Fox Trapping & Control
Fox Trapper Pensacola
🦊 Red & Gray Foxes in the Florida Panhandle
Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) are both native to Florida and are found throughout the Panhandle region, including urban, suburban, and rural areas.
🔹 Red Fox
✅ Appearance:
- Bright reddish-orange fur
- White underbelly and throat
- Black legs and ear tips
- Large, bushy white-tipped tail
✅ Habitat:
- Open fields, pastures, edges of woods
- Often den in sandy soils or under sheds and decks
✅ Behavior:
- Primarily nocturnal
- Diet includes small mammals (rabbits, mice), birds, insects, fruit
- Usually shy and avoid humans
🔹 Gray Fox
✅ Appearance:
- Salt-and-pepper gray coat
- Rusty red patches on neck and sides
- Black-tipped tail with a black stripe down the top
✅ Habitat:
- Wooded areas and dense brush
- The only American canid that climbs trees to escape predators or find food
✅ Behavior:
- Mostly nocturnal and crepuscular (active at dawn/dusk)
- Similar diet to red fox
- Den in hollow trees, logs, ground burrows
🔹 Are Foxes Dangerous?
Generally, foxes are not aggressive toward people and pose minimal threat to humans. However:
⚠️ They can prey on backyard chickens, rabbits, and small pets.
⚠️ They may carry parasites and diseases (mange, distemper, rabies—though rabies is rare).
⚠️ They can become bolder if intentionally fed or if pet food is left outdoors.
🔹 Signs of Fox Activity
- Tracks (small, dog-like prints)
- Scat with fur and bone fragments
- Burrows near buildings or wood piles
- Distinctive musky odor near den sites
- Chicken coop raids or missing poultry
🔹 Fox Control & Management
Prevention is the first step:
✅ Secure pet food and garbage
✅ Close gaps under sheds and decks
✅ Use sturdy fencing around poultry runs
✅ Install motion-activated lights
If foxes are causing damage or becoming a nuisance, professional trapping or removal may be necessary.
🦊 Professional Fox Trapping Program
A structured fox trapping program typically includes:
- Two-week trapping duration
- Daily trap checks (per Florida regulations)
- Humane cage or foothold traps
- Removal and proper relocation or disposal
