Domesticated Foxes: Are They Real?

The short answer is that yes, there are domesticated foxes. However, that doesn’t explain a lot. The most known domesticated foxes are the results of the Russian domesticated fox experiment that’s been going on for several decades now.

While that’s interesting and it has revealed some important information surrounding the domestication process, it’s not the only sign of fox domestication. In fact, some studies show that foxes may actually be domesticating themselves.

To learn more about fox domestication, how it’s working, and the different ways foxes are becoming domesticated, keep on reading.

The Russian Domesticated Fox Experiment

In Russia, a team of geneticists have been working on fox domestication for over 60 years. The experiment began in 1959. Dr. Dmitri Belyaev started the process of domesticating foxes, but when he died, it was taken over by Dr. Lyudmila Trut.

The focus of the experiment was to understand how domestication worked, and maybe get an idea of how wolves became dogs. The selected foxes based on their behavior, choosing the friendliest and tamest of every litter to breed again.

With this experiment going on so long, there’s a lot to cover. However, one interesting point is that it only took six generations, or six years, for signs of domestication to start appearing. Foxes were found to lick the hands of those involved in the experiment. Some would even be picked up and accept pets.

At the time, there was only a fox or two per generation that showed signs of domestication, but now, the vast majority of the foxes are domesticated.

The domestication experiments show some other unique things as well. Domestication in animals seems to be linked to certain genes. In less than 10 years into the study, foxes started showing signs of curly tails and floppy ears. Additionally, the stress levels of domestic foxes are lower than those of wild foxes while serotonin levels increase. Fur colors changed as well, becoming more mottled and fluffy.

Domestication of Urban Foxes

While these specifically domesticated foxes are interesting, it’s not the only sign of fox domestication out there. Studies have started to show that foxes in more urban areas are starting to show signs of domestication.

According to the study, urban foxes are starting to show signs of changing their appearance. They have shorter, but wider snouts. Their brain cases are also smaller. Both of these were signs of domestication in dogs. For example, dog brains are a little under a third smaller than the brains of a wolf.

However, that’s not the interesting part. What’s fascinating is that people aren’t purposefully domesticating foxes. Instead, the animals are doing it more to themselves. It’s thought that scavenging for stationary food, such as trash, has reduced the necessary size of the brain and made it so foxes don’t need as long of snouts as they used to.

Do Foxes Make Good Pets?

Though they are domesticated, foxes don’t necessarily make good pets. They are expensive, for one. Also, if something does happen to your fox, it’s not always easy to find a vet that can take care of them.

They are also very smart animals. While it sounds great to have an intelligent pet, they are just smart and curious enough to get into trouble constantly. They need an enclosure like a cage when they’re left alone to stop them from ripping up furniture and carpets. A lot of exercise is also necessary, which means long walks or plenty of yard space.

Grooming is another stressful factor. They have long coats and need frequent brushing to stop them from shedding absolutely everywhere. Those who have owned pets like huskies may understand the time and pain that comes with animals with thick, long coats.

One positive aspect of having a fox is that when it comes to food, they don’t need anything special. Good dog food is fine. To make it even better, a few treats involving fruits and vegetables should be included. However, they don’t need special powdered nutrients or raw diets to provide them with the perfect meal.

They are also exceptionally cuddly. They are social animals and enjoy spending time with their owners. They’ll accept plenty of love and pets and are quick to curl up for a quick nap.

Can You Own a Pet Fox?

While you can buy domesticated foxes from Russia, that doesn’t mean you can automatically own one. Many states in the US ban foxes as pets. So, before you decide to empty your wallet on a cute and fluffy exotic pet, perhaps look at your state laws and make sure you can actually own one.