Rare litter of fox cubs rescued after being found on Suffolk farm

A rare litter of 10 fox cubs have been rescued after they were found by a farmer in Suffolk.

The foxes were only three weeks old when they were discovered at a farm in Saxmundham.

It is thought that they were abandoned by their mum after their den was disturbed.

The fox cubs were found in Saxmundham (Image: SWNS)

The baby foxes (Image: SWNS)

Earlier this month the litter was handed into Wildlives, in Thorrington near Colchester, after the farmer accidentally dug up their den.

There are usually only three to five fox cubs in a litter - making 10 a rare number of offspring.

They will be let back into the wild in September (Image: SWNS)

The 10 fox cubs (Image: SWNS)

Rosie Catford, the owner of the Wildlives Sanctuary, said: “Ten is an unprecedented number of cubs, especially bearing in mind the mother only has eight teats.

“The cubs are very playful but also very naughty. They argue, run around and steal each other’s food, often hiding it underneath a log.”

The cubs will be fully released back into the wild after a phased reintroduction around September.

What should you do if you find fox cubs?

According to the RSPCA if you find a baby fox, it might not have been abandoned. In the spring, it's normal to see month-old cubs developing their survival skills above ground during the day. Their parents are usually nearby, watching.

Parent foxes are unlikely to approach the cubs if people are around. Vixens will move their litter one by one if they feel the den has been disturbed and so you may come across cubs then.

If you've been asked to take a fox cub to a vet or wildlife rehabilitator, record the exact location you rescued the cub from in case they can be returned.

If you disturb a fox litter and the mother runs away, move away from the cubs and monitor them from a distance. Their mother should return when she feels safe and will move her cubs to another den.