June 24, 2010

Want A Pet Fox?

You can have a pet domesticated fox of your very own – from the Russian fox farm I’ve previously written about – for the low low price of just $5,950.

By Jason G. Goldman

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

You can have a pet domesticated fox of your very own - from the Russian fox farm I've previously written about - for the low low price of just $5,950.

Figure 1: Isn't he cute? Click to embiggen.

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According to the website,

Housing:
Foxes can live outside or inside.They need shade from excessive heat and rain. A bed or blanket is nice, but optional.
If the fox lives outside, the cage should have a bottom or the walls of the cage should be dug in deep enough so that the fox cannot dig a hole and escape.
Inside your house, they will snuggle on a bed like a cat.
During the adaptation period a medium or large dog crate would also be helpful.
Food:
At the farm, foxes consume a specially designed diet consisting of meat, fish, vegetables, and vitamins, but canned food for medium-size dogs serves all their nutritional needs.
Grown foxes should consume approximately 1-1.5 pounds of food per day. Vegetables such as cabbage or carrots help the digestive process. Potatoes and tomatoes are not recommended. Food should not contain too much fat or bone. Overfeeding is not recommended, and water should always be available.
The quality of a diet can be determined from the condition of the fox's fur. Foxes with a good diet will have silky, shiny fur. In addition, the fox will be energetic and playful.
Daily Habits:
You can walk your fox on a leash. Foxes can also be trained to use a litter box. Generally, foxes get along well with dogs and cats and often learn their habits.
During the molting period (over the summer), the fox should have its hair brushed regularly.

Of course, you might want to check if it's even legal to own a domesticated fox, in your state.

So...who has an extra $6000 lying around that they'd like to offer me? I will feed him and love him and care for him and name him Honest John.

(via @sciencepunk, of the Sciencepunk blog)

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