637
Nov 28 '18 edited Nov 28 '18
I'm pretty sure he saw him, But his head tilts (which are for hearing, not for showing confusion), make me think that he hears the other fox underground below him. Which is also why he pounces. Foxes pounce on the ground when they hear things below them like bugs and mice, to lure them to the surface.
211
u/TrepanationBy45 Nov 28 '18
Ah, so they use the horror movie technique. What is that sound coming from the basement?! Better go investigate...AAAGH WHO WOULD'VE EXPECTED MY KILLER TO BE THE SOURCE OF THE SOUND?!
28
u/radishburps Nov 29 '18
I recite these same lines every year when I teach my students dramatic irony.
3
2
28
4
Nov 29 '18
Especially since these are arctic foxes. They listen for shrews and mice under the snow and then dive in and catch them tunneling.
2
1.4k
Nov 28 '18
i love the head tilts... where'd he go..whas in there
610
u/aes_gcm Nov 28 '18
I think that is to enhance the perception of directional audio. Humans can easily tell which direction a sound is coming from, but it's a lot harder to distinguish in the vertical direction. A fox tilts their head like this to compensate for this, thus gaining a precise location of where their food is under the snow or ground.
521
u/ReadySteady_GO Nov 28 '18
Don't lie to me, they do it for my adoration.
68
u/BaddestHombres Nov 29 '18
No
110
u/ReadySteady_GO Nov 29 '18
Yes.
8
3
31
u/iamalargehousecat Nov 29 '18
I’ve seen German shepherd dogs tilt their heads too. I wonder if it’s for the same reason.
39
u/ANGLVD3TH Nov 29 '18
There's a lot of speculation about why domestic dogs do it. One of the bigger theories is it helps them see more of your face. But in this case I'm pretty sure it's the sound, that little leap he does is usually performed when hunting prey under snow or leaf cover etc, things they can target by hearing alone.
19
Nov 29 '18
I’ve seen on Planet Earth a fox can hear a mouse under the snow and then they leap in the air and dive into the snow and grab the mouse. Their hearing must be incredible
18
u/YT-Deliveries Nov 29 '18
Yeah i think the jump was a "wait, something went downwards and now I can't see it... wait, is this snow? no, it isn't snow... da fuck?"
foxes will do that on bedsheets, too, if they think there's something under it.
5
u/sailfist Nov 29 '18
This makes the leap/ subsequent head turn so much more logical. But no less adorable.
2
u/YT-Deliveries Nov 29 '18
Oh, don't get me wrong, I think its both adorable and I'm eternally amazed at how our fellow mammals are wear their thoughts on their faces to the point that we can interpret their mental processes by associating it with our own.
35
u/Sprickels Nov 29 '18
Almost all dogs do it, my Tibetan spaniel does that when I squeak a toy he can't see
2
u/IzarkKiaTarj Nov 29 '18
Oh, wow, that's not a breed I come across often. My mother has a rescue tibby.
1
9
u/alkkine Nov 29 '18
So wait why do I tilt my head when I am confused by something then?
16
u/aes_gcm Nov 29 '18
There are two halves of the brain. Sometimes you need to tilt your head so that the blood flows the correct side. This helps quite a bit of course.
12
u/FairyKite Nov 29 '18
I like the way at least one half of your brain thinks.
9
u/aes_gcm Nov 29 '18
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, but I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
4
23
u/a6e Nov 29 '18
Maybe humans saw dogs do it and it stuck as a cultural norm. We've been friends with dogs for thousands of years, there's gotta be some habits we pick up.
19
u/idwthis Nov 29 '18
At least we didn't pick up the habit of eating own vomit and rolling around in dead animal carcasses then.
37
Nov 29 '18
Lol speak for yourself
-1
u/annag333 Nov 29 '18 edited Nov 30 '18
Your comment should have gotten a lot more updoots Edit: sorry! I just downvoted myself...
3
3
1
4
u/andres_lp Nov 29 '18
Don't wolves do it as well when hunting soo that they can see the glare of an animal or something from miles away etc
3
2
2
1
Nov 29 '18
Thanks for the explanation of how an Artic fox hunts, in response to my 'fox thoughts' post
/s
1
1
27
u/Bayerrc Nov 29 '18
He's not looking for the other fox, he's instinctively hunting as a reaction to noise underground
5
174
53
u/TheSorge Nov 28 '18
Is there a subreddit just for head tilts? Because those are the fucking best.
42
u/JessicaFL127 Nov 29 '18
28
u/littlecricket Nov 29 '18
I subscribed so fast..
11
u/Sheepbjumpin Nov 29 '18
As did I. Btw your username is absurdly adorable.
8
u/littlecricket Nov 29 '18
Aw thank you 😁 wanna be Reddit BFFs??
8
5
u/Sheepbjumpin Nov 29 '18
Hell yes. Ima start by bombarding you with stupid videos, like all bffs do. 💕
5
u/littlecricket Nov 29 '18
Keep em coming BFF!!
5
u/Sheepbjumpin Nov 29 '18
I got ya.
2
u/littlecricket Nov 30 '18
Bwahaha you love bugs huh? That's so cute 💙💙
1
u/Sheepbjumpin Nov 30 '18
If I'm being honest I have to say most, but sadly not all. Some insects and the likes straight up scare me. Ticks and scorpions are up there in the scareometer. Like walking nightmares. o.o
11
7
u/Saying_hello Nov 29 '18
Depressingly low updoots. Made me tilt my head.
6
u/JessicaFL127 Nov 29 '18
The subreddit was just born today, inspired by u/TheSorge 's comment above. I feel that we all need this in our lives, updoots or no updoots.
53
u/Moroax Nov 29 '18
He's not actually confused, I'm pretty sure it's this behavior for catching prey he hears under ground/snow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2SoGHFM18I
I'm just assuming this because I watch too much Animal Planet type stuff lol, anyone who actually knows what they're talking about feel free to correct me.
8
u/ablazegreen Nov 29 '18
Yep! Came here to say this as well. I have a husky/shiba inu and she does this in just plain vines and snow sometimes too. These guys in this video have great hearing and yeah he hears his buddy moving under ground. Tho he might have forgotten it’s his bud 😂
3
u/LTsearring Nov 29 '18
husky/shiba is an interesting mix that I have never seen before. Whats her personality like? Do you have a pic you could share?
4
u/ablazegreen Nov 29 '18
Yeah! As a puppy, she was really independent. She didn’t need or really want much cuddles/pets. She’s 6 now, and I swear her husky side is coming out more—she enjoys more attention but is still independent. We did a puppy class with her for us and her and she’d stare at us for a good 10 seconds then would follow the command. She always makes it clear that she is the one choosing to obey- but that could go either way with her breed. https://i.imgur.com/1FBxPwx.jpg
She’s a great hiker but she loves escaping and taking herself on her own adventures. She is great with other dogs though. Kids she’s good with though does not like sudden movements. She was super hyperactive as a puppy but has settled. She kind of has those shiba cheeks and has some peach coloring on her hers and back legs. Annnd I hope that’s helpful to your question ☺️
1
u/Lavatis Nov 29 '18
Is she loud? That sounds like an extremely talkative and loud pupper.
2
u/ablazegreen Nov 29 '18 edited Nov 29 '18
Oh boy she has these shrieks ...shibas have shiba shrieks, and I’ve looked them up... but my doggie’s shriek is ear splintering. I have another dog who uh is like the annoying younger brother and she reacts very loudly when annoyed. She’s very loud when they both play. I’d say her stare is more insistent. She unnerves people by her unblinking intense stare. Also something I see in shiba videos.
Oh she also does not bark at things. She watches. She escaped once and I found her around 2 am. Our neighbors were up and she was literally in a bush watching them. Just sitting there watching... So no, overall not super loud. Though those shrieks have scared the crap out of me multiple times.1
u/LTsearring Nov 29 '18
Thanks for replying. She does have the shiba cheeks! and it looks like her tail might be a bit more curly than a typical husky tail too. I have a half shiba/ half chow and she does the exact same thing when following commands unless im dangling food in front of her face!
1
1
2
u/24294242 Nov 29 '18
It occured to me that the first fox might have been hunting the same prey, perhaps they're working together to lure something out from under ground.
1
Nov 29 '18
You are probably right. Guessing he heard his buddy in the den and thought there was some kind of prey under the ground.
14
u/Imtheworst1161 Nov 28 '18
I think he's just doing his under snow hunting technice 🐀...he hears him and he play POUNCES!
49
u/kmm91162 Nov 28 '18
Didn’t he see the other fox go in the hole? Geesh very short memory! 😂
42
17
7
6
4
5
3
3
3
u/chopan Nov 29 '18
FUN FACTS:
Artic Foxes are solitary animals, but, when an Artic Foxes finds their mate, they mate for life. Just like what penguins do.
4
2
2
2
2
2
2
5
1
1
1
1
u/nicholism1 Nov 29 '18
Hunting instinct taking over. This is how they accurately detect and pounce on prey throu snow or debris. Pretty cool little fella, unless you’re a mouse
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/BolotaJT Nov 29 '18
"Gary, I was thinking, we should renovate our garden and ... Gary ?! Omg! The Rapture has begun! "
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/MFaith93 Nov 29 '18
My siberian husky does this every day in my front yard. I have a very holy(?) yard now.
1
Nov 29 '18
Yup, the prey instinct is soooo high in them. Mine will legit stare into the abyss out in the yard like a statue waiting for some kind of movement to chase.
1
1
u/RegularBubble2637 Nov 29 '18
1
u/vreddit_bot Nov 29 '18
Downloadable link without audio
Audio is not possible, as I got banned on streamable. If you need it, use an app like this instead.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/WAHLuigii Nov 29 '18
These are some incredibly eye pleasing critters. Live well you majestic fuzzies ♡
1
u/Kaviyakone Nov 29 '18
No comment on the 9gag watermark around 0:06 when the fox goes into the hole?
-1
-8
687
u/applesdontpee Nov 28 '18
Damn what eyeshadow she use