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How smelly are foxes?


Fossa
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I’ve read that foxes have quite an odor, emitted from various scent glands, the red fox in particular. And that when frightened, they emit an even stronger odor. And yet, though I’ve come fairly close to a fox (say 20-30 feet), I can’t say I detected any odor. (Though I was probably upwind)

Yet I’ve heard that if you do happen to brush against one, or touch one, the odor is quite strong, and clings to you. I don’t advocate having foxes as pets (perhaps the Fennec), and  have heard fox owners claim they become immune to their odor that visitors find pretty overwhelming, rather like a skunk, but sharper. The urine is also said to be very highly concentrated.

So as I see quite a few actual foxes at night, crossing near railroad tracks, in the narrow valleys and parks of the city where it’s too steep too build anything, and of course, I see a ton of foxes in the fandom, I have to wonder:

Has anyone smelled a fox, and how smelly are they?

No offense to all the very cute foxes here, but how smelly are you guys? ;)

(As an aside: When I used to work in the wine business, there was a term used to describe rustic characteristics in certain wines--- Foxy. "...a very distinctive note found in some wines, a sort of wild, musky, animal smell that reminds me of the odor of a fur coat. It’s often found in American grape varieties like Concord or Catawba...".) (From WS)

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8 minutes ago, Endless/Nameless said:

This thread is going to go well. 

I know! I can sense this already.

But I am curious if anyone has ever smelled one, up close. Having grown up on a farm, you have a sense of how animals have their distinct smells: Horses, cows, sheep, goats, dogs, cats...even wild animals, such as deer, raccoon and skunks. But a fox? 

Given my other fursona is a striped skunk, I have no room to complain about foxes. :)

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5 minutes ago, Fossa-Boy said:

I know! I can sense this already.

But I am curious if anyone has ever smelled one, up close. Having grown up on a farm, you have a sense of how animals have their distinct smells: Horses, cows, sheep, goats, dogs, cats...even wild animals, such as deer, raccoon and skunks. But a fox? 

Given my other fursona is a striped skunk, I have no room to complain about foxes. :)

It is a good question, and for the record I hope someone will answer it. 

 

And for those wondering, I smell like a pizza of apathy. 

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I smell like sunshine and roses, so STFU.  

Actually I was fortunate enough to get pretty close to some foxes at the Desert Museum in Arizona.  I well definitely say their odor was quite apparent.  It sort of smelled like a skunk but a bit different, not quite as acrid or pungent but strong.  It could vary between individuals and species too.   The better question could be, do foxes stink?  Yes, yes they do.    

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Animals that mark their territory by rubbing themselves on stuff and/or through piss usually smell pretty badly. I never smelled a fox but I'd imagine that their smell is pretty awful, especially when they live in the wild...
My only point of reference here are lemurs. Their males have extra scent glands to mark stuff and to stink up their tail but the females have scent glands as well. I had three of them sitting on my lap at the same time. A younger female, her twin brother and an adult male. The smell was pretty bad... The comparison with old gym socks really is appropriate XP

And urine is always awful when it's used to mark the territory or during mating season. Case in point:

 

 

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The closest I ever got to a fox was a dead one in primary school. We were taught in these hut-style classrooms that had a grassy area in the middle of the 3 huts. I went around the side of one of them one day, where there were a load of bushes and brambles and saw a dead fox lying on the path. It did smell, but only because its guts and stuff were everywhere, and it had been there for like a day.

I've gotten close to foxes since but have never really noticed a particular odour.

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3 minutes ago, Saxon said:

Hmm, I actually think it's unfair that the the first two posters immediately assumed the opening poster is a paedophile.

But yep, I guess the general public would probably assume that too.

Weasyl Forums are nothing but a wasteland with edgy tumbleweeds these days.

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Just now, Saxon said:

Also I recognised one of the usernames in the opening post because captain cool was having an argument about christianity with them.

Like...who would have thunk it? Christian diaperfurs. Very dichotomous.

I don't think 'thou shalt not shit thyself of thy own accord' made it into the bible. Even if it did they'd still ignore it.

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10 hours ago, Fossa-Boy said:

*sniffs about*

Y'all foxes smell like Rickey!

 

kidding, kidding.......or maybe?

It's pretty easy to tell when I've marked one as mine, because cat urine smells a lot different than the usual fox smell. It's a lot more ammonia-like. Usually when I have a new pet I'll pee on it a few times so that all the other furries know it's mine >:3

59 minutes ago, Sourdough said:

Actually it's probably threads like this why non-furries judge us. Fox stank just can't compare.

Uh... What is even odd about that thread? It's just announcing a room party.

This is a good example of why there is so much silly drama around these parts.

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