Can you raise a fox as a pet
Measures to keep it cool may be necessary. Due to a small breeding stock in the U. Like red foxes, its urine and scenting glands make it a smelly choice for a pet. It is not well suited to life indoors since it scent marks its territory. It also loves to play in sand and dirt and may make their litter box more of a pleasure sandbox than a bathroom spot. As far as foxes go, it can have a pleasant disposition. Physical Characteristics: Dark gray to brown to bluish-brown coat in the summer; white or creamy white thick coat in winter; long, bushy tail; short nose; small curled-back ears; short, stubby legs.
Gray foxes Urocyon cinereoargenteus used to be the most common fox found in the U. Over the centuries, human encroachment and deforestation have allowed red foxes to become the most dominant species. Gray foxes are the calmest and friendliest fox species. Usually, most foxes are wary of strangers, however, gray foxes are amiable and affectionate with most people.
Grays and most other foxes will never be truly housebroken, even though gray fox urine is not as pungent as other species. They can be troublemakers in the house by digging up carpets, marking territory, and eating or chewing random things that they shouldn't. Physical Characteristics: Peppery gray coat on top, reddish-brown on its sides, chest and back of head; reddish-colored legs and feet; long, bushy tail with a black stripe on top; pointed ears; pointed muzzle; long, hooked claws.
A small species, the bat-eared fox Otocyon megalotis is an uncommon species to find and to keep. These foxes are native to the plains of Africa. In the wild, they are primarily an insectivorous species with termites and dung beetles making up 80 percent of their natural diet. As pets, they can be fed meat, and vegetables. These foxes have been kept indoors by owners. But, similar to other fox species, bat-eared foxes need an escape-proof enclosure.
Beware of digging and scent marking with this fox species, too. Physical Characteristics: Unusually large ears; yellowish-gray coat; black face and legs; black-tipped ears and tail. Hailing from the North American grasslands, swift foxes Vulpes velox are a small species of fox that are a rare find in the exotic pet trade. This species is known to have a loving temperament and is less noisy and energetic than fennec foxes. Some reports claim this species is easier to train to use a litter box.
Swift foxes are omnivores. Its diet includes grasses, fruits, small mammals, carrion, and insects. In the wild, this species lives up to 6 years. As pets, their life expectancy can increase to 14 years. Physical Characteristics: Dark, grayish, tan coat coloration that extends to a yellowish-tan color across its sides and legs; pale yellow to white-colored throat, chest, and belly; black-tipped tail; black patches on its muzzle; large ears.
The kit fox Vulpes macrotis species is closely related to the swift fox. It is about the same size and is native to southwestern North America. A naturally inquisitive species, it has little fear of humans and can form deep bonds with its owner. In the wild, it is an omnivore.
As a pet, it should be fed a combo diet of high quality, protein-rich dog food, cooked or raw meats, vegetables, and fruits for variety. Special treats can include hidden crickets or mealworms to stimulate their foraging instinct. Very rarely does this species make noise, but when it does, the sounds can include low barks or growls. This fox species is one of the easiest to litter or potty pad train. Being that foxes like to climb, get this species a cat tree or cat condo.
Provide a sandbox for this fox to dig holes, which is one of its favorite activities. Physical Characteristics: Big-eared; grayish orange topcoat with a white underbelly; black-tipped tail. The pale fox Vulpes pallida is native to the Sahara Desert. This species is another rarity in the exotic pet trade. Pale foxes are a low-odor species, easier to train than fennec foxes, and have a friendly disposition. They tend to be vocal and make loud, high-pitched screeches like fennec foxes.
Physical Characteristics: Pale, sandy-colored coat; whitish underbelly; long-bodied; relatively short legs; narrow muzzle; long ears and rounded at the top; bushy, black-tipped tail. MORE : What to do if you find a lost cat. Poppy Logo. FB house promo. Share this article via facebook Share this article via twitter Share this article via messenger Share this with Share this article via email Share this article via flipboard Copy link. Share this article via comment Share this article via facebook Share this article via twitter.
More Stories. Today's Best Discounts. Get us in your feed Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter. Dmitry Belyaev, the brains behind the breeding. Photo by Institute of Cytology and Genetics. As director of the newly-minted Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Belyaev was curious as to how dogs first became domesticated.
He decided that to fully understand the process, he must attempt to replicate the early days of domestication. He picked foxes for the experiment because of their close family ties with dogs both are canids.
His research team visited fur farms across the Soviet Union and purchased the tamest foxes on hand. They figured using the most docile of the wild foxes for their breeding program would hasten the pace of domestication, relative to the thousands of years it took to breed dogs. Instead of being outgoing and excited by encountering people, these foxes were defensive and aggressive. Unfortunately, Belyaev died before seeing the final results.
But today, 58 years after the start of the program, there is now a large, sustainable population of domesticated foxes. These animals have no fear of humans, and actively seek out human companionship. University of Illinois biologist Anna Kukekova has been studying these domesticated foxes since the late s.
Her lab digs into the genes behind the desirable traits in the animals. Two domesticated foxes, produced as part of a long-term breeding program in Russia, begging for pets. Photo by Judith A. Bassett Canid Education and Conservation Center.
Their ears show weird traits, too. Like puppies, young foxes have floppy ears.
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