Little family

I have not posted in a while due to it being another bank holiday and various other excuses! There has been no sightings of the vixen for two weeks now, and although this has happened before, I don't feel confident that she will be back. I am doubting she is  even alive now. The reality was , that she had gotten so thin that she could not have  recovered  fully despite my attempts to save her.
The badgers have been up every night, and I have worked out that this year there are four  so far. I have seen the mum, two cubs and later, the dad. The mum comes from the main sett, but often her and the dad come from the back of the field. ( There is a sub sett further back). I am guessing that this is roughly what happens? The main sett holds the mum and cubs and as they grow, the adults move to the sub sett? Who knows! Last year we had seven in all, but only saw the full numbers in July/August.

Badger activity

I woke up yesterday to find badger dig holes on my lawn! I figured it was either the cubs, or because someone had given me a sack of 'dried meat for dogs' , some of which I had soaking in water in a covered bucket which they may have smelled? Anyway the stuff is revolting! It slopped out of the bucket onto the grass and eventually something ate it! The magpies were not touching it, or the fox when it first came. I will be alternating porridge /mash mix and the meat (Goodness only knows what's in it, as I didn't recognise it as anything I had ever seen!)' All the bits no one eats' apparently !
Anyway, I have not seen the vixen for over a week and although my concern for her grows, there has been only one sighting of her since last Sunday, I can't do anything about it. So will just have to wait to see if she turns up.
There was a new dig hole today on the sett and I think this is a badger one. I had wondered why they came and went in that direction, although the dog fox often comes from that side too.
The cubs are obvious to me now and the two of them are growing fast. The whiter faced one is still my favourite!

Badger count

I am still not sure exactly how many badgers there are as yet. Last night saw me cooing over the white faced cub again, although she (As I discovered by my partner noticing teats already) was filthy yesterday! Tonight I saw four on the sett at the same time. Some were older and the 2 cubs from the other night. I will not know for sure  the full count until at least july, when they all seem to come out at once! The better weather and lighter nights will determine the full count.
Meanwhile there has been no sightings of the vixen, for 2 nights. I always worry when I do not see her and suspect the male has been taking her sandwiches. There has aso been sightings of the 'evening fox' coming earlier, so all a little unpredictable at the moment.

Looking frail

Cubs at last!

I have been waiting for this for 2 weeks! Tonight I was just about to go in, when I had texted my partner to bring more wine!! He came to me bringing the bottle with a tea towel over his arm, for comedy effect! I was worried and nagging as he always makes too much noise, for me. But he must have been a good luck omen as he nudged me and mouthed 'CUBS' ! I could hardly contain myself, especially as one was so clearly 'new'! I questioned whether I had missed them before on other sightings, but they were definitely a lot smaller than the others!

Sunshine

Lovely day today! I had just put the food out and caught sight of the vixen waiting at the side of the old badger hole she uses. She waited quietly until I had almost got to my seating area and then came out. Still limping a little, but her foot was on the ground. Her fur looks loads better. I had put arnica in the water , and saw her drinking loads , so that will help her sprains. She has a tick/eggs near her face, which can be seen in the photos. I am expecting her to have yet another wound there in a day or two, as she will no doubt bite it out. Just needs to put on some weight .

Ham sandwiches....

The vixen was waiting for me again today and actually seemed closer. Not moving away at all and totally trusting, which is worrying. She sat in the bushes until I had put the food out, all the time listening to me talking to her. Lame in her back leg again, but desperate for food. She behaved differently today, sitting in the grass between feeding. I am hoping this is not a sign that she is  getting weaker. I may start putting arnica in her water, just to help her along a little.

Mummy Badger

So no show for the vixen this afternoon , although Mr Fox showed up briefly to grab some food. I think he must have ate the sandwiches too, as I had to go indoors.
A good show later, with some good shots of mummy badger, who is clearly still feeding cubs.....I can hardly wait to see them. Looks like I may have to stay up later tomorrow night and indeed, until I see them!

Foxy Loxy and badgers

No sign of the vixen today , but I was five minutes late. According to my group page on Facebook, she was given bread and jam at 3pm precisely from a neighbour who is following my posts! Good that she had food, but worried that she missed the sandwiches with her meds in! Mr Fox was there eating the chicken and rice in her absence !

This evening the mamma badger was clearly seen , as her teats were visible, so indicating she is feeding cubs. Not yet seen on sett. This is the badger I nick named 'Cotton tail' as she had a white tail ....first seen last ear, as a cub. So exciting!

Last night's badger watch......

So far have worked out one female(Who has obviously been feeding cubs, yet to be seen and two of last year's cubs now grown.

Waiting for me again!

I went up to the feed the foxes and the vixen was waiting for me. I thought she would be, as I always fill the water up in the mornings now as she comes about one o'clock for a drink. Mange is making her very thirsty. I spoke to her calmly as I carried the chicken and rice down to the back. I laid out the sandwiches with her meds in at the front, as I like to make sure she eats them. I know she likes them and they are  almost exclusively hers, since no other fox is really brave enough to come for them when I am there!

 She has stopped limping, which is good, for now at least and has several open wounds on her 'good' and bad side. The old ones are healing slowly, but the ones on her haunches seem quite raw and open, where she has clearly bitten herself in an attempt to remove the parasites . I am really hoping that this is nearer to the healing stage and that she has fewer  episodes now that some of her fur is growing back. Time will tell........

Hopeful

This afternoon the vixen arrived on the sett as soon as I put the food out. I made chicken and rice especially for her, with vitamin B12 supplement in it. She took her sandwiches into the bushes today and was putting a little weight on her foot. Still limping, but moving quicker than yesterday. I noticed some new sores on her, but her foot had gone down a lot, so hopefully will be able to walk on it soon. She looks so tired and thin now t.

Vixen in trouble

I really don't know how the vixen is managing to survive! Today as I was on my way to feed her, a neighbour popped round to see what was 'being done about our little fox' and I explained to her how I had been treating her and told her about the advice I have been given. So sweet of her to come round. I managed to get the vixen to eat a worming tablet which I had buried in a (veggie) sausage roll. She was shaking her head, and coughing, but that may have been my pastry! Anyway I noticed her previous 'good side' was covered in little sores and there were some bald spots so maybe it's just taking more time. The neighbour says she feeds her too so she is eating a fair ammount, just that her little body is so emaciated from the mange.  that she is not being nourished. The parasites are eating her alive. Very sad to watch. The fox people don't seem to think she is in need of anymore help at this stage as they have to treat the ones that are priority. She is still unable to put her foot on the ground or carry nany weight on it.