Homeowner shares photos as unexpected visitor begins to frequent their backyard: 'He usually appears in the afternoon'

A homeowner was visited by a wild fox and headed to Reddit for advice on how to handle their guest. 

In r/foxes, the user asked whether they should do anything about a fox that regularly visited their garden. 

They shared some photos of the creature, which appeared slightly damp as it roamed the premises. 

"We like seeing him and when he appears we leave him alone because it's cool enough to watch him out the window," the original poster wrote in a caption, before posing their question. 

"He usually appears in the afternoon and sits for an hour or so then leaves. It doesn't happen too often so it's always exciting. My question is though, is this normal behaviour? And does he appear to be healthy?"

The poster's instincts were sharp: it's not wise to approach wildlife. 

While animals like foxes, raccoons, and squirrels have adapted to urban environments, interactions between them and humans can be dangerous for both. However, observing from a distance is always a delight, and typically safer. 

Watching wildlife is even better when you have a yard full of native plants, because creatures like foxes are likely to visit and graze. While foxes are omnivorous, native plants also attract local insects that are just as tasty for them. 

Wild animals like foxes can be effective natural pest controllers, and mutualistic relationships like these promote biodiversity in the local ecosystem and benefit your garden.

If that wasn't incentive enough to consider native plants, there are also serious savings when you upgrade to a natural lawn. They require less water, fertilizer, and pesticides, which means more money and time to enjoy your yard and its visitors. 

Would you be willing to let your yard grow wild? I already have 😎 Yes 👍 I'm not sure 🤷 No way 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

As for whether the fox in the original poster's yard looked healthy, fellow Reddit users assured the poster that their furry friend seemed to be in good shape. 

"He looks pretty healthy though, no signs of mange, looks a bit damp in the photos though, was it raining?" one person asked. The submitter confirmed it had indeed been raining.

"Fox is probably taking care of any bunny or rodent problems [that] may show up in a garden. Looks like the food chain is doing its thing!" another replied.

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