldhamer). |