Losing one of our animal ambassadors is never easy. Developing relationships with the animals under our care is unavoidable—there is a mutual respect, understanding and trust that is necessary to provide high level care. Our respect, admiration and appreciation of each animal ambassador runs deep.

It is particularly difficult for me to let our supporters know our red fox, Todd, passed away on April 10th, 2024 after a brief illness. Todd was born in Indiana on April 4th, 2016, and arrived at Reflection Riding when he was just 5 weeks old—he looked like a small gray lint ball and was full of life and personality.

As he matured, his beautiful coat appeared. Toddy was a cross color morph of red fox with not only the beautiful red fur, but browns, blacks, tans and whites and the signature white tipped tail. He was stunningly beautiful. In the winter, his coat was incredibly thick, especially his tail. As summer approached each year, he began the long process of shedding his winter coat to reveal a summer coat of the same colors that was sleek and smooth. Tufts of fur in his enclosure always signaled spring was near.

Toddy proved to be a wonderful and engaging animal ambassador for his species. People were thrilled to meet him and enjoyed the simple pleasure of watching him and admiring his beauty. He even had his own Instagram page with many followers who loved to watch him. With Toddy as our red fox ambassador, it was easy to teach people about the ecosystem services fox provide like controlling populations of prey animals and seed dispersal.

Toddy had many vocalizations and would often call to us when he heard the gate open or could hear our voices. When we approached his enclosure, we were always greeted with his affectionate squeal, laugh, smile and bobbing tail. He would often roll over on his back in excitement. 

He loved his meals - you could see and feel his excitement when he received his food. He had many favorites including watermelon and scrambled eggs. We often used his diet to provide enrichment for him by hiding food in food puzzles which he always enjoyed. There were times when he would cache his food. Watching him look for the right spot, then digging a hole, placing the food in the hole, and covering it with his nose was fascinating to watch. He surely dug up the food later to enjoy as a midnight snack.

Foxes are known for their intelligence and antics, both of which Toddy had in spades. We often gave him fresh wheat straw and he would spend time digging in it, lying in it and taking the well-known fox pounce into it. He loved to “catch” our hands as we shook them under the straw piles. In the summer, Toddy had his own beach - a simple box with sand in it and a large fan. He spent many days cooling off in the sand and enjoying the breeze. He was a quick study and learned many behaviors we taught him which helped with vet care, observations and enrichment.

His death has been very difficult while the life he spent with us was so beautiful. My time spent with him was a treasure trove of learning experiences, a complete pleasure and both a humbling and awe-inspiring experience of being part of a red fox’s life. There are no words to properly describe my time with him. I treasure every moment of it and hold the memories close.

We’ll miss you, Toddy!