Foxes as pets?

[goldeneagle66]

I seen quite a few people mainly on Youtube who have videos of pet Foxes? I think its kind of cool because some of them can learn mannerisms from a Dog such as begging, tricks and coming to you when wanting to be petted. I understand that they still have wild instincts and all though, I talked to one of the owners on youtube and he told me they are hard to train but one of his foxes helps him sniff out rabbits for hunting.

[SkyRider]

I read an article on this in National Geographic. It seems to be gaining some momentum with people around the world. Foxes apparently can become fairly domesticated within 5-6 generations or so. I thought it sounded neat but I doubt I'd ever get a pet fox.

[cratylus]

The pet foxes in question are highly domesticated. In the 1950's a project began to study evolution - foxes on fox farms in the ussr were selected for friendliness to humans. The resulting breed exhibited changes in physiology too-most notably their urine stopped stinking, and they kept their puppyish looks into adulthood (pedomorphism - a key concept in the biology of domestication). You don't want a wild fox anywhere near your living area --the urine stinks like a tire fire in a septic tank, you WILL be bitten, and the diseases even a healthy fox carries...a lifetime of hurt.

[goldeneagle66]

Jul 5, 2011 21:44:29 GMT -5 SkyRider said:

I read an article on this in National Geographic. It seems to be gaining some momentum with people around the world. Foxes apparently can become fairly domesticated within 5-6 generations or so. I thought it sounded neat but I doubt I'd ever get a pet fox.

Yea I don't know if I'd get one either I want a Wolf Hybrid but I doubt I'll get one of those. So I'll probably just end up getting a Siberian Husky. I thought it was interesting seeing people with an unusual pet such as a Fox.

[goldeneagle66]

Jul 6, 2011 12:50:36 GMT -5 cratylus said:

The pet foxes in question are highly domesticated. In the 1950's a project began to study evolution - foxes on fox farms in the ussr were selected for friendliness to humans. The resulting breed exhibited changes in physiology too-most notably their urine stopped stinking, and they kept their puppyish looks into adulthood (pedomorphism - a key concept in the biology of domestication). You don't want a wild fox anywhere near your living area --the urine stinks like a tire fire in a septic tank, you WILL be bitten, and the diseases even a healthy fox carries...a lifetime of hurt.

What about Fennec Foxes are they another Fox that can be kept as pets like those Russian Foxes? I know theres a handful of breeders that sell Fennecs but there pricy since there more valuable than a Dog or Cat.

[SkyRider]

Haha a wolf hybrid and foxes? Whatever happened to the good old days when we got golden retrievers, labs and spaniels as pets?

[MarkT]

Yea I don't know if I'd get one either I want a Wolf Hybrid but I doubt I'll get one of those.

If you are looking for a good pet I would steer clear of wolf dogs. My neighbor has a number of them and while I wouldn't consider them mean in any way, they are far from anything you would ever want in your house. All I can say is very destructive. A lot of people seem to have problems with high content wolf dogs as they reach sexual maturity but so far the 2 below haven't been a problem.

This one is supposed to be 76% wolf


And this one is supposed to be 98%.

[cratylus]

Jul 6, 2011 13:47:17 GMT -5 goldeneagle66 said:

Jul 6, 2011 12:50:36 GMT -5 cratylus said:

The pet foxes in question are highly domesticated. In the 1950's a project began to study evolution - foxes on fox farms in the ussr were selected for friendliness to humans. The resulting breed exhibited changes in physiology too-most notably their urine stopped stinking, and they kept their puppyish looks into adulthood (pedomorphism - a key concept in the biology of domestication). You don't want a wild fox anywhere near your living area --the urine stinks like a tire fire in a septic tank, you WILL be bitten, and the diseases even a healthy fox carries...a lifetime of hurt.

What about Fennec Foxes are they another Fox that can be kept as pets like those Russian Foxes? I know theres a handful of breeders that sell Fennecs but there pricy since there more valuable than a Dog or Cat.

Fennecs, I know people get them as pets. I've heard people praise them, and others curse that people have them as pets. It sounds like you want a wild pet, no matter what. I feel I can't support this. There's a reason people get golden retrievers instead of wolves and wolf-dogs. A dog will accept your friends visiting, a wolf will never trust anyone that hasn't been there since puppyhood. A wolf-dog will behave somewhere in between. In my opinion, wolf dogs are more dangerous because their personalities are a big question mark. Wolves and wolf-dogs a very destructive--as previously mentioned. If a wolf smells something in your carpet he won't stop digging until there's a hole in the floor. Get a Tamaskan. A Finnish breed that looks just like a wolf, but is 100% domestic.

[goldeneagle66]

Jul 6, 2011 13:57:07 GMT -5 SkyRider said:

Haha a wolf hybrid and foxes? Whatever happened to the good old days when we got golden retrievers, labs and spaniels as pets?

Haha oh those days are still here . I just want an unusual pet something different and I love Foxes and wolves and Coyotes a little bit but not as much as Foxes and Wolves. I'm sure a Siberian Husky or a Tamaskan Dog would fulfill that 'wolf' desire though.

[goldeneagle66]

Jul 6, 2011 16:56:07 GMT -5 cratylus said:

Jul 6, 2011 13:47:17 GMT -5 goldeneagle66 said:

What about Fennec Foxes are they another Fox that can be kept as pets like those Russian Foxes? I know theres a handful of breeders that sell Fennecs but there pricy since there more valuable than a Dog or Cat.

Fennecs, I know people get them as pets. I've heard people praise them, and others curse that people have them as pets. It sounds like you want a wild pet, no matter what. I feel I can't support this. There's a reason people get golden retrievers instead of wolves and wolf-dogs. A dog will accept your friends visiting, a wolf will never trust anyone that hasn't been there since puppyhood. A wolf-dog will behave somewhere in between. In my opinion, wolf dogs are more dangerous because their personalities are a big question mark. Wolves and wolf-dogs a very destructive--as previously mentioned. If a wolf smells something in your carpet he won't stop digging until there's a hole in the floor. Get a Tamaskan. A Finnish breed that looks just like a wolf, but is 100% domestic.

Yea I think I'll get a Tamaskan I heard Siberian Huskies shed ALOT and can get pretty destructive and dig holes if bored. My neighbors husky chases deer and will escape just to try and catch one.

[goldeneagle66]

Jul 6, 2011 14:47:46 GMT -5 MarkT said:

Yea I don't know if I'd get one either I want a Wolf Hybrid but I doubt I'll get one of those.

If you are looking for a good pet I would steer clear of wolf dogs. My neighbor has a number of them and while I wouldn't consider them mean in any way, they are far from anything you would ever want in your house. All I can say is very destructive. A lot of people seem to have problems with high content wolf dogs as they reach sexual maturity but so far the 2 below haven't been a problem.

This one is supposed to be 76% wolf


And this one is supposed to be 98%.

They are beautiful though.

[SkyRider]

Mmm, I think I'll stick with my Brittany spaniels You can all take the wolves and foxes. Next thing you'll want is a bear and that's just crazy talk.

[cratylus]

Goldeneagle66, a Tamaskan will shed and chase deer, just as much as a husky. Actually, so does my beagle. All dogs need a quality brush and a properly fenced area to be happy (or, at least, to keep the owner sane).

[goldeneagle66]

Jul 6, 2011 17:42:55 GMT -5 SkyRider said:

Mmm, I think I'll stick with my Brittany spaniels You can all take the wolves and foxes. Next thing you'll want is a bear and that's just crazy talk.

I'm getting a Lion, Tiger and a Bear! Oh my! ;D