US domesticated and pet foxes
The trade in domesticated foxes is riddled with controversy, misinformation and myth. There are more rational claims on the internet, such as the existence of “domesticated” foxes as opposed to “wild” foxes in the pet trade, and the fact that artists’ toys are real species called “”. There are some completely bizarre claims, such as the claim that Canadian Marble Fox”.
Many people know that “Russian domesticated foxes” are special foxes produced through a strict breeding program, and the resulting animals are “dog-like”. This article clears up misconceptions about domesticated foxes.
Pet fox “breeds”
In the world of pet foxes, there are currently only three ways to classify these animals.
- Of course, there are also types of foxes.The species name of the red fox is Vulpes vulpes vulpes vulpeswhile the fennec fox is vulture zelda.
- Next is whether the fox is domesticated. This complex and poorly defined concept is explained below.
- And finally, some foxes have different coat colors in captivity, but they are not different “breeds” of foxes. Instead, they can be described as having different genetic lineages.
To define a term found on the Internet:
- Canadian Marble Fox: This is nothing more than a domesticated red fox with a “marble” fur color. They are descendants of the fur trade. Someone invented the “Canada” part of the word (although some foxes are descended from Canadian fur farms) and its mythical status, art doll problem animal. No one knows why.
- tamed fox: A fox derived from a multigenerational breeding program, or from a fox population that evolved around human influence.
- Russian domesticated fox: A fox selected to be domesticated, descended from a breeding program that is part of Dmitry Belyaev’s Farm Fox Experiment.
- silver Fox: This is also the color of the red fox, similar to marble, but darker. Commonly found on fur farms.
- dwarf fox: A term some people might use to describe small foxes that occur in nature, such as fennec foxes and pale foxes.vulpes parida).
Where can I buy a tamed fox?
In the United States, it is relatively easy to find breeders and brokers for “tame foxes.” It’s also relatively inexpensive for an exotic mammal, with his unique color forms generally costing him less than $1,000. These foxes were descended from fur farms and were domesticated in the sense that they were bred to thrive under fur farm conditions.
Where to buy a domesticated fox in Russia
True Russian domesticated fox owners are extremely rare. These special animals are part of more than half a century of research. Only spayed and neutered individuals are sold, so they can only be imported from Novosibirsk, Siberia. The final cost of importing a Russian domesticated fox would exceed $9,000.
What is the Russian farm fox experiment?
Founded in 1959 by Dr. Dmitry Belyaev of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, the experiment was designed to investigate the existence of the “domestication syndrome.” The theory is that certain traits and behaviors are abnormal, such as small skull sizes and upright tails. , and distinctive fur colors (such as those found in “marble foxes”) appear when mammals are bred solely to be domesticated.
This theory explains why Belyaev’s foxes are so similar to domestic dogs, even though they are not taxonomically related. The foxes tested were fur-farm-bred silver foxes, and some foxes were reported to show domestication traits in as little as 10 generations. This experiment continues today.
Are Russian foxes not so special?
In order to fully understand the problems of our understanding of not only what it means to have a “domesticated” fox, but also what domestication means, the results obtained from the farm fox experiment Although there have been some recent revelations about domesticated foxes, this is rarely mentioned. Universal.
A new study titled History of Domesticated Foxes Undermines Animal Domestication Syndrome, reviews the evidence for the existence of domestication syndrome. These researchers believe that the ‘wild’ foxes in which the experiment began were in fact domesticated fur farm foxes, and that they had already exhibited various characteristics of domestication syndrome, so this study It concluded that it did not provide conclusive evidence for the existence of the syndrome.
Domestic fox with a “spitz” tail (outside Russia)
Human-tolerant foxes occur naturally
When researchers began investigating evidence of domestication syndrome, it became clear that there was no single stable definition of what domestication was. The domestication traits described appear to vary from species to species, and even the same domesticated species has different traits.
As a new paper reveals, there is a widespread misconception that there is a big difference between day and night between domestic and non-domestic animals. For example, many people have a domestic cat (Ferris Catus) are descendants of substantially different or “wild” cats, although the domestic cat’s ancestors were actually descended from its wild ancestor, the African wildcat (Ferris Ribika).
Domesticated red foxes and “wild” red foxes
The findings of the new study have been challenged by the researchers who conducted the experiment and other biologists, who said that some of the behavioral and physical characteristics of the foxes that participated in the experiment were similar to those of the fox that initiated the experiment. Despite claims that the population was different, some facts are still clear.
- In contrast to the oft-repeated claim that it takes ‘thousands of years’ for animals to become domesticated, selective breeding of animals that exhibit docility can result in what can be considered ‘domesticated’ in a few generations. can produce.
- The researchers found that there is no clear definition of domestication in the first place, and that there are big differences between domestic animals that we think of (dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, etc.). Domestication means different traits for each species and method of domestication.
- “Tame” foxes say very little about it. Even fur domestic animals that are not specially bred Russian foxes can be docile and “dog-like”. Given that Russian foxes descended from a rigorous breeding program to tame them, perhaps they uniquely seek out human attention, the researchers explain, so they might be better suited as “pets.” All these animals are still foxes, even though they may have “natures”. Potential owners should not expect dramatic differences between them.
caring for a pet fox
Perhaps red foxes are not for you. Domesticated or not. For most people, they make a challenging pet, especially if you expect “tenderable” breed behavior. Red foxes may be friendly, but there’s more to them in captivity. All red foxes have very smelly urine, so most owners keep them partially or completely outdoors.
Red foxes have high energy levels and can be destructive. Many owners of indoor red foxes have had to make permanent modifications to their homes to accommodate this. For those determined to own a fox, there are good alternatives to red foxes, as long as they are legal in the state. Fennec foxes have their own challenges as indoor animals, which makes them less frustrating pets.
For more information
- Pet Fox Guide: Legality, Care, and Important Information
More information on pet fox care and legality. For major exotic pet mammals like foxes, it is imperative to conduct thorough research. - All pet fox ‘breeds’ and how to care for them
This article contains a list of pet fox breeds and profiles of foxes such as how to keep them, their temperaments, legality information, and what it’s like to keep as pets.
View the original article to see the embedded media.
References
- Dugatkin, Lee Allan. “Domestication experiment of silver fox.” Evolution: education and support 11.1 (2018): 1-5.
- Gorman, James. Why are these foxes so docile? Maybe they weren’t so wild to begin with. New York Times. December 3, 2019
- Lord, Kathryn A., et al.”The history of domesticated foxes undermines animal domestication syndrome.” ecology and evolutionary trends 35.2 (2020): 125-136.
- Perry, Angela. “Wolves in dog skins: early dog domestication and variations of the Pleistocene wolf.” archaeological journal 68 (2016): 1-4.
- Trout, Lyudmila N.”Early Canid Domestication: Farm and Fox Experiments: Foxes bred for domestication in a 40-year experiment showed striking changes suggesting interplay between behavioral genetics and development .” American scientist 87.2 (1999): 160-169.
- Truth, Lyudmila, Irina Oskina, Anastasia Harlamova. “Animal evolution during domestication: the domesticated fox as a model.” bio essay 31.3 (2009): 349-360.
- Zeder, Melinda A. “The Straw Fox: Domestication Syndrome Underappreciated.” ecology and evolutionary trends (2020).
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. The Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for personal advisors or professional advice in business, financial, legal or technical matters.
comment
logician December 2, 2020:
Interesting article by Melissa.
I have had Arctic foxes (purchased at a pet store), red foxes, silver foxes, and gray foxes (purchased at New York hunting farms where foxes are considered livestock and legal to own unless obtained from the wild). Yes, but I have to say about these three. The gray fox was the most interesting and best pet. Of course, they were all raised by hand before and after weaning.
Gray urine is smelly, but not as pungent as other species. My dogs love people especially children and in the house they ruled the roost and put my dogs in their place when they got tired of teasing. Gray foxes are small, cat-like, and love to climb trees, spending much of their time in the wild. I put them on a leash and took them outside a shopping mall with picnic benches. When I took them for a walk, they would climb up and perch on my shoulders while people praised them. I took them to elementary school where they were just as obsessed with the kids as they were with them.
They show no signs of aggression towards humans and are very affectionate, but birds, well, that’s another story, you guessed it.
If I had to pick a type of fox to domesticate, it would definitely be the gray fox. I wonder if it can be crossed with the fennec fox. I’ve read that fennec foxes can be raised to be excellent pets and very social.