Foxes as Pets: Debunking Common Myths and Misconception

A lot of people are starting to think more and more of the idea of owning a fox as a pet. Some scientists even go as far as saying that foxes might have been the first “Man’s best friend”, way before humans managed to tame dogs and cats. This theory is being backed up by recent archaeological finds and is currently under research. Foxes are charming animals, intelligent, and there is a lot of attraction in owning such a “special” animal that not a lot of people own. Although foxes can make decent pets for someone who has the time and resources necessary to properly take care of them, a lot of people make the mistake of buying a fox as a pet thinking it will act pretty similar to a dog.

Foxes are hard to tame, as experts and people who tried to keep them as pets affirm. Even if they accept to be fed, they can’t live in a house and avoid human contact as much as possible. This type of behavior hasn’t stopped a russian scientist who tried to discover the way a species can be tamed and decided to transform the fox into a domestic animal. Dogs, the man’s best friend, became domestic animals after thousands of years of selective reproduction, but the Russian geneticist Dmitry K. Belyaev managed to compress this whole process to several decades, in the case of foxes.

Belyaev opened a fox farm in Novosibirsk in the late 50s’ in a time when the USSR were interdicting genetic experiments. In order for Belyaev plans to go forwards, he and his team affirmed that they were actually raising foxes to sell their fur when in fact they were trying to find the missing link on the evolution scale, according to The Washington Post.

This process continued until the scientists managed to get foxes that were acting the same way dogs do. They were wagging their tails when a familiar man was approaching, making happy noises (noises that haven’t been observed ever on wild foxes) and also allowed for the humans to pet them.

The important factor that determined the transformation of these foxes into domestic animals was their predilection to being tamed. Calmer specimens, more curious and more docile have been selected to continue reproducing, which has improved the taming cycle.

Not only the behavior of the foxes raised by Belyaevs’ team has changed. They started to have their ears a bit more bent down (same way as a dog), curlier tails (similar to pigs) and changed the color of their fur to become, in other words, cuter to humans. The scientists also observed hormonal changes: a higher level of serotonin (which is able to reduce the level of aggressive behavior of animals).

Reasons why foxes might not be a great idea as a pet

• Foxes are hard to train

Dogs are being born with a strong herd mentality. A dog sees you as their alpha and is always ready to listen to its leader. They will live to help you enjoy yourself. A fox on the other hand, lives just to please itself. Although they are really smart, the primary motivation of a fox is different from that of a dog. A dog likes to please you and make you happy but all a fox wants is to be spoiled.

• Foxes stink

Foxes have a really strong odor. In contrast to a dog who can last even a few weeks without a bath until they develop a strong odor, a fox has a “skunky” smell 24/7. This strong smell, of musk, can be diminished through castration  but it can never be fully removed.

• Foxes are shy

A lot of people imagine a fox as a wonderful pet that they can show to their family, friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, the reality is almost always under these expectations. Although foxes can often become really attached and in love with their families, they will remain incredibly timid in front of guests and strangers.

• Foxes have special needs

Unlike dogs, foxes have special needs in regards to diet and daily physical exercises. They are extremely energetic and need a lot of movement every day. A big enclosure, well built, is a must. This brings me to my next topic…

• Foxes are escape artists

Foxes are known to be way better in evading from different enclosures, even better than the most determined dog. They can jump up to 6 feet in the air, climb fences and even hang upside down to climb up to any ceiling that could offer their freedom. Any enclosure that is meant to host foxes should not only be large but also be made in such a way that it makes it impossible to be dug under and also have a solid roof.

• Foxes are destructive

A lot of people buy a fox with the wrong impression that it can be owned as an indoor pet and that it can be set free inside the house, even when they are at work. This is nothing further from the truth, especially to larger species like red foxes. They will steal and hide anything small enough to be carried and destroy almost anything they can get their teeth on. It is nearly impossible to de-train a fox not to act this way. A dog can be taught not to chew on things but the best you can do with a fox is to teach it not to chew on something while you watch. As long as you keep a fox freely in the house, you need permanent supervision over it.

We know that foxes are a nice dream and can be fascinating pets for some people that are ready to take care of them the right way. If you are really interested in taking a fox as a pet, we recommend doing a lot of research to help you better understand its needs and this will make you understand that taking care of a fox is way different from taking care of a dog.