Foxes as Pets

Foxes are much more like dogs, coyotes, and wolves. They are virtually found in all the continents with the red fox, Vulpes vulpes, being the most common. Foxes find their place in folklore and culture often as cunning, and wise tricksters. Foxes are mammals, belonging to the family Canidae. They are smaller than wolves, jackals, and dogs. Unlike dogs they have not been domesticated, though there have been some attempts made in this area. Certain breeds of foxes such as the silver fox, a silver-colored variant of the red fox, have been domesticated in Russia as a part of a program initiated in 1959. The result of the program revealed that behavioral traits of foxes are similar to domestic dogs, cats and other animals. The onus of the program was based on choosing the behavioral traits for tameness.

However, it is important to remember that foxes are wild animals and even tamed ones retain the instincts and traits of wild animals. So, if you are planning to keep foxes as pets, you have to take proper precautions. They may be dangerous to other small pets and children.

Keeping Foxes As Pets

If you want to go ahead and keep a fox as pet, you should be prepared for some groundwork, care and precautions. First thing to check for is the legal issue, as some states may ban keeping foxes as pets. The second thing is to obtain the services of a good veterinarian who can take care of your pet, give it vaccinations, etc. After you decide to keep a fox as pet, you need to prepare an area for your fox to live in. There should be ample space for the fox to move around, and it should be easy to maintain and clean. Include a kennel or some object as a den and also a litter box that the fox can be trained to use. Foxes are good diggers, climbers and jumpers, so make sure the area is well enclosed so that the fox cannot make its way out. Foxes have mannerisms and abilities that make them both dog-like and cat-like, so you can train them accordingly. They can also be trained to move around on a leash.

In case you are wondering what do foxes eat, remember that they are omnivorous opportunistic feeders. Their diet consists of high-quality dog food but with some additions like thawed vegetables, fruits and berries. Ideally, the diet should be at par nutritionally with a wild canid diet. If you have the fox from infancy you can bottle feed it, if required. Furthermore, you have to socialize the animal so that it can live successfully with a family. Do so by increased contact with the fox. Keep a dog or cat brush handy for grooming the fox. Give it some cat toys and play with it sometimes. All these activities are needed to keep the fox healthy and happy.

One type of fox which is often kept as an exotic pet is the fennec fox. Keeping a fennec fox as a pet however requires some preparation and guidelines. Fennec foxes are the smallest species of foxes and are looked upon as attractive pets because of their oversized ears. They are native to the Sahara desert and parts of North Africa. They are considered as exotic pets in America. Apart from the domesticated silver fox, fennec foxes are the only species of fox which can be kept as pets.

Facts About Foxes

• Foxes are small to medium-sized canids, i.e. members of the family Canidae.
• There are about 37 species of foxes.
• Foxes are found all over the world in almost all continents, with the red fox being the most common. The red fox weighs about 5.9 kilograms. The female foxes or vixens weigh a little less.
• Fox characteristics include the distinctive snout which is long and narrow and a bushy tail.
• Foxes can live up to ten years in the wild, but generally live for two to three years due to accidents, hunting and diseases.
• Foxes are omnivorous and eat insects, rodents, small reptiles and amphibians, fruit, berries and grasses. They are opportunistic feeders and usually eat up to one kilogram of food per day.
• Unlike many other canids, they are not pack animals, but live in small family groups.

As we can see from the above facts, foxes are wild animals well-suited to survive in their natural habitats. Therefore, these characteristics and also the odor of the fox, makes it questionable and difficult to keep foxes as pets.

To conclude, remember that a fox is primarily a wild animal and a fox may become unpredictable and unmanageable. On the other hand, it is an exotic pet, playful and an attractive companion.