# Fox questions for Elina and other fox owners.



## darrendogman (Jun 5, 2013)

Fox questions for Elina, or any one who owns foxes.

Hello, I am really fascinated in all fox species and here are my foxy questions.


When getting a fox, how did you introduce it to your dogs? was it 100% ok from the start or was it gradually introduce them together?

I own cats, how do cats and foxes interact together when they are in captivity?
must I keep the fox in my sites the whole time as there might be a chance the fox sees a cat as prey even if both were brought up together from being babies?

How do you exercise your foxes? do you take them for walks like a dog or do you have outdoor runs for them?

I am personally thinking a fennec fox might be the safest option if I get to own a fox due to their small size and more friendly towards cats, but can two foxes of separate species become companions such a fennec and a red or silver fox?

I also see raccoon dogs for sale much more then foxes are, does anyone have any information on them?
Thank you, Darren.


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## Disgruntled (Dec 5, 2010)

I have two foxes, the silver lived with my cats when young. As he grew he got a bit too hectic for them and he was moved out to his current quarters in the garden. He still gets ridiculously excited when he sees them in the garden.
I don't think it's aggression but not all foxes may behave this way. 
I did not let either of my foxes near my very large dog, they see each other through the mesh of the enclosure but I wouldn't trust my dog, although she is a very patient saint with my seven cats! 
I don't think different fox species mix well, but Elina will be able to advise better than me. :notworthy:


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## Elina (Jul 22, 2009)

Hey!
Yeah as Pam said it is not so much that a fox will be violent towards your cats if they are friends but if say you have one of the bigger species as they get older they get bigger and their play becomes more and more rough. 
My foxes all grew up around my Bengal cat and every one of them is terrified of him as they all still seem to think of him as being bigger then they are. I would still never leave any of my bigger foxes alone with the cat. 

My fennecs I have to watch too though to be fair as they have endless energy and this does annoy other animals. I don't want the fact that say Akiko won't let Sprite (papillon) sleep to ruin their friendship so I make sure she leaves Sprite alone when she wants to sleep. 

I raised Valla (corsac) with Freyja (silver) and when they were both very young they were fine but the older Freyja got the more rough she became with Valla and with corsacs being so much smaller then reds I did have to start separating them. 
When Freyja passed away we got Sapphire who is an Arctic fox and again when she got to being bigger then Valla she got too rough. 

You should also bare in mind that every "breed" of fox is actually a totally different species. Being so very different does not just mean that they have a different appearance but it also means that they have a different "language" basically. What can mean 'hello' for one can mean something different to another species and so arguments begin. They also have different body language and so again things can be taken the wrong way. 

You may think that a dog is much more different then the species are from each other which is right BUT I can tell the dogs to leave the foxes alone, it is much, much harder to get a fox to pay attention if the think they are about to get into a fight. 

Regarding exercise the fennecs go mad and run around the house, play with the dogs and their toys. The corsacs the same (not at the same time) and we walk the arctics and v.vulpes. 
-Elina


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## darrendogman (Jun 5, 2013)

thank you both on the information, my heart is more set out on a fennec fox as I don't want to put my cats through positional stress of a bigger animal as you said they won't listen the same way as a dog, the cats get along with my ferrets which try to annoy them often enough haha. I'm going to gradually introduce my dogs to the fox when and if I'm going to get one but they are both really well behaved around my cats and ferrets and I have managed to introduce my youngest border collie to people's pet rabbits, wild hedgehogs and i tell him to leave he will just turn away. my other border collie whois very motherly and she will lick kittens, puppies, ferret kits and ducklings so I'm not worried about her either.


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## Thejoker19 (Aug 28, 2013)

*London/south east England*

Are there any breeders/owners nearish london? 
I'd love to meet one of these guys as my heart is pretty much set on owning a pet fox!!


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## Elina (Jul 22, 2009)

We are in Oundle which is not very near but we are in London often (I work there). We could meet half way like say MK with a fox if you would like to meet one and go for a walk? 
-Elina


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## Barney_M (Apr 2, 2008)

Elina said:


> We are in Oundle which is not very near but we are in London often (I work there). We could meet half way like say MK with a fox if you would like to meet one and go for a walk?
> -Elina


Well blow me I'm in Oundle too.


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## Elina (Jul 22, 2009)

Hehe small world I suppose. 
-Elina


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## Thejoker19 (Aug 28, 2013)

That sounds great! Thank you for your fast reply aswell! 
When would be a good time for you? Mid week would be ok aslong as I have some notice, I dont mind taking a day off!
Also... this is a long shot and probably a bad idea but im on holiday in abu dhabi in october, now im no pirate but are fennec foxes not native to the region?

Food for thought! Hah


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## Elina (Jul 22, 2009)

If you add us on FB (HarryandElspeth Flashman) we can discuss via PM . 
-
Elina


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