- [Coyote] Copper red color to--
- [Mario] Oh, oh no.
- Almost silver-- - Oh!
- [Coyote] Oh, she got them, Mario.
(fox squealing)
- [Mario] Gotta watch these foxes.
(tribal music)
(country music)
- In the past, I have made the attempt
to get up close with a red fox.
While filming our epic Wolverine Episode,
I worked alongside Steve Kroschel
who owns and operates a renowned wildlife sanctuary,
that is home to a number of native Alaskan species,
including this adorable little canine.
Nonetheless, getting a fox to sit still
for the cameras is nearly impossible.
Hey, Lupin, come on back here.
Today we are on location at the Everglades Outpost.
This rehabilitation facility provides medical care
and treatment to sick or injured animals.
And they currently have a resident red fox named Swiper
who will provide me with a second chance
at getting the sly creature up close for the cameras.
Alright guys, we've seen this scenario before.
Coyote Peterson getting into an enclosure with a fox.
Last time, it didn't go so well.
Although the video was adorable, I didn't manage
to get real up close and personal with the animal.
So today, we're gonna hang out with Swiper.
Now he is a rescue, and from what I'm told,
he loves to play.
So if you guys are ready, let's enter and see
if we can get up close finally with a red fox.
Hi, Swiper.
(gasps)
There you are.
Alright guys, come on in.
Look at you, up on the platform.
Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi.
Okay, so far so good.
I just touched noses with the fox.
Okay, I'm gonna come over here.
I just wanna give Swiper a minute
to get acclimated to me being in here
and the cameras being in here.
Alright, come on up here.
You wanna come up and play, you wanna hang out?
Come on up, come on up.
Wow, much, much different than when we tried
to work with the baby fox in Alaska.
I'll give you a little head scratch.
Oh, there we go.
Now the red fox is the largest of the fox species
and one of the most widespread canines in the world.
You can find them on almost every continent.
Oh, what do you smell?
What do you guys smell, do I smell good?
You wanna get inside my vest, you wanna get in there?
She's very curious right now.
I got a little something up my sleeve too.
There's a guarantee that this episode
was gonna go according to plan.
Oh, she's trying to eat my hat.
Yeah, that's leather, isn't it?
(imitates fox squealing)
Okay, lets see if we can get a bell rub going here.
Oh, that's nice huh?
Look at how handsome that fox is.
Now the red fox, despite being called the red fox,
can come in various different colors.
From this beautiful copper red color to even white
and almost silver. - Oh, oh.
- [Coyote] Oh, she got them, Mario.
- That's not the first time that's happened.
- It happened again.
This is a very common thing.
Animals, for some reason love the microphone muffs.
And now Swiper has literally swiped the microphone muff.
As you can see, he's got some other little toys in here.
You know what, Swiper, we're gonna need that back, buddy.
We're gonna need that back.
It kinda matches your tail.
It looks a little silver fox.
No, no, don't eat the rubber.
Here let me, let me just go ahead and take that back from.
(fox whines)
Listen to the (imitates fox's whine)
He's like, that's my toy.
(fox whines)
He doesn't--
- even know the mic, oh man.
- He does not want to give that microphone fluffy back.
Now I would imagine that he's thinking,
okay, maybe it's a squirrel.
As we know, red foxes are incredible hunters,
voracious predators.
They primarily feast on rodents
but even something the size of a rabbit is fair game.
And I have a feeling that microphone muffs
aren't exactly high in protein--
- Oh go get it, get it-- - Aren't exactly high
in protein but, oh let me get it, let me get it.
He really does not wanna give it back.
There we go, look at, let's take a look
at the leaping ability, watch this.
Okay, there you go.
- [Mario] Are we gonna just not acknowledge
the giant zebra behind you?
- [Mark] There's a zebra.
- Well, yeah, there's also a zebra right there.
Now we are working today at the Everglades Outpost
which is a wildlife sanctuary
for rescued and rehabilitating animals.
And Swiper is actually one of those animals.
Now, Swiper was raised in captivity but unfortunately,
his owner got to the point where he wasn't able
to take care of Swiper any more and he ended up here.
The red fox does not make a good pet.
Now while they are very gregarious,
they will often times scent mark all over a house,
they love to dig, they love to rip things up.
What you guys can't actually smell through
the camera right now is there is a very distinct
musky type odor in this enclosure.
Almost like the musk of a skunk or a wolverine.
Even though foxes are not related to mustelids,
Mark, he's coming up next to you there.
- I see that. - They do constantly
scent mark and it has a very strong pungent smell here.
Definitely not something that you would want
the inside of your house to smell like.
- I'd say like a tinge of a skunk.
- Yeah, it's like a skunk meets a bad fart,
maybe a wet boot.
Um, it's okay in the moment but you definitely
wouldn't want your bedroom smelling like a red fox.
Let's see, okay, look at, look at this Mario.
Go ahead and point at Swiper's tail here, look at the tail.
Can I look at your tail?
I just want, it's your tail, it's so bushy.
It's the bushiest tail ever.
What I love about the fox is how its tail
is almost as fluffy as its body.
And in the winter when it gets cold,
as they nestle down in their den,
they will actually their wrap their body
in that tail to keep themselves warm.
Come here, I know, let's see, let me see, come here.
Oh gosh, why did you take the microphone muff from me?
- [Mario] Swiper really didn't wanna give that up.
- Swiper did not want to give that up.
Let's see what do you got here, is that your duck?
Swiper, look, it's a duck.
Come here.
- [Mark] Hey,
what are you doing?
Swiper!
(whistle calls)
(imitates fox whines)
- [Mario] What's that, is that fox talk?
- Yeah they make these,
they have so many different vocalizations.
Squeaks, chirps, little barks,
the fox is one of the most vocal of any canine species.
- He's kinda hanging up behind me, isn't he?
- Yeah.
Okay, what if I turn like this and you come right here.
Let's see.
Let me see. (fox squeals and grows softly)
Well, I will say this much.
I am having a much better experience
and much closer relationship with this fox
than we were with the baby fox in Alaska.
Here she comes, Lupin, (imitates fox chirping).
She's very excited to have us in here.
Come here, come here you.
Oh yeah, get my arm, get it, get it.
He's really trying to get my hat.
There we go, get the arm bite going.
Just playful bites, oh there we go.
Let me get you the belly rub there.
(fox whines softly)
Wow, let's see, wanna come inside my vest?
What's in there huh?
What is it, what is it, what is it?
You wanna get on to my back?
- [Mario] Getting a back rub?
This actually feels great,
this is a back scratch from a red fox,
and it's probably valuable to know
that foxes are incredible diggers.
They will often times dig burrows to live in.
They can also dig little mice or voles out from the ground.
And if it lives in your house,
it will definitely dig holes in your couch,
which again, is another reason that the red fox
does not make a good pet.
The red fox is an extremely elusive animal.
Often times you'll find them in residential areas.
They come out and primarily search for,
hunting or foraging for food at night.
Every once in a while, you're lucky enough to see a fox.
I've only seen a handful of them my entire life.
Look at you, I know, you're so cute, so cute.
Here we go, try to bite at my watch.
Very sharp claws, perfect for digging.
Little black paws, perfect for walking over the top of snow.
And unlike wolves and coyotes,
they do not have a pack mentality.
You'll often notice that foxes are completely solitary.
Ow, the only time that you will see foxes together
is actually during breeding season
or if it's a mother taking care of kits.
(fox squeals)
- [Mark] Those are happy sounds right?
- Those are happy sounds, yeah she's just playing.
You see those little bites there?
Just playful bites, okay I got you.
How cool is this?
I finally managed to get up close with the red fox.
I'm Coyote Peterson, be brave, oh, stay wild.
We'll see you on the next adventure.
Alright, Swiper, we'll see you later buddy.
The red fox is a seldomly seen predator
that does its better to avoid human interaction.
If you get the chance to see one in the wild,
your encounter will likely be nothing more
than a fleeting moment.
So consider the sighting something special
because getting up close with a fox
is much more difficult than you may think.
Tell you what guys, nothing brings in the red fox,
like a little bit of pocket bacon.
(Mark gasps)
- [Mark] You cheater!
- Leftovers from breakfast, works every time.
If you thought Swiper was adorable,
make sure to go back and watch my first attempt
to work alongside a red fox
where things didn't go according to plan.
And don't forget, subscribe,
so you can join me and the crew on our next location.
Yup, it worked.
(animal growls, wings flutter)
(birds chirping, wolves howling)