Except for Antarctica, every continent in the world is home to foxes, one of the most numerous species of mammals. Approximately 37 species of fox make up the genus Vulpes, which is used to classify foxes. These twelve species are referred to be real foxes to separate them from other wolves and dogs. Remember Aesop’s fable, “Fox and the Grapes“? You might be wondering how come foxes eat grapes, right? Well, foxes are omnivores, which means they consume both plants and animal products. In this article, “What Fruits do Foxes Eat?” we are going to shed light on a fox’s diet and get a firm idea, especially on what fruits they eat.
What Fruits do Foxes Eat?
Foxes have a flexible diet, and as they are omnivores, their diet consists primarily of both plants and animals. The diet of a fox depends on several factors like the species, its habitat, and seasonal availability of food.
Foxes consume plenty of fruits which mainly comprise apples, pears, plums, grapes, cactus fruits, and also a large number of berries like the gooseberry, raspberry, blackberry, etc.
The below section consists of the fruit diet of foxes depending on their species and habitat. Some Australian fox’s stomach specimens showed remnants of the sweet briar and the kurrajong fruit.
Firstly, let’s talk about Red foxes. Fruits, especially berries like blackberries, play a significant role in their autumnal diet. Foxes have a variety of inventive ways to get fruit, including climbing trees.
Red foxes will eat both wild and domesticated fruits, but various types of berries (gooseberry, raspberry, blackberry, etc.), cherries, apples, grapes, dates, plums, figs, and even acorns are among the most popular fruits they devour.
Grey Foxes, our next species, is another most commonly found fox in the United States. They are also omnivorous creatures, and in their fruit diet, they have blackberries, acorns, persimmons, and several others.
Next up, we have the Indian Foxes. They are generalist feeders, a primary reason for their nationwide distribution. Bengal Fox can be found in southern India and the Himalayan foothills.
This species lives close to human settlements in semi-arid areas, prickly shrubs, open grasslands, woodlands, and mountains. Fruits that the Bengal Fox consumes primarily include Indian Jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana), Banyan fruits, and sometimes Mango, Jambu, and Neem fruits.
Fennec Fox is also among the fruit-eating foxes. They, too, are omnivorous creatures inhabiting the arid and semi-arid sub-Saharan regions. Their fruit diet comprises those fruits which are quite common in their habitat, like dates and cactus fruits.
There are many more species of foxes spread out into diverse habitats. They all include fruits in their diet, which oscillate between the fruits named above, depending on the seasons and the time of the year.
Other Common Questions
Do Foxes Eat Apples?
Yes, apples are one of the most common fruits that Foxes eat. Foxes are opportunistic feeders and eat anything they get their hands on. Though meat is their essential source of proteins, fruits give foxes the necessary micronutrients like vitamins and minerals, along with water.
Apples are a rich source of carbohydrates, minerals like sodium, potassium, sugars, and Vitamin C. Potassium helps in the clotting of blood, which is a prime requirement, especially in the Canidae family, to prevent blood loss from cuts during hunting or interspecies fights.
They have an enzyme in their stomach, gulonolactone oxidase, that helps in the synthesis of ascorbic acid from glucose. Fruits such as apples become an essential source of simple sugars for foxes.
Do Foxes Eat Carrots?
Yes, Foxes eat carrots. Foxes eat a variety of vegetables, and carrots are one of them. Carrots are one of the most common vegetables in their diet, which rabbits eat both in the wild and also in captivity.
They are good sources of fiber and vitamins like Vitamin A, which is required for healthy eyesight. Carrots are also a rich source of potassium and several antioxidants, which help to maintain good health.
Do Foxes Eat Grapes?
Yes, Foxes do eat grapes. Many articles and posts on the web mention that grapes can be harmful to animals belonging to the dog family. Many claims that grapes can cause diseases like kidney failure.
However, foxes are omnivorous beings and eat almost anything. One can easily spot them feeding on grapes. Foxes may have a designated amount of grapes that they can eat, excess of which may cause problems, as many people claim.
Do Foxes Eat Vegetables?
Foxes do eat vegetables. They are rich in various micronutrients, carbohydrates, and fibers. Vegetables comprise an essential portion of a fox’s diet. Foxes, if living close to farmlands, may get their hands on various vegetables from the farms.
In the wild, they have to forage for vegetables or dig them up from the ground. Vegetables that they commonly consume include potatoes, carrots, etc. There have been many sightings of foxes digging up tubers and potatoes.
Here, we come to the end of our today’s article, “What Fruits do Foxes Eat?” Keep a close watch on this website for many more interesting articles about foxes.
References
Red Fox Diet- What Foxes Eat? – A-Z Animals
What do Gray Foxes eat? A-Z Animals
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A zoology student turned writer. Nature has always been a magnet to me, and to unearth some of its secrets through my articles is my prime intention. If not engaging myself with nature and anime content, you can always find me going through some Bengali classics or filling the air with some soulful Tabla beats. An artist, trying to throw some colors to my blank canvas of life.