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I made this full file to see every little detail.
Lately I have seen multiple posts of people posting pictures of real fox and coyote tails and calling them "faux" or claiming them to be "fake". I did, in fact, comment on a couple of these postings doing my best to describe the distinct difference between a real and fake tail. Unfortunately, most parties did not want to listen and argued as well as deleted my comments. I had also run into people posting coyote tails as "fox" and visa versa. Although these differences are very obvious to me, most don't know or understand them so I wanted to post something small to try and help people make that identification between faux and real, as well as the distinction of the types of some tails.
None of the tails depicted are fake. All are real fur tails.
Photographs (going from bottom to top):
5. This is a group of my own personal tails. From left to right; Ranched silver fox, Ranched red fox, White wolf, Coyote. There is a very distinct difference in the type of tail itself. Whether it be from size, colors, texture, markings, etc.
Both foxes pictures here have a white tip, but not all foxes have a white tip to their tail. *I wanted to mention here that someone posted because their fox tail had a bluish hue to the tip, that it was a fake tail. My silver fox tail pictured here has a bluish hue, probably from chemicals, and I have had others with more of a creamy brown tip. The variation of white in the tip can be different. That does not make it fake. Fox tails can vary drastically in size. The ones pictures are both ranched foxes so they are abnormally large and both measure over 20" inches each. That does not mean that every fox tail will look the same, have the same shape, measure the same length, or even share the same texture. Most wild fox tails measure between 13-16" inches and have a much more sleek and slender appearance.
The wolf tail pictured is a white wolf. I see fox tails and coyotes both commonly mistaken for wolf tails. Wolf tails are on the more rare side of trade. They are not common and when found, can cost a pretty penny of between $60 (if you're lucky!) to more commonly priced $80 to $100 and even more! Wolf tails have more of a distinct wirey feel to their hairs. Wolf tails can also vary in texture, size (16" inches as subadults, to 20" inches and over), and even color. Wolves come in an array of colors and coat patterns and no two tails are alike.
All wolf tails, in my experience, have been very different, though they share a very common trait with the coyote, a distinct black "spot" usually 1/3 of the length down from the tail. Foxes can have this mark as well, but usually not as noticeable, and typically not as black. *Fun fact: The black spot located on the tails are actually a "scent gland".
Coyote tails are most commonly a shade of brown or tan, and even cream. More uncommonly they can be black, white, mixed, or other assortments of colors. They are almost always black tipped, though occasionally and a little more rarely white tips can occur, but usually mixed in with the black tip. Coyotes are mostly the same texture, of a softish fur into a more silky feel. Their lengths are most usually within the 13" inch to 16" inch range. This tail in particular is actually a 20" tail, most likely from a brush coyote, while not very different from other coyotes other than in size.
*I wanted to add that because two tails are the same color, does not mean they are from the same specie. Here, my coyote tail and red fox tail are very similar in color and even the same length, but are in no way the same specie. This can be confusing to anyone who does not know the difference between species.
4. This is a closeup of the group shot of the tails. From left to right; Ranched silver fox, Ranched red fox, White wolf, Coyote. This picture was taken to better display the difference in textures, though hard to photograph. It is not easy to feel through a photograph so a hands on experience would be easier to understand, but I did my best to capture the difference in fur.
The silver fox is soft, plush, and heavily furred. The red fox is also plush and heavily furred though the fur has more of a cottony feel. The white wolf is very coarse and wirey. The coyote, silky, but still a more coarse feel.
3 and 2. Number 3 is a photograph of the leather on the ranched silver fox tail (nice white leather). Number 2 is a photograph of the leather on the ranched red fox tail (a little more yellowing and some sawdust). This is the BEST way to identify and tell the difference between a real fur tail and a fake one.
Take the tail and hold it at the top, now try and find the BACK side of the tail. GENTLY pull the fur apart and slide your finger through the fur until you find the middle piece of leather. Some tails are heavily furred or wooly underneath making it hard to find the leather. Please be careful not to rip or tug on the tail. The leather should be a white color, or in some cases, a yellowy color. Some tails also have sawdust left in the middle where the leather is. The leather is usually soft, flexible, and stretchy (again, please don't pull!). If there is leather, well then you have a real tail! Or for you non-believers, somebody magically glued real feeling plastic fibers to a piece of what looks like leather but isn't! Wink!
1. This is a photograph of the closeup of the ranched silver fox tail while being bent. This picture is really a good distinction of a real fox tail. Fake fur just does not look real. While a tails fur is spread apart, you can check out the underfur. Most underfur is a grey color on most any colored tail and is very soft to the touch (bet your fake yarn tails don't have that!). The furs that become more silky or coarse as the fur reaches out of the middle are guard hairs.
Mind you, these are all natural and real tails. Dyed tails do occur in a huge variety of colors from pinks to purples and natural colored dyes of blacks to browns. This does not make it any more or less of a real tail! It is still real fur!
If this doesn't make the difference a bit more obvious, I'm not sure what will. There is an extremely distinct difference between a PLASTIC man-made material, and the furs of a REAL fur tail. If you can't feel it, well I'd spend some time petting a cat or a dog!
Never the less, I hope this post helps someone understand what a real fur tail is like and helps them identify their own. And by the way, you aren't a bad person for owning a real tail! It's more environmentally friendly than a fake one!
Feel free to use and share as you please! If there is something you think I left out, feel free to help me add to it! As always, thank you!
----------
Disclaimer:
I did not kill these animals. All animals featured in this gallery are treated with the utmost respect. They were not killed for the purpose of taxidermy, though their beauty has been naturally preserved through the taxidermy process. I respect all opinions, please respect mine.
Lately I have seen multiple posts of people posting pictures of real fox and coyote tails and calling them "faux" or claiming them to be "fake". I did, in fact, comment on a couple of these postings doing my best to describe the distinct difference between a real and fake tail. Unfortunately, most parties did not want to listen and argued as well as deleted my comments. I had also run into people posting coyote tails as "fox" and visa versa. Although these differences are very obvious to me, most don't know or understand them so I wanted to post something small to try and help people make that identification between faux and real, as well as the distinction of the types of some tails.
None of the tails depicted are fake. All are real fur tails.
Photographs (going from bottom to top):
5. This is a group of my own personal tails. From left to right; Ranched silver fox, Ranched red fox, White wolf, Coyote. There is a very distinct difference in the type of tail itself. Whether it be from size, colors, texture, markings, etc.
Both foxes pictures here have a white tip, but not all foxes have a white tip to their tail. *I wanted to mention here that someone posted because their fox tail had a bluish hue to the tip, that it was a fake tail. My silver fox tail pictured here has a bluish hue, probably from chemicals, and I have had others with more of a creamy brown tip. The variation of white in the tip can be different. That does not make it fake. Fox tails can vary drastically in size. The ones pictures are both ranched foxes so they are abnormally large and both measure over 20" inches each. That does not mean that every fox tail will look the same, have the same shape, measure the same length, or even share the same texture. Most wild fox tails measure between 13-16" inches and have a much more sleek and slender appearance.
The wolf tail pictured is a white wolf. I see fox tails and coyotes both commonly mistaken for wolf tails. Wolf tails are on the more rare side of trade. They are not common and when found, can cost a pretty penny of between $60 (if you're lucky!) to more commonly priced $80 to $100 and even more! Wolf tails have more of a distinct wirey feel to their hairs. Wolf tails can also vary in texture, size (16" inches as subadults, to 20" inches and over), and even color. Wolves come in an array of colors and coat patterns and no two tails are alike.
All wolf tails, in my experience, have been very different, though they share a very common trait with the coyote, a distinct black "spot" usually 1/3 of the length down from the tail. Foxes can have this mark as well, but usually not as noticeable, and typically not as black. *Fun fact: The black spot located on the tails are actually a "scent gland".
Coyote tails are most commonly a shade of brown or tan, and even cream. More uncommonly they can be black, white, mixed, or other assortments of colors. They are almost always black tipped, though occasionally and a little more rarely white tips can occur, but usually mixed in with the black tip. Coyotes are mostly the same texture, of a softish fur into a more silky feel. Their lengths are most usually within the 13" inch to 16" inch range. This tail in particular is actually a 20" tail, most likely from a brush coyote, while not very different from other coyotes other than in size.
*I wanted to add that because two tails are the same color, does not mean they are from the same specie. Here, my coyote tail and red fox tail are very similar in color and even the same length, but are in no way the same specie. This can be confusing to anyone who does not know the difference between species.
4. This is a closeup of the group shot of the tails. From left to right; Ranched silver fox, Ranched red fox, White wolf, Coyote. This picture was taken to better display the difference in textures, though hard to photograph. It is not easy to feel through a photograph so a hands on experience would be easier to understand, but I did my best to capture the difference in fur.
The silver fox is soft, plush, and heavily furred. The red fox is also plush and heavily furred though the fur has more of a cottony feel. The white wolf is very coarse and wirey. The coyote, silky, but still a more coarse feel.
3 and 2. Number 3 is a photograph of the leather on the ranched silver fox tail (nice white leather). Number 2 is a photograph of the leather on the ranched red fox tail (a little more yellowing and some sawdust). This is the BEST way to identify and tell the difference between a real fur tail and a fake one.
Take the tail and hold it at the top, now try and find the BACK side of the tail. GENTLY pull the fur apart and slide your finger through the fur until you find the middle piece of leather. Some tails are heavily furred or wooly underneath making it hard to find the leather. Please be careful not to rip or tug on the tail. The leather should be a white color, or in some cases, a yellowy color. Some tails also have sawdust left in the middle where the leather is. The leather is usually soft, flexible, and stretchy (again, please don't pull!). If there is leather, well then you have a real tail! Or for you non-believers, somebody magically glued real feeling plastic fibers to a piece of what looks like leather but isn't! Wink!
1. This is a photograph of the closeup of the ranched silver fox tail while being bent. This picture is really a good distinction of a real fox tail. Fake fur just does not look real. While a tails fur is spread apart, you can check out the underfur. Most underfur is a grey color on most any colored tail and is very soft to the touch (bet your fake yarn tails don't have that!). The furs that become more silky or coarse as the fur reaches out of the middle are guard hairs.
Mind you, these are all natural and real tails. Dyed tails do occur in a huge variety of colors from pinks to purples and natural colored dyes of blacks to browns. This does not make it any more or less of a real tail! It is still real fur!
If this doesn't make the difference a bit more obvious, I'm not sure what will. There is an extremely distinct difference between a PLASTIC man-made material, and the furs of a REAL fur tail. If you can't feel it, well I'd spend some time petting a cat or a dog!
Never the less, I hope this post helps someone understand what a real fur tail is like and helps them identify their own. And by the way, you aren't a bad person for owning a real tail! It's more environmentally friendly than a fake one!
Feel free to use and share as you please! If there is something you think I left out, feel free to help me add to it! As always, thank you!
----------
Disclaimer:
I did not kill these animals. All animals featured in this gallery are treated with the utmost respect. They were not killed for the purpose of taxidermy, though their beauty has been naturally preserved through the taxidermy process. I respect all opinions, please respect mine.
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Comments32
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This helped me a lot! At first I thought I had a fake tail. It's was a gift from my aunt. Realized it's real don't know what animal yet I hope to find out!