1.0 Fennec Fox

[Gilligan]

I understand this is an old thread but I wanted to chime in with some information regarding foxes.

Red and Arctic species are most commonly kept along with the Fennec. Red and Arctic species are more similar to a dog than the Fennec. Fennec species generally is louder and does not litter train much. Reds and Arctic have some luck litter or house training but upon maturity and into adulthood, they will urine mark things, even their own food and water.

The odor is not the body, but the urine that smells of skunk, particularly the red species. They can ask "musk" the way a snake can, and it is a very different and difficult to describe odor. It will linger on clothing and other items until washed. It is a rare occurrence with tamed animals.

Red foxes are mass bred in fur farms around the world and have tons of different color morphs. There are some color morphs of Arctic species as well. Red foxes are cheapest, a few hundred dollars and up. Both should be hand raised from 2-3 weeks of age for ideal temperament. They are generally not aggressive, and would much rather run than fight. When hand raised, can be very very tame and affectionate, and will enjoy petting and may pursue you to be petted.

Red and Arctic species should be kept outdoors around and after 6 months of age. A large enclosure with a covered floor and top is needed as they can climb (particularly red species - Arctic are more dog like in movements). They are very destructive indoors and would make your house smell foul quickly. They get along well with dogs and will play with them when raised with them.

In the US, state, county, and town/city ordinances must all be obeyed to possess legally. None will trump the others. Most states do not allow legal ownership, and those that do will generally require them to be captive bred and purchased from licensed dealers.

The "domestic fox" project is in Russia. They have bred the red species intentionally for tameness for many years. They cost nearly 10 thousand dollars to purchase. You can have a tame, sociable animal that is raised from a young age right here in the US for far less money.

Edit: also, for a state that had a law regarding canidae or carnivora, unless the Fox is noted as exempt, they would be illegal, even the Fennec fox, despite their size. So they are illegal in New Jersey based on the quoted law. If owning a fox in new Jersey, it is likely possessed illegally. If discovered, the animal will undoubtedly be confiscated and euthanized. An animal doesn't have to be big to be viewed by the ignorant public as dangerous - a big concern with exotic mammals is rabies. There are no vaccines approved for foxes, or nearly all animals. It requires rigorous testing ($) for it to be considered approved.

It is thought that the rabies, distemper, parvo, etc vaccines can work on foxes and other animals. However, most options are modified live and can, in rare cases, cause the animal to contract the virus. Thus, vaccines should be used with caution. Killed versions of the vaccine are safer. However, having a vaccinated animal in an illegal state will not be sufficient to prevent authorities from confiscating your pet.