Foxes are sly, curious, and omnivorous creatures; they love eating anything. Foxes are also opportunistic, meaning if they find any food, chances are that they will most probably eat it. So, can foxes eat chicken bones or not?
Yes, foxes can eat chicken bones. However, cooked chicken bones are bad for foxes as they can cause internal injuries, blockages, or splinters.
Foxes have an omnivorous diet and opportunistic behaviour when it comes to eating.
A fox will eat anything it comes across, and if it’s full, it’ll take it to its den for later use. Foxes love to gather food and collect excess food in their dens which they eat when food is scarce or hard to find.
Foxes will eat smaller animals like rodents, birds, and small reptiles like lizards, and small amphibians like toads, frogs, and even dead animals. Foxes will also eat berries, fruits, veggies, seeds, grains, and eggs.
Foxes are often seen eating cooked food left by people outside of their houses; foxes also rummage through people’s trash in hopes of finding anything edible. All this makes you wonder if a fox can eat so many things, won’t it eat the chicken bones from the leftovers you have in store?
The answer is no; foxes can’t eat chicken bones if cooked. Despite a fox’s large diet of eating anything, they’re still sensitive to certain items which are harmful to them to eat.
Such an item is cooked chicken bones as it causes blockages, internal injuries, and splinters. If the chicken bones you’re feeding a fox are raw, then it’s alright, as raw bones don’t pose any threat to a fox.
Can You Give Bones to Foxes?
Uncooked bones are good to eat for foxes; if a fox has entered your yard in search of food or you’ve noticed a hungry fox outside the house, you can give it chicken bones or lamb ribs, as both of these are tender to eat for a fox.
Cooked bones are difficult to eat and can be harmful if eaten by a fox as they can easily break when the fox chews them, and the broken bones can cause internal damage that can be fatal for a fox.
You can also give discarded marrow bones to foxes but stuff them with food items and freeze them before giving them to a fox. This will make the bone less prone to breaking as it’ll be harder to eat and will also clean the fox’s teeth.
Foxes can eat many things as they have an omnivorous diet, but that doesn’t mean they can eat anything you give them.
There are still some items that foxes won’t eat, wouldn’t be able to eat, or will have negative effects upon eating. Hence, it’s best to know what to give and what not to give to a fox.
Avoid items that are too big to eat for a fox, such as bread slices or big bones, especially if they’re cooked. These items may break and spread, causing blockage and internal damage.
Foxes generally eat bones, but it isn’t a very good idea to give them to a fox as cooked or uncooked.
They still have a choking hazard for foxes. Even uncooked bones are a little dangerous to foxes, but cooked bones especially are far more harmful as they break, and the spiky bits of bones may scratch the fox internally.
Do Foxes Eat All Meat Bones?
Foxes can eat any animal’s bones, but still, bones aren’t a good option, especially chicken bones for fox food. They can be a choking hazard, and cooked bones can cause splintering, blockage, or internally damage the fox, which may also cause internal bleeding.
Avoid giving larger items that are capable of breaking once the fox chews them.
Uncooked lamb ribs are a great option for foxes, and foxes like eating them. If you have any left-out marrow bones, freeze them and stuff them to give to your neighbourhood foxes.
These bones are safe to eat for a fox, as previously mentioned. Undercooked or raw chicken meat can also be harmful at times as it has chances of giving a fox salmonella poisoning.
The best types of meaty bones you can give a fox are raw chicken necks, drumsticks, wings, and lamb shanks.
Ensure that all these bones are raw when you give them to a fox, as cooked bones are harmful, as mentioned above. Chicken necks are a great option as they are high in phosphorus and calcium but low in fat.
Regular chicken bones are often a health concern and aren’t the best thing for a fox to eat, but you can try giving a chicken bone to a fox if you don’t have any better options but ensure it’s uncooked and avoid giving them a lot of it.
FAQs
Do you still have questions about foxes and their ability to eat chicken bones? Then these might help out:
Can Foxes Eat Fish Bones?
Yes, foxes can eat fish and their bones as well. Foxes are quite versatile when it comes to food, and they’re able to eat almost anything. Still, that doesn’t immediately mean that they’re not vulnerable to certain foods. Just like your pets, certain items shouldn’t be given to foxes for eating.
Can Foxes Eat Chicken Drumsticks?
Yes, if they are raw, then foxes will love eating chicken drumsticks. They will eat the entire drumstick – flesh, bone and skin!
Ryan is a keen gardener from the UK who’s spent years dealing with countless, common pests over the years so knows the ins and outs of how to deal with pests in the garden
