"Foxy Lady" in bed -turns out to be REAL FOX!

[Tobi]

This fellow turned over one morning to give his girlfriend a cuddle, and found himself holding a fox instead! The fox had crept into the bed and made itself at home!

Cheeky fox!

So funny.....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...ondon.html

[LPC]

Yes, it is funny. But the over-reaction afterwards was a bit silly:
"If it had got into bed with me, I don't know what I would have done - maybe hide under the covers and scream and cry.

I'm really scared now that it will come back, I'm really jumpy. I am really paranoid when I am alone in the house that it will come and get me."

Now THAT's funny!

[Tobi]

Yes, from that reaction, it sounds as if there was a pack of Timber Wolves in the bed!

[Catherine]

I think it is really funny that he was snuggling the fox thinking it was his cat.  The fox probably thought that he had found a nice friendly place. I wonder if the fox had been raised as a pet and turned loose.

I wish we had a picture of his face when he realised he was hugging a fox. Now that would have been funny.

I agree, there is a bit of an over reaction afterwards.

[Tobi]

I have a feeling that over-reaction could have been caused by the recent reports of urban foxes being aggressive towards humans.
I have no idea why that should be happening, but there have been a few stories concerning aggression.

[LPC]

There is an article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8726282.stm

[Catherine]

Considering how humans have treated foxes I wouldn't blame them for being mad at us. However every indication is that foxes are timid and do not attack humans.

I would want to see some evidence in the baby case.  Are they sure it was a fox. I mean actual evidence, not the mother saying it looked like a fox. If it was a fox is there something wrong with that particular fox.  Are there some extenuating circumstances or is here something that we are not hearing in the story.  It would be a rare occurrence. Also, how did the fox get into the house? Was there an open door or something?

[LPC]

Judging by the article, I would say that the case is extremely, extremely rare. Just as you get the rare mass murderer in the human population, I suppose that you get get the very rare case of an animal who has "a screw loose". Sorry for the unscientific terminology, LOL!

I am very fond of foxes. I wouldn't have minded a visit from a "foxy lady", LOL!!

[Catherine]

I would have felt very privileged to have a fox on my bed. We have them in the city, but I seldom see them.  I am careful about open doors because the guinea pigs would have no protection from a predator. Worse my refrigerator would not be safe if a racoon got in. They also open cupboards and can unscrew a jar of peanut butter.

The fox that attacked the babies must have been off in some way, a screw loose as you say. I once got attacked and bitten by a squirrel. He had been acting strangely for days and I was trying to protect my neighbour and her cats.   The rest of our squirrels work at looking cute and charming treats out of us. It works too.

[Tobi]

It is highly unusual for a wild fox -even an urban fox to turn aggressive under normal circumstances, with people -unless threatened severely or cornered (maybe in a fenced garden?)
The one who attacked the babies...well that was the most unusual thing to happen.

I have heard of a couple more so-called-aggressive encounters with foxes, in urban areas, but who knows how true those accounts are, or a result of human hysteria? And who knows under what circumstances anything like that could happen? For instance -were people teasing the fox? Or laid food down for it, in the mistaken notion it would become some sort of 'pet'? Then closed it in and cornered it?....etc.

Or again, there is always the possibility it could be negative propaganda by the fox-hunting fraternity!

I see lots of foxes, but they of course are in a rural environment. They really do want to keep away from people.