I am amazed that after three months my three-legged fox is proving himself to be a trier. I mean to say he has four legs but as regular readers will know one of his back legs just dangles from the knee joint.
Since Christmas Hopalong has had me on edge day after day, or rather night after night. The really stormy cold weather we had recently meant there were nights he (or for all I know she) did not turn up at all, although others did, and I feared the worst.
The next thing is Hopalong’s back and going like a good ‘un on three legs and even getting there soon after I put the food out meaning he gets first dibs on whatever’s on the menu, from the remains of a chicken carcase, decent dog food, even eggs and often cheese.
It wasn’t just a one-off with a second fox arriving and then leaving Hopalong to his meal in peace. Soon afterwards they were onscreen together again with no trouble at all.
I am no expert on foxes, I just know I like to see them doing what comes naturally (which does not include men and women in fancy dress on horseback riding out with a pack of dogs to chase them and for the dogs to rip them to pieces).
I can make suppositions, however.
Foxes are usually lonesome animals and once a dog and vixen have mated the dog departs leaving the vixen to birth and raise the cubs. The vixen will then teach her cubs how ti find food and remain safe.
Sometimes a last cub will stay with the vixen until it is time for mating and she heads off, leaving the cub to go off and find its own mate and start the process over again.
I haven’t figured out how to differentiate the sexes but I would think the Hopalong could be a vixen and the larger companion could be her grown-up cub. They certainly seem to get along.
This earlier scene may explain why I have named Hopalong’s “friend” Scaredycat. The clip below was taken just a few minutes before Hopalong turned up.
It appears the big fox had gone ahead to check the area and had a bit of a nosh before Hopalong turned up. This is a very nervous young fox trying to get a feed before somewhat bigger, or more important, arrives.
Robin's Nest 