If you’ve ever seen a fox scurrying across your lawn on a rainy day, you may have wondered – do foxes actually come out in the rain? As a curious wildlife observer, you probably want to know the details about fox behavior in inclement weather. Well, you’ve come to the right place!
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Foxes do come out in light to moderate rain showers, but typically avoid heavy downpours. Their thick, water-resistant coats allow them to tolerate some wet weather as they go about their daily activities.
Foxes Have Water-Resistant Fur Coats
Outer Guard Hairs Repel Moisture
Foxes have a thick, fluffy coat made up of two layers that help them stay dry in the rain or snow. The top layer consists of long, coarse “guard” hairs that are water-repellent. These guard hairs are coated with oils that cause water to bead up and run off the fur without penetrating to the skin underneath (source).
The texture and structure of the guard hairs also help repel moisture. They are straight, thick, and hollow which allows air to become trapped and create insulation.
In addition, foxes frequently groom themselves by licking and nibbling their fur. This helps distribute oils across the guard hairs to maintain their water-resistant properties. When it starts to rain, foxes will fluff up their fur which causes the hairs to become more tightly packed.
This makes it even harder for moisture to penetrate down to the skin. So from their fur structure to their grooming habits, foxes have adaptations that allow them to stay dry in wet weather.
Underfur Keeps Skin Dry
Underneath the longer guard hairs is a thick underfur layer. While the guard hairs repel external moisture, the underfur works to retain body heat and keep the skin dry. The underfur consists of short, fine, and very dense hairs that trap air close to the skin.
This creates an insulating barrier to retain the fox’s body heat.
Even if rain wetting the outer guard hairs, the thick underfur prevents it from reaching the skin. The trapped air helps absorb and evaporate any moisture that gets through the outer layer. And the fox’s skin gives off oils that waterproof the underfur to prevent internal moisture from wetting the fur.
So between body heat evaporating external moisture and their skin oils waterproofing internal moisture, a fox’s underfur keeps their skin nice and dry.
Foxes Need to Hunt Even in Wet Weather
Foxes can’t afford to curl up in their underground dens or other sheltered spots every time a little rain falls from the sky. As primarily carnivorous animals, foxes need to eat often to survive. A brief spring shower or summer drizzle won’t stop a hungry fox from venturing out to hunt for its next meal.
Can’t Afford to Stay in Dens During Short Rain Showers
Foxes have high metabolisms and can’t go more than a day or two without eating before they become weak from hunger. Their digestive systems are adapted for frequent small meals, not infrequent large feasts.
So while heavy downpours may keep foxes sheltered a bit longer, light rain showers of an hour or less won’t typically deter them.
Rain Makes Scenting Prey More Difficult
A fox’s exceptional sense of smell is key for finding prey in tall grasses, bushes, and other ground cover. But rain can interfere with their ability to detect critters by scent. So foxes may have to rely more on their hearing to listen for small animal sounds on rainy days.
Their excellent night vision helps them spot motion during gloomy weather too.
Foxes Seek Shelter in Heavy Rain
Risk of Hypothermia
When heavy rains pour down, foxes face the risk of getting soaked to the skin, which can lead to hypothermia. Their fur coats provide great insulation, but when they get drenched, that insulation is compromised.
Prolonged exposure to cold, wet conditions can be dangerous and even life-threatening for foxes. Seeking shelter quickly during downpours is crucial for their survival.
According to wildlife experts, foxes are quite vulnerable to hypothermia. Their core body temperature is normally around 101-102°F. If their body temperature drops below 95°F, they are in danger of developing hypothermia.
The consequences can range from lethargy and confusion to heart and respiratory system failure. Thankfully, foxes instinctively know to get out of the rain as soon as possible.
Burrows and Hollow Logs Provide Escape from Downpours
Foxes rely on their dens and burrows for protection from heavy rainfall. They dig tunnels and chambers underground where they can stay warm and dry. The burrow system provides an insulated shelter that maintains a stable temperature and keeps the foxes protected.
Female foxes raising kits will spend even more time in the den to keep the young pups safe and sound.
In addition to burrows, foxes often crawl into hollow logs, rock crevices, and other covered nooks to escape from the pouring rain. These temporary shelters allow them to hunker down until the storm passes.
Foxes have an amazing ability to find little hideaways and alcoves in their territory to ride out inclement weather. Their keen survival instincts lead them to the best available refuge.
While foxes try to remain sheltered, they may still need to venture out in the rain occasionally to hunt and forage. Thankfully their fur coats are quite water-resistant due to oils that help repel water.
And they utilize their large, bushy tails kind of like umbrellas to shield themselves as they move through the rain if needed. Still, a nice, dry den is always the preferred hangout on rainy days for our clever fox friends!
Mother Foxes Keep Kits Dry in the Den
Kits Are Vulnerable Until 8 Weeks Old
When fox kits are born in the spring, they are completely dependent on their mothers for food, warmth and protection. Foxes give birth to litters of 4-6 kits in underground dens, which provide shelter from the elements. Newborn fox kits only weigh around 100 grams and are blind, deaf and toothless.
They are unable to regulate their own body temperature and rely on their mother’s warmth to survive. For the first two weeks, kits cannot even urinate or defecate on their own, so the mother stimulates them to do so by licking their abdomen. How amazing and caring mothers foxes are!
Kits remain in the den for the first 8 weeks of life while they nurse and grow. If the den floods or the entrance collapses, the helpless kits would perish. Fortunately, mother foxes go to great lengths to ensure the den remains dry and secure.
They may dig multiple entrances or move litters if conditions deteriorate. If heavy rains cause flooding, the dutiful mother gathers the kits in her mouth and carries them to higher, drier ground. Now that’s true dedication!
Nursing Mothers Bring Food Back to Den
Fox kits are entirely dependent on their mother’s milk for the first month after birth. Mother foxes need to consume up to three times more food than usual in order to produce enough milk for their growing litter.
The fathers assist by bringing food to the den entrance, but mothers do the bulk of the hunting and nursing. Foxes are opportunistic feeders and survive on small rodents, rabbits, birds, fruits and even garbage. Nursing vixens spend much time away from the den finding food to nourish their kits.
Since the kits cannot thermoregulate or protect themselves initially, their mothers are reluctant to leave the den for long periods until the kits are around 4 weeks old. At that point, the kits’ eyes open, their adult teeth start growing in and they become somewhat mobile.
The mother begins bringing kill back to the den for the kits to start sampling meat. By 8 weeks old, the kits emerge from the den and can start learning to hunt with their parents. Those early weeks tucked in the warm, dry den are crucial for fox kits’ growth and survival.
Foxes Groom to Remove Wet Fur
Shake Water from Coat
When foxes get wet from rain or dew, one of the first things they’ll do is shake their body vigorously to remove excess water from their fur coat (1). This natural behavior helps them eliminate some of the initial wetness, though it doesn’t get all the moisture out.
Shaking serves as a quick first step, but foxes then have to use additional grooming behaviors to truly dry out their thick fur. Interestingly, studies have found that mammals of different sizes shake off water at the same relative frequency – about 4 shakes per second (2).
This allows them to efficiently shed droplets before they have time to be absorbed into the fur.
Rub Against Grass or Trees
Foxes will also rub up against grass, twigs or tree trunks to help press water out of their fur. The texture and absorption properties of plants can work almost like a towel to wick away moisture from their coat. Foxes may even roll around on the ground to maximize contact.
In addition, the act of rubbing fluffs up fox fur and separates the strands to allow air circulation for faster drying. Foxes have been observed using this rubbing technique after swimming, playing in the rain, and crossing through wet vegetation.
Lick Fur to Increase Insulation
When foxes can find a dry sheltered spot, they will lick and nibble at their coats to help smooth down the fur. Their rough tongue helps neaten up messy clumps and removes additional beads of water trapped close to the skin (3).
Interestingly, fox saliva may also increase insulation. Research on other animals suggests that applying spit can alter the fur’s pH balance in a way that enhances water resistance and temperature regulation (4). By licking themselves dry, foxes promote better warmth, stay cleaner, and avoid matting.
Through these grooming behaviors, foxes demonstrate their ability to adapt to wet weather and maintain the protective qualities of their fur. Their water resistant undercoat and meticulous fur care allow foxes to remain active in the rain when hunting for food or seeking shelter.
Conclusion
In summary, foxes are well equipped to handle mild to moderate rain showers thanks to their unique physiology and adaptations. However, heavy downpours do force them to seek adequate shelter until storms pass.
Understanding fox behavior can help wildlife watchers get a glimpse of these amazing creatures, even on rainy days. With their resourceful nature, foxes continue their daily routines through all kinds of weather.
