A while ago my wife and I were out for a noon-time ride. We were tooling down a bike path when a Canadian Honker goose waddled out of the bushes and waddle-hopped after my wife. It couln't catch up that way, so it would fly a bit, pull even, land, and waddle-hop some more right along side. It didn't try to contact or attack - just pull even and run/fly/hop alongside. Sometimes it would get up and fly right echelon just above and behind her. This went on for about half a mile until it finally stopped in the middle of the bike path, complaining loudly.

It was pretty comical.

I hate to say it but you can be 99.99% sure that the fox has rabies. You should really call the local animal warden. How would you feel if you opened the local paper and read about a fox that ran a kid down and bit it? You were on a bike and able to get away. The kids might be on foot. Call the animal warden now!

Tim

I'd lay strong odds that fox was suffering from distemper or rabies. If you see ANY typical/normally shy wild animal - racoon, fox, ground hog, etc. - that doesn't show a healthy fear of humans - STAY AWAY.

thank god there ain't no rabies here.

We do have drop bears though

Agreed - drop bears can be nasty!!

Isnt all that strange. Chances are the fox is exposed to people nearly daily if left relitivly unharrassed it wont have no real fear of people in close proximity unless the person make a quick sudden move or sound.

Oh trust me if a racoon is rabid or diseased in a way that looks like a rabid racoon youll know about it. They act like their drunk stumbling about washing nonexistant food in a non existant stream. Ive seen 3 or 4 in the last 3 or 4 years.

I see coons skunks etc around here out and about in early daylite hours all the time. We have a eer present family of skunks in a storm ditch here when it rains very hard and gets the watter flowing youll see these skubks out and about all day long hiding up against trees or under them to keep dry. I know for a fact this moma skunk and her babies are not rabid as she has a very identifiable patern of stripes ive seen her for going on god 5 years now i guess it is and one of her babies looks ery much like her with only a very slight patern diffrence.

Both of these behaviors are not normal for skunks.
day time activity
normaly nocturnal
and
remaining some what togather for years and years (they dont stay in the same den or what have you but have remained in the same general area and are often seen walking in close proximity)
normaly solitary

Why does this groupe of skunks behave in this manner? Sure isnt rabies they would be long dead rabies is always fatal

Regardless of wheather the animal had rabies or not... No one is saying the animal should be shot and killed because it is DEFINITELY Rabid!

Staying away is just good sense for both the animals well being and ours alike...

Well id never go up to the skubk family nor the coyote i seen or even the old man ground hog thats been here for the last 7 or 8 years. But im not gona run off in the other direction when i see them. In fact ill go out of my way to see wild life and get as close as is safe and possible. If some fox or even coyote wants to shadow me when im riding my bike or hiking to see what i am who am i to argue i say shadow away.

Wow, this has really turned into one heck of a discussion. A few things to add. I saw this animal on the W&OD trail. I see wildlife there every time I go. From groundhogs to deer, rabbits, chipmunks, squirrles and now a fox. I was actually playing chicken with two deer last week. They were standing in the middle of the path and would not move until the last second. The point is, I believe the wildlife is used to human interaction to some extent.

Regardless of wheather the animal had rabies or not... No one is saying the animal should be shot and killed because it is DEFINITELY Rabid!

Sounds like cs1 is saying exactly that.
Just another show of suburbanite fear.

I honestly didn't read down to CS1's post before posting my 2 cents...

I have to agree with Stacey here, to just blindly state the animal is infected and call authorities to remove it, and most likely put it down would be a shame. That is just as bad racial profiling with capital punishment as the outcome. The Fox didn't show aggressive behavior... I've been chased in the exact same manner as described by neighborhood dogs countless times, it isn't too far fetched to assume a fox would behave in the same manner at 7 in the morning along a bike trail through his territory.

Chances are you will never see the fox again unless he is rabid. If the fox continues to exhibit that behavior I would have to contact the wildlife officers in that area to check into it. Like one post stated, if a kid is bitten or seriously injured, you live with that burden, not me.

And yes, when you encounter most wild animals they tend to run the other way, not with you. Not saying to get hysterical about the fact a fox ran beside one. Just be cautious to it's health.

I raced Bambi last week. I got a (probably lousy) cellphone pic, too. I'll have to post it if it comes off the phone looking OK.

I think saying that the fox had rabies is jumping to conclusions. Someone could've been feeding it for all anyone knows and it was desensitized to people. Might've even been looking for a handout. Of course its not a good idea to ever touch or try to approach a wild animal for a variety of reasons - rabies being one of 'em. BTW - I've had rabies shots. They did mine in the arm. It wasn't painfull just more of an annoyance to keep going back to the doc every couple of days for another until I finished the series. And before you ask - I was trying to help a racoon that'd been hit by a car. The doctor asked me if it appeared to be acting "strange". (C'mon doc - did ya hear the "hit by a car" part?)

I was cycling along the eastern edge of NASA's Johnson Space Center a while back and a couple of deer ran next to me for about a mile and a half. It was pretty cool until I started thinking what might happen if they decided to cut me off.

So I shot them and took their money. I mean, hey, a couple of bucks can come in handy, right?

Just kidding.

:p

Then back in the den this conversation happened:
"You must never rush out on the meadow. There might be danger. Out there we are unprotected. The meadow is wide and open; there are no trees or bushes to hide us, so we have to be very careful. Wait here. I’ll go out first. If the meadow is safe I’ll call you."

Maybe it was a nearsighted Italian fox and you were riding a Bianchi Veloce? He thought it said Velope and was looking for some action. :D

Veloce=fast
Velope = fox