Fox for a Pet?
I did not know you could keep one of these as a pet, my mind is starting to turn with ideas now. OMG I want one! They are called Fennec foxes btw.
That savanna kitty doesn’t even stand a chance.
Update: Please read Nicholas Knight’s comment on owning a Fennec Fox.
August 19th, 2007 at 12:46 am
You _CAN_. Whether you _should_ is another matter.
The video’s poster notes in the comments that this one isn’t actually a pet (he’s a wildlife educator and brings the pups home to enhance their socialization).
Like most wild animals, foxes aren’t usually well-suited to being pets. Fennecs are an exception — to a point. They actually vary so much from most other foxes that there’s question of whether they should even be considered a “fox” or their own genus.
Fennecs are extremely social (unlike other foxes who are largely solitary) and can be very friendly. However, they’re still not a properly domesticated animal like a dog or cat. They’re very much an exotic pet. This isn’t to say they should be considered dangerous (though any wild animal is due an added degree of caution over domestics), but that they have specialized needs.
They’re very high-energy and extremely intelligent. If they have insufficient physical and mental stimulus, they’ll turn neurotic (think border collie on steriods), and then they might actually _be_ dangerous. Their dietary needs cannot be met by going down to the nearest pet store and picking up some dog food. They also like to hide bits of food everywhere (a symptom of being a desert species). Very importantly, housebreaking may be difficult to impossible. Getting proper veterinary care for one may be an adventure in itself. Legality may vary, too. Dunno where you’re located, but in California (US), for instance, fennecs and most other exotic pets are very illegal. Other states may be more tolerant, though individual counties and cities can come up with their own rules, too…
If it’s legal where you are and you’ve got a lot of free time to dedicate to it (and are very sure you want to), do a bunch of research and go for it. I’ll be over here being jelous.
August 19th, 2007 at 5:45 am
Thanks for the insightful comment! Another one of my friends claimed it would be irresponsible to promote getting a fennec fox with my post. There are lots of different kinds of people outthere and I really hope people do not get animals just for the novelty as I think thats cruel. I believe getting an animal like that though is a self selecting process. Since its so difficult to come by them only the committed would get one. My Bub already takes up most of my time so I don’t think I’ll be getting one anytime soon. Would be fun to see a fox chase him around though! Oh yeah and I live in California too so I would have to move. -__-