5 things to know about foxes in Minecraft

There are so many different types of mobs in Minecraft, each making its own special mark on the world they inhabit. One of the most notorious mobs in Minecraft is the fox. This little critter has earned quite a reputation for being a cute but thieving menace.

Since foxes are known for being sly thieves, players may want to get to know them a bit better to learn more about them and what they can do in-game.

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Foxes are one of the cutest passive mobs in Minecraft

As one of the cutest mobs in Minecraft, the fox was added as part of a player vote to add the Taiga biome to the game. Like the recent Sniffer that beat out Rascal and Tuff Golem, players made their voices heard as they chose the fox.

Part of the appeal, of course, was the mob's cute factor and the fact that the fox was the only mob that could jump more than 1 block high at the time. The Goat has since replaced this, but foxes have many other tricks.

Here are five things that gamers should know about foxes in Minecraft:

1) Foxes can pick up any item that they find on the ground

Foxes can pick up any item on the ground by holding it in their mouths. While they generally prefer to attack enemies or hunt for food over picking up items, they can snatch it up in their mouths if they are within 1 block of an item.

If the item is a food item, they will consume it after 30 seconds (excluding cake) and will gain any effects from the consumed food. This means a fox that eats an enchanted golden apple will also gain an absorption effect.

However, holding items in their mouths can lead to some special abilities.

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2) Foxes can use enchanted gear and totems of undying

Because they can pick up any item in the game, foxes can also pick up weapons such as swords or even a totem of undying. If the fox picks up a totem of undying and then is killed, it will not drop the item but will use the totem to resurrect itself.

This can make for some pretty funny side effects, however, it is not recommended to kill a fox to try to get the player's totem of undying effect, or they will lose it.

However, if a fox has a sword enchanted with the looting or fire aspect, it can use those effects on any target it attacks while it holds the item in its mouth. As items held in the fox's mouth count as being held in its main hand, it can set things on fire with the fire aspect or gain more loot with looting enchantment.

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3) Foxes prefer to hunt for food differently depending on where they were born

Foxes can come in two variants: the classic red and orange fox or the white fox. These foxes prefer different methods of hunting depending on where they were born.

Snow foxes come from snowy biomes, and much prefer capturing fish, such as salmon and cod. In comparison, orange foxes prefer to eat chickens and rabbits.

Notably, baby foxes will follow adult foxes as they hunt, and since they cannot swim, they will drop when attempting to eat fish.

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4) Foxes love to sleep during the day

As nocturnal animals, foxes love to sleep during the day and are one of the few mobs that do so in Minecraft. Others that sleep during the day include cats, villagers, and bats.

The light level at the location where the fox chooses to sleep must be 14 or below. If the light level exceeds 15, the fox will not be able to sleep there. In addition, foxes will wake up if a player or a mob approaches them. Players can try to sneak up on foxes by crouching, but they will awaken when the player is 1 block away.

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5) Foxes in Minecraft can be tamed by feeding them berries

Those who have always wanted to have a pet fox are in luck. Players can easily get a tamed fox by feeding them glowberries or sweet berries until they have a heart appear above their heads.

Once they become trusting, players can breed two foxes, and they will produce one fox kit. Foxes who trust the player will protect them from mobs that attack them, and they will angrily rush whatever harms the player.

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Foxes are a great mob and a fun addition to Minecraft

For such a cute mob, foxes have a lot of special quirks that make them truly unique in-game. With the right amount of patience and glowberries, fox tamers can have as many as they want in their base - they should keep a close eye on their valuables.