My silver fox Kai
 

Introducing to all of you Kai (means ''fire'' in Irish), a male silver fox[I] (vulpes vulpes)[/I] born in spring 2012. He is my associate's and I's fox, and he's a total bundle of joy!
He's extremely energetic, loves to play, run around and play tricks on us. He's a silly one. He always makes a little ''I'm laughing at you'' face every time we disapprove with something he's doing.

He was a lot to handle when he was young, but he's all worth it! And this spring 2013, we are getting more foxes (some will be for our Tame The Wild ranch, to breed domestic pet foxes, and the others will be our own other pets!).

Enjoy the flow of pictures!

Next row of pictures!

And the last one (for now ;) )

What province/territory are you in?

I think it wrong to keep wild animals as pets. I am not sure why anyone would want a fox for a pet. I feel if a person really loves foxes they would want the animal to live in nature as a fox was meant to do and not in a house or a cage.

very nice are they trainable?

[QUOTE=Longblades;1052005]What province/territory are you in?[/QUOTE]

I am in Quebec. Unlike many would think, domestic foxes are allowed in some Canadian provinces (it also depends on your municipality)... here in QC domestic-colored foxes are allowed (those who changed their colors because of domestication). Kai isn't a domestic-colored fox, his color (silver) is a color found in the wild, but I have a license given by the DNR that allows me to have a fox of his color! :)

[url]www.thefriendlyfox.webs.com/legality[/url] (a website I made, I contacted all the DNR of each province/territory, and you can see if they're legal where you live)

[QUOTE=Barkingdog;1052008]I think it wrong to keep wild animals as pets. I am not sure why anyone would want a fox for a pet. I feel if a person really loves foxes they would want the animal to live in nature as a fox was meant to do and not in a house or a cage.[/QUOTE]

That's your own opinion. Remember at one point, dogs were wild animals that we started keeping. And how about snakes, chinchillas, ferrets, servals kept as pets? They too, had wild ancestors... Kai's ancestors have first been domesticated around 120 years ago, so he is a domestic animal. He acts like a cat/dog with a spoiled baby attitude, never been aggressive. And he couldn't survive in the wild, he does not have his dominant wild instincts anymore. And Kai isn't kept in a cage, he has the whole back yard (which is pretty big) to run around in, and I walk with him around 5 hours/day :)

[QUOTE=Jim Hall;1052019]very nice are they trainable?[/QUOTE]

Yes they are, but they have more of a cat-like personality, so they require a bit more patience and expertise with felines, and exotic animals. But they are more trainable than cats; he walks in leash, sits, does his business in a litter box (98% of the time) and -sometimes- gives his paw

I love your photo of him with the dog. :) A friend's father here used to keep foxes as pets, but they were born in the wild red foxes. Kai seems very content and I agree about dogs. You can't get anything much more feral than our Aussie dingo, yet the aboriginals tamed them and kept them as pets and for hunting. Cats to me seem one step closer than dogs to their wild ancestors.

[QUOTE=Goldfields;1052037]I love your photo of him with the dog. :) A friend's father here used to keep foxes as pets, but they were born in the wild red foxes. Kai seems very content and I agree about dogs. You can't get anything much more feral than our Aussie dingo, yet the aboriginals tamed them and kept them as pets and for hunting. [B]Cats to me seem one step closer than dogs to their wild ancestors.[/[/B]QUOTE]

Cats ARE one step closer to the wild than dogs. Maybe several steps. One source I found says cats are thought to have been domesticated around 3,000 BC while dogs were domesticated around 12,000 BC. That's a huge, huge difference. For most of us, as per a cat documentary on TV some years ago, living with a cat is the closest we will get to living with a wild animal. :)

My Vet says he learned in Vet school that of all domesticated animals cats and pigs will adapt to feral living faster and more successfully than any other domesticated animal.

[QUOTE=Luccistar;1052024]That's your own opinion. Remember at one point, dogs were wild animals that we started keeping. And how about snakes, chinchillas, ferrets, servals kept as pets? They too, had wild ancestors... Kai's ancestors have first been domesticated around 120 years ago, so he is a domestic animal. He acts like a cat/dog with a spoiled baby attitude, never been aggressive. And he couldn't survive in the wild, he does not have his dominant wild instincts anymore. And Kai isn't kept in a cage, he has the whole back yard (which is pretty big) to run around in, and I walk with him around 5 hours/day :)[/QUOTE]

I am glad it is illegal to have a fox for a pet in my state. I would not have any of the animals you mention for a pet. I know dogs where once wild but it would be a lot nicer to save a dog from being put to sleep than breeding foxes to be pet. Thousands of dogs are being killed everyday , we do not need to bring more animals into the world.

[QUOTE=Goldfields;1052037]I love your photo of him with the dog. :) A friend's father here used to keep foxes as pets, but they were born in the wild red foxes. Kai seems very content and I agree about dogs. You can't get anything much more feral than our Aussie dingo, yet the aboriginals tamed them and kept them as pets and for hunting. Cats to me seem one step closer than dogs to their wild ancestors.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! And yes, I actually find domestic cats have a way more ''wild'' behavior than domestic foxes ;) At least Kai and Vixey... (Vixey is the arctic fox).
When you say ''our'' Aussie dingo, do you mean you own a dingo? I have always dreamed of owning one, or at least seeing one. They are fascinating creatures, in my opinion. Around, if not on February 1, 2013, I will get a New Guinea dingo (also known as New Guinea singing dog). Genetically and scientifically, they are not domestic dogs, but they are still registered to CKC. However, they are the rarest canines in the world, with less than 300 individuals existing in the whole world at this very moment.

No, I only meant our as in , I'm an Aussie, so it's our native dog. You are very privileged to get one of those singing dogs. I read an article on them only recently. Take super good care of it, won't you? Hate to see them go extinct. Love to hear all about it and see some photo's when you get it.
That's very interesting about the cats, Longblades. Why does this bit not surprise me?

My Vet says he learned in Vet school that of all domesticated animals cats and pigs will adapt to feral living faster and more successfully than any other domesticated animal.

Could be because feral cats and pigs are a HUGE problem in Oz. (Also water buffalo, camels, goats etc..)

[QUOTE=Goldfields;1052119]Take super good care of it, won't you? Hate to see them go extinct. Love to hear all about it and see some photo's when you get it. [/QUOTE]

Oh there's no doubt on how I will take care of it! She will be my life! 16 more days. Countdown is on (has been on since day 30)... here, only cats can be seen feral, but not so much. In Romania, where I was born, feral cats and dogs were common thing.. unfortunately.

Here's an old picture of little Kai :)

And Kira, my associate's deceased marble fox. Kira is a RED FOX (VULPES VULPES) of a color named marble, just like labradors, who are usually golden, can be black, chocolate, blue, etc...

I actually joined the forum just to ask you some questions about your fox! I'm really interested in getting one (maybe in a few years) but we can't import the Russian ones so I was wondering about the temperament of yours and if he shows any wild tenancies? Do you keep him inside most of the day or do you have an outdoors enclosure? Does he come to spend time with you and cuddle? Does he show affection?

Also, where and how did you get Kai? :)

I really hope you're able to answer my questions!

[QUOTE=Luccistar;1052269]And Kira, my associate's deceased marble fox. Kira is a RED FOX (VULPES VULPES) of a color named marble, just like labradors, who are usually golden, can be black, chocolate, blue, etc...[/QUOTE]

Well way back in January I missed this but Labrador Retrievers are my breed and the only permissable colours for them are black, chocolate and yellow.

Dilutes like silver, charcoal and champagne are the result some years back of mixing in of probably weimeraner genes since N. America is the only place these colours every showed up originally and suspiciously after a kennel of Weims and Labs produced pups. These colours cannot be shown and are prone to dilute associated health concerns.

Other mismarks like brindles and mosaics do rarely occur and cannot be shown and no reputable breeder would ever be caught dead deliberately producing anything other than black, chocolate or yellow.

Did not know you could have foxes as domestic pets, they could pass for a dog if someone didn't know what they were looking at. I had a chinchilla for 14 years he just died last month.:cry: They are "technically" not legally allowed in my city for some stupid reason...

[QUOTE=Ani-Mei;1069248]Did not know you could have foxes as domestic pets, they could pass for a dog if someone didn't know what they were looking at. I had a chinchilla for 14 years he just died last month.:cry: They are "technically" not legally allowed in my city for some stupid reason...[/QUOTE]

Ontario does not allow the keeping of any native wild animal as a pet. If you had an animal that appeared to be a native wild animal be prepared to show where it was obtained, where it was bred, how and when it was imported and other things. Most other provinces are the same.

It's interesting how you were able to own a fox, Luccistar. Though you've mentioned how the process went and what needs to be done, I am still amazed. Wonder how Kai has been doing now.