General Information

One of only two types of foxes in Kentucky, the Gray Fox is the smaller cousin of the Red Fox. Both are very common throughout the state and the Americas. They can often be found living in thickets of brush, fallen logs, culverts, and more in the wild. They’ve also been increasingly spotted in more urban environments as a result of habitat loss and predation from wild dogs and coyotes.

Gray foxes themselves are omnivorous and therefore eat a wide variety of things. Common foods eaten by them include fruits, small rodents, carrion, and more. When hunting, their strategy often relies on a stalk and pounce method much like a cat. Also like a cat, gray foxes have excellent night vision and are nocturnal. You will very rarely if ever see them out during the day.

Gray fox breeding season begins in January or February and goes all the way to March. This is a common trend among canines with both red fox and coyote breeding seasons taking place around the same time frame. Gestation lasts on average 53 days with a possibility of 1-7 kits being born.

Gray Fox Description

As was mentioned up above, the gray fox is a close relative of the red fox. As such they look very similar with a few key features to distinguish the two. Some of these include the red fox being considerably larger and more “dog-sized” and of course the two having obviously different coat colors. Some grays can tend to be more brown or red however, so another thing to look for would be black tipped (gray) vs. white tipped (red) tails.

Other than that, the two species are remarkably similar to not share the same genus. Both have light, stalky gaits and long, wide ears for their sizes in order to hear the smallest of noises. Excellent senses of vision and smell that are vital for predators are also found in both species.

Interesting Facts

• Unlike most other canines (except for raccoon dogs) gray foxes can climb trees! This makes it incredibly easy for them to hunt in high foliage and escape predators.

• Gray foxes are the only canines with retractable claws like cats! This prevents a lot of wear and tear and keeps them sharper for longer.

• The gray fox’s species name, cinereoargenteus, roughly translates to “ashen silver”. This is of course a play on their species’ unique coat color.

• Gray foxes (like many other foxes) are monogamous meaning that they will choose only one partner for life.

Gray Fox Inspection

While gray foxes may look cute and cuddly, it’s very important to remember that they are still wild animals. If approached in an aggressive manner or cornered, they may attack so always keep your distance and let the pros at S-Tier inspect for signs of them. Much of what we see as far as damage from red foxes is digging under structures or livestock death (namely chickens).

Gray Fox Removal

Much like other, similar animals (coyotes, red foxes, etc.) we will opt for habitat modification first before going to trapping and removal. This can include picking up scrap food, decreasing the amount of brush/ clutter on a property, or opting to put in preventions for future invasions (example – installing a dig barrier).

However, if a gray fox presents an immediate concern or danger to you, your property, people, or pets we can begin work on removing them right away.

While gray foxes are beneficial in their natural environment, in more urban areas they can present serious problems for us humans and domesticated animals. So, whether you’re unsure what’s been killing your chickens at night or digging under your shed or deck, S-Tier is here to help! Call us today at 859-492-6284 or email us at S-TierWildlifeControl@outlook.com. Also feel free to reach out with any and all questions concerning these animals, our services, our procedures, or otherwise.