I heard people are domesticating foxes, what do you think about it?

Question

People have abused dogs, now they want to domesticate foxes? whats going on here? and what do you think about it?

Answer 1

The program was started decades ago in order to understand how long it takes to domesticate wild animals, which would help understand how long it took humans to domesticate other animals.

It's not an attempt. Like it or not, it's done, and these animals could not likely be sent back to the wild safely, as domestication is marked by genetically-controlled changes in behavior. The key is to find good, safe homes for these foxes.

Answer 2

Fox that are wild.........not a good idea. However, there are many people that breed "Fenic Fox." This is a very small fox, about cat size. These animals have been domesticated for quite sometime. I don't think that this is a good idea for "regular" red or grey fox. Not safe. To many parasites. If you know someone doing this, it is actually against the law in most states.

Answer 3

This was a program that failed some years back.
The actual experiment used a cross between Border Collies and Silver Foxes. The goal was to breed a domesticated cross. After several generations of careful breeding the gene pool began to deteriorate and the animals' behavior became so unstable the entire program was scrapped and the animals had to be euthanized.

Here's the synopsis.
Interesting -- published BEFORE the experiment was shotdown:

http://www.floridalupine.org/publications/PDF/trut-fox-study.pdf

Answer 4

I can say that taming foxes is not possible under most circumstances (domestication takes thousands of years and generations). I have worked with wild caught (illegally) and captive bred foxes at the zoo I work at. They will sit and like getting scratched, but will lunge and attack you if you go to pick them up (they see that as threatening). If worked with correctly, they can be trained not to bite (well not hard anyways) but each and every person needs to train it- foxes know who they can and can not bite.

Foxes also do not do that well in captivity. They will rarely breed, and get stressed out very easily. They will also try to eat everything that comes infront of them- your pet rabbit or guinea pig? Yup, thats food as well.

It is definately not a good idea, and I can not see it becoming legal any time soon.

Answer 5

I don't understand why these people can't go to their local humaine society and domesticate a dog from there. Foxes have their place...in the wild. Dogs (domesicated dogs) do not and therefore get killed daily because of the over populated shelters. Want the challenge of domesticating a wild dog? Try stepping up to the challenge of adpoting a dog.

Answer 6

The only ''domesticate'' fox I've come across, is a Fennec Fox. Those are considered ''exotic''.

Anyways, people will always be testing their boundaries on what wildlife they can try to turn into pets. I don't understand it.

Answer 7

I think overall what you have to remember is an animal is an animal.. Spot the terrier, Peppy the horse or Foxy the fox.. People get into trouble when they start thinking they are human .. They arent... cut it out OK? They are different....

Answer 8

Onw question for these people...why? There are so many breeds of domestic dogs, pick one and leave the wild alone. What's the point?

Answer 9

Wild animals are just that "wild" sure you can tame them bring them into your house feed them love them but the minute the door is open and your back is turned there gone. Wild animals should be left alone to be wild from chipmunks to elephants. Trust me...I know.

Answer 10

Wild animals belong in the wild.I don't believe in keeping them as pets.We once had a squirrel.A friend of ours found it as a baby on the ground.It died before Spring with a heart attack.