Foxes are small-to-medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. Foxes are slightly smaller than a medium-size domestic dog, with a flattened skull, upright triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or brush).
Fox species differ in fur color, length, and density. Coat colors range from pearly white to black and white to black flecked with white or grey on the underside.
Outdoor
Enclosure
The enclosure should be in a safe location. Your pet fox will need to be sheltered from
the elements as well. Consider your chosen location carefully, it should have a
windbreak and a source of shade; if either of these things is lacking, you will
need to provide them.
The enclosure can be made from a large outdoor dog kennel or two being put together. Another alternative is to use chain link fencing or small square fencing.
Most species are small enough at this point to squeeze through the holes in many types of fencing. The general rule of thumb is if the animal can fit its head through, assume it can squeeze its body through. Also foxes are good climbers so your enclosure needs to have a roof.
Special care must be taken when deciding what type of flooring to use in your fox's outdoor enclosure. They are natural diggers, so it is up to you to make sure that they do not dig out. For a permanent enclosure, you can use a poured concrete floor. Another common and highly effective floor strategy is to bury chain link or similar fencing under a thick layer of natural non treated mulch. This allows for great drainage, but also prevents dig-outs and escapes. You can also bury heavy paving stones under a thick layer of dirt and natural non treated mulch to prevent dig-outs.
Try to keep their outdoor enclosure similar to what their natural habitat would be in the wild. Provide different smells and textures outdoors, such as wood, sand, dirt, rocks, gravel, and hay. They don't have to all be in the pen at the same time. Introducing new items periodically will help keep your fox entertained.
Foxes also love to climb, dig and chew, so be sure to have items in the pen that the animal can safely chew on. You may want to provide your fox with items to climb upon and a section to dig in. You can also use chew toys that are animal safe for your fox as well.
Indoor
Enclosure or Play Pen
If keeping a fox as a pet and you want an indoor/outdoor pet, then here are some tips. You will need an indoor kennel or play pen for your fox. They can run around the home as well, but must be supervised. If you are too busy to watch them then you can put them in their indoor pen.
The indoor kennel should have some type of bedding or box for it to hide in. A litter box is also a good idea. Be sure the indoor pen also has chew toys and thing to play with to keep your fox entertained.
Housebreaking is best accomplished by using a litter box. The size and type of box will depend on the species of fox you have. Use a very thin layer of litter as foxes do not bury their waste.
It is advisable if you are able to connect the indoor
and outdoor enclosures via a doggie door. This gives the fox the opportunity to
choose if they want to be inside or out.
Feeding
Feeding your fox is relatively easy. Foxes are omnivores and eat a variety of food in the wild. The
primary source of his food should be a good quality dog food (meat should be the first ingredient).
Kits should be started on puppy food. As the kit
reaches around a year of age, you can slowly switch to adult dog food or leave
it on puppy food. You can also feed a combination of the two depending on
activity level of your pet. If your fox starts getting chunky, gradually reduce
the amount of puppy food and increase the amount of adult food. In some cases,
it may be easier to feed them a dog food intended for all life stages.
Be sure to supplement your fox's food a few times a week with a variety of veggies, eggs, meat*, and fruit (don't overfeed fruit because of the sugar content). For meat be sure to use real meat such as chicken, turkey, fish, and red meats like venison or beef. Do not use overly processed mystery meats like hotdogs or spam. Do not give foxes pork or pork based products or treats either.
In addition to pork, things such as chocolate, raisins, grapes, onions, avocados, caffeine, and alcohol are also off limits. If in doubt as to whether a food is safe for your pet, don't feed it. If it is not safe for dogs, don't feed it to foxes. It's also not a good idea to feed road kill or mice due to the diseases they may carry.
Handling
For the first 6 months of your fox's life are the most important for socialization. Pick up and handle your kit as much as possible, even if just for a few minutes at a time. Get them used to a safety/breakaway collar (if desired), harness, leash, and grooming (bathing, nail clipping, and brushing fur and teeth) as early as possible.
If you choose to take your fox for walks, you must get it used to this when it is young. Don't attempt to start taking an adult on walks for the first time. It is way too stressful and they can injure themselves. A harness is much more safe and secure than a simple collar for walks. Some people keep a collar on all the time. Keep an ID tag on both the collar and harness. Also the rabies tag should be on the collar or harness as well. Using a harnesses in bright colors--usually red, blue, or green, to stand out against the foxes’ coat. The more obnoxious the shade, the more it will be seen. You want it to be obvious from far off that this fox is a pet.
Please be aware that many dogs have a powerful instinct to attack foxes, so you must always use caution when walking your fox anywhere dogs might be. Never walk your fox off its leash no matter how well-trained. Foxes are not dogs and might run away without warning if scared or enticed by something. Walk your fox often as foxes must be continually re-exposed to situations like this, otherwise they have a tendency to become fearful of it in a very short time.
Foxes will love having toys to play with. Plushies, ropes, squeaky toys, baby rattles, dangling and spring cat toys, and similar things will give your fox something to do. Just make sure your using the proper toys and to supervise playtime. In order to teach your fox which items are acceptable to play with, you can smear a small amount of peanut butter on the toys and give praise for playing with them. Take away any items your fox is not supposed to have. It is important to never hit or yell at your fox. Another successful training method is using a gentle spritz of water from a spray bottle when teaching the word "no" to foxes. As a kit reaches its "teenage" years, around 6 months or so, it will go through a rebellious phase which can be difficult to handle. This will pass but you need to be patient and never psychically hurt your fox or yell. Foxes are not dogs and they do not inherently trust people at all. With a fox trust can be hard to gain and easy to lose.
You must earn a fox's affection and trust through patience, kindness, time, and consistency. You have to find a way to bond with them. Talk to them, mimic their sounds when they talk to you, and if safe to do so, handle them often. Not all foxes like to be petted or held no matter what you try. I know it can be frustrating, but respect their personality and let them come to you. Don't force yourself on them.
Additional
Information
Use caution when having an adult fox in your home with other pets. Foxes, like any animal, can be unpredictable. They are opportunistic feeders and might eat smaller pets such as birds, fish, rodents, kittens, and small breed puppies. Never leave a fox unattended with these kinds of animals. You should also be careful introducing any new pet into a house with an adult fox. It's not uncommon for some foxes to dislike another animal for no apparent reason.
Foxes will bond with each other for life. A mated pair is most common, but sometimes siblings, same-gender, and even another species of fox or animal can cause a fox to form a very strong attachment. Removing one of them can lead to severe depression in your fox and they may become lethargic, depressed and even refuse to eat.
Remember, when you choose to bring a fox into your home it is a responsibility for the rest of that animal's life. They will often bond with one person very strongly. Severing the bond can cause a fox to become very depressed and sometimes aggressive. It is for this reason that it is often impossible to rehome a pet fox. If you no longer want your fox, then you should contact a rescue. They cannot be released into the wild. It's illegal and they will not survive and also might be carrying illness that could drastically impact wild populations. So be sure you are ready to dedicate the time, money, and patience required before you decide to get a fox.
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- Vocalization
Whine- Made shortly after birth. Occurs at a high rate when cubs are hungry and when their body temperatures are low. Whining stimulates the mother to care for her young; it also has been known to stimulate the male fox into caring for his mate and cubs.
Yelp- Made about 19 days later. The cubs' whining turns into infantile barks, yelps, which occur heavily during play.
Explosive call- At the age of about one month, the cubs can emit an explosive call which is intended to be threatening to intruders or other cubs; a high pitch howl.
Combative call- In adults, the explosive call becomes an open-mouthed combative call during any conflict; a sharper bark.
Growl- An adult fox's indication to their cubs to feed or head to the adult's location.
Bark- Adult foxes warn against intruders and in defense by barking.
In the case of domesticated foxes, the whining seems to remain in adult individuals as a sign of excitement and submission in the presence of their owners.
Also it is very important to find a vet who is not only willing to treat your fox but is also knowledgeable. At the very least make sure your vet has connections with another vet that has had experience with foxes.
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