Seeing foxes, raccoons during day? Not rabid

Hampton Roads 1 Minute
A pair of red foxes warm up in the sun at the North End recently. Normally nocturnal, fox parents are more active on the day shift these days as they raise their young. (Nancy Beach | Courtesy Photo via The Virginian-Pilot)

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that seeing a fox or a raccoon during the day meant that the animal was rabid. (And yes, I see a lot of those critters where I live.) According to this story, that’s not necessarily the case:

So it might be a little reassuring to know that seeing a fox, either gray or red, (or a raccoon) during the day, especially in breeding season, doesn’t mean it is rabid, said Dr. Allan Adair, a veterinarian with Animal Medical Center and Bayside Veterinarian Clinic.

“It’s normal for them to come out,” he said.

Yes, most of the time when I see foxes and raccoons in my yard it is at night. But occasionally, I see them during the day. I saw them more often before Hurricane isabel came thru and we lost eight trees. But we still have them – and the possum,  and the various water fowl – hanging out on our property.

I say let ’em alone. After all, they were here before we were.

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2 thoughts on “Seeing foxes, raccoons during day? Not rabid”

  1. Having grown up rural, I can tell you another factor is food supply. Animals will venture into populated areas in daylight if there’s nothing for them to eat in safer areas.

  2. Pingback: Secrets of Cooking with Wild Game: Water Fowl | wildchow

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