CARE GUIDE

FENNEC + BAT-EARED FOXES

INFO

Foxes are exotic animals that require considerably more care than your average pet. The purchase of your new baby includes lifetime breeder support, advice and guidance, so please contact us at any time if you have any questions or concerns regarding your new baby.

BASIC info: Fennec fox

Common Name: Fennec fox
Scientific Name: Vulpes zerda
Lifespan: Up to 14 years in captivity, or around 10 years in the wild
Diet: Omnivore
Adult Weight: 2-3 pounds
Adult Size: Head to body length is 10-16 inches, with a 7-12 inch tail.
Native land: Sahara Desert
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern
Fun fact: The fennec fox is the world’s smallest canid, or fox.

BASIC info: Bat-Eared fox

Common Name: Bat-eared fox, also referee to as long-eared fox
Scientific Name: Otocyon megalotis
Lifespan: 6-14 years in captivity.
Diet: Insectivore
Adult Weight: 7-12 pounds
Adult Size: Head to body length is 18-26 inches, with ears over 5 inches long
Native land: Sub-Saharan grasslands and arid savanna
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern
Fun fact: Their large ears are used for thermoregulation, as well as to hear bugs in the ground for hunting.

FENNEC OR BAT-EARED?

Many of you have asked us what the difference is between the two African fox species. While both are found in similar parts of the world and will develop very cute and large ears, fennec foxes are much more popular and well-known. Due to their popularity, it is easier to locate a fennec fox breeder than it is to find a bat-eared breeder. Bat-eared foxes mature to the size of a toy dog (approximately 10 lbs), while fennecs only reach a petite 2-3 lbs. Fennec foxes are naturally very skittish, while bat-eared foxes tend to be more outgoing like your typical dog. Both can be trained to use the litter box, but bat-eared foxes will have a better chance of becoming 100% litter box trained. Bat-eared foxes in general are more trainable and can easily learn simple commands like come and sit in comparison to fennec foxes. Both foxes eat a similar diet, with the main difference being that bat-eared foxes eat a much higher proportion of insects. In our opinion, bat-eared foxes make a better, well-trained pet that acts like a dog. But there is no denying the insane cuteness of a fennec fox!

Whether you are choosing to add a fennec fox or a bat-eared fox to your family, both make far greater pets than native species (i.e. red foxes and arctic foxes) for the following reasons:

They are legal to own in many states that native species are banned.
No skunk-like odor that the native foxes are known for.
Litter-box trainable!
Less destructive in the house.
Less likely to attack humans: they are closer to the bottom of the food-chain whereas native fox species are predatory.

Legal

Several states prohibit the ownership of some or all species of foxes as pets. We can tell you that exotic species of foxes, such as fennec and bat-eared foxes, are legal to own as pets in the state of Texas. We may not be able to advise this matter regarding other states. Furthermore, laws are constantly changing, so it is your responsibility to make sure you will be able to legally own them. Good places to start calling are your state’s Fish and Game Commission or the Department of Fish and Wildlife, as well as your local (city and county) regulations.

CARE

HOUSING

A safe cage for the kit needs to have 1/2” bar spacing, as the kit is small enough to escape 1” bar spacing. The cages must have a solid bottom in order to avoid injuries as a result of feet or toes getting stuck on a wire cage bottom. Same goes for any wire ramps; they must be covered. We use Critter Nation cages for our kits raised indoors, but we cover the floor pans and ramps with pillowcase-style fleece liners. As they get bigger, we move them to a large dog crate for more room, until they get adopted. Please note that our kits get hours of free roam time daily. Without free roam, your fox will need more massive enclosures with enough room to run.

Our breeder foxes live outdoors in custom-built, spacious enclosures designed to look and feel like their natural habitat. We use sand as the substrate, and build several rock dens for them to climb on and hide out in. They also have 24/7 access to a climate-controlled indoor space, where they can have more privacy or to escape extreme weather.

NUTRITION

Fennec and bat-eared foxes thrive on a diet high in live insects, whole prey, and raw meat. Please be very careful when feeding raw, to any animal! You must only order raw diets and whole prey from reputable sources, because contaminated or spoiled raw meats can lead to salmonella and ultimately death. Improperly stored raw meats can also spoil, so please make sure to store them in a clean freezer and do not feed frozen raw meats that are too old. Raw meats and whole prey can be ordered online from many sources that carry feed for carnivorous reptiles and mammals. Insects can also be ordered online from vendors like rainbowmealworms.net if you cannot find a local source. We farm and hatch our own whole prey, so our foxes can have access to clean sources of mice, rats, chickens and quail. We also farm our own mealworms, super worms and Dubia roaches for their meals, and purchase other insect species from other vendors.

Commercial dog food may also be fed as an alternative diet, but only brands and formulas of the highest quality. Think: real meat as the first ingredient, and no fillers in the first several ingredients. You must add a taurine powder supplement to the meal, since taurine is depleted during the cooking process. Fennec foxes should consume approximately 250mg of taurine daily, while bat-eared foxes should get 500g.

Fruits and vegetables should not make up more than 10% of their diet.

Here at Dragonstone Ranch, our foxes’ receive freshly prepared meals consisting of whole prey or raw meat, insects, and sometimes a small portion of fruits and vegetables. We add the following supplements to their fresh meal: Vionate (a multivitamin), taurine, and fish oil (a very healthy source of omega-3 fatty acids that come with great skin, coat and joint benefits, and much more). We also offer free-choice access to a mix of high-quality commercial dog kibble all day, and sometimes, a meal of premium canned food with added insects.

TAKING YOUR KIT HOME

Unlike domesticated dogs and cats, foxes are exotic animals that require constant work to keep tame. Dragonstone Ranch, as the breeder, has done our part to make your kit as tame and friendly as possible for you. It is now your turn to take over the work once you pick up your new baby. Please handle, socialize, and train them daily. Spend as much time with them as possible, and make sure to get them used to interacting with other people so that your fox is well socialized to house guests in the long run.

REQUIRED SUPPLIES

Please purchase extra necessary supplies for when your care package samples run out. You will need to order these ahead of time. Links provided in red. You can also purchase these supplies from us at pickup - make sure to reserve your supplies beforehand (our prices in parentheses).

Milk Replacer: We are feeding our fox kits Meyenberg Goat Milk. The ratio is 1 part powder to 4 parts water. You will receive an entire bag in your care package with the purchase of a baby fox!
- Esbilac Puppy Milk Replacer Powder also works great, but you will have to slowly transition into this new formula over 7-10 days.
Bottle-feeding supplies: Original Miracle Nipple ($5) and Miracle O-ring Syringe, Luer Lock Tip, 10-20cc ($5).
Canned Dog Food + Dog Kibble: Any high-quality formula. We like Instinct, Royal Canin, and Blue Buffalo.

BOTTLE FEEDING

Milk: Your new baby should be syringe-fed milk replacer 4 times a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime. Example schedule: 8am, 1pm, 6pm, 11pm. Dragonstone Ranch will inform you of your kit’s current feeding amounts, but you should always feel your baby’s belly as it is drinking and stop them before the belly gets too full. A proper full belly should feel like a soft balloon. A hard belly means they were overfed. Baby foxes WILL overeat and can vomit or bloat as a result. Bloat can take several days to clear up. As your kit grows, increase the amount per feeding, while reducing the number of feeds per day.
- Typical feeding amounts for 4-week-old babies: 10ml for fennec foxes, 20-25ml for cape or bat-eared foxes.
Aspiration warning: Go slow with the syringe. Do not press the syringe plunger too quickly, as this will cause your kit to aspirate. Aspiration is the most common cause of death in bottle babies! Signs of aspiration include milk coming out of its nose, as well as a crackling/raspy sound in their sinuses (head) or lungs.
Stimulating to potty: While your fox kit will be going to the bathroom on their own by the time you take them home, you can still opt to stimulate their genitals to toilet them after feeding. This keeps them from going to the bathroom on you right after a feeding, and it will keep their enclosure and your home cleaner.

WEANING ONTO SOLIDS

Solid food feedings should replace a milk feeding, because if they just had milk, they will not be hungry enough to try solids. Your kit can be weaned off milk by 8 weeks, just like dogs and cats.

Wet dog food: Your kit should already be started on wet food - cat for fennec foxes, and dog for bat-eared foxes. Offer them a small amount mixed with milk and eventually reduce the amount of milk once they have started drinking water from a bowl.
Dog kibble: Leave a small dish of kibble overnight so they can nibble on it when they get hungry. Kitten kibble for fennec foxes and puppy kibble for bat-eared foxes.
Meats and whole prey: You can introduce cooked meats/eggs, pet-grade raw meats, and small whole prey such as pinkies (baby mice) and day-old chicks (cut up) anytime.

VET CARE

Vet Visits & Vaccines: Your fox should see the vet on a routine basis just like a dog to ensure it is healthy and stays that way. They should get their “puppy vaccines” (parvo/distemper, or the 5-way vaccine) starting as early as 6 weeks, with 1-2 boosters 3-4 weeks in between, and then boosters at least annually. They should get a rabies vaccine starting at 12 weeks, with annual boosters after that.

GROOMING

Baths: Your kit shouldn’t need baths very often - foxes groom themselves just like cats do. If they get food stuck on them, you can gently wipe with baby wipes or a damp cloth. If you have to bathe them, be sure to not get any water in their ears or nose and to dry them completely afterwards.
Nail trimming: Make sure to trim your kit’s nails often and start when they are babies. If you don’t start when they are small, they will not be as willing when they get older, and the task will get much more difficult.

TRAINING

Whatever habits you do or do not want them to learn when they get big should be dealt with now; it is far easier to train exotics while they are still young, rather than attempting to break a habit and reteaching them when they are older. Examples:

While you may think it is cute for your tiny kit to nibble on your fingers now, it will not be so much fun when you are frustrated that your fox is play-biting you when it is full grown. Ouch!
Would you like your fox to be able to walk on a leash? It will be easier if you start them while they are young!
Think about the long-run. Will your fox be sleeping in the bed with you everyday, or will you want to be able to crate it at night? Your fox will most likely cry and scratch at its crate all night long if you do not crate-train it.
Will you want your kit to be potty-trained? Better start NOW!

Remember, foxes are an exotic, not domesticated, species. It may take you 10x, 100x, or even 1000x more attempts to teach your fox a command or behavior than it would a dog. Consistency is key; if you let your fox get away with a bad behavior one day, but decide to punish for that same behavior the next, then you will just confuse your fox.

Potty Training

A fennec fox can be trained to use the litter box, but it takes a lot of time and effort to get them to use it with no accidents. A bat-eared fox can be fully trained to go potty in a litter box, on puppy pads, or outside like a dog. We strongly discourage fennec foxes going outdoors without a leash due to their small size and ability to squeeze though fences. Train them just like you would potty train a puppy. After every meal, place them where you want them to potty. Wait for them to go, and then praise them with excited voices, pets, and/or their favorite treat. Do this with every single meal until they get it. Do not punish them when you find an accident. Instead, you will want to move them to where they are supposed to potty so that they hopefully get the picture.

If you have another potty-trained animal in the house, then congratulations… you’ve just scored the best potty-training mentor you can get! Your fox should be inclined to follow your other pets around the house and learn from their behaviors. Our Pomeranians have taught several foxes to potty on puppy pads as well as going in the backyard. Please note that this apprenticeship method does work better with bat-eared foxes than it does with fennec foxes. Fennec foxes are so excitable that they are a bit more difficult to potty train by mimicking another animal’s behavior. You will most likely have to manually train them instead.

Harness training

Same concept as if you were leash training a dog. Start them on a harness and leash when they are young and use positive reinforcement (treats!).

Command and trick training

You can teach your bat-eared kit the same commands and tricks you teach your dog: sit, stay, lay down, roll over, etc. Fennec foxes can be trained as well, but again, they take a lot more time.

More to come…

Please tell us what you would like to know about caring for foxes, so that we can improve our care guide!