Today we will talk about an unusual representative of the canine family - the little Fennec fox, which is increasingly being kept as a pet. A cute face, curious eyes and big beautiful ears are what attract people's attention to these animals.

Natural habitat: deserts North Africa however, their tiny size makes them an excellent alternative. The height at the withers of the Fennec fox ranges from 18-22 cm, the body length is about 30-40 cm, and the total weight is only up to 1.5 kilograms.

The tail of this fox is almost the same length as the body - about 30 cm. It is covered with fluffy hair and is black at the tip.

Prices for domestic Fennec fox

Although the Fennec fox is small in size, the price of this pet is quite considerable - about 150 thousand rubles (2 thousand dollars) per puppy.

• Nursery in Moscow - “Exotic Family” www.exotic-family.com
• Nursery in Kyiv - unknown;
• Nursery in Minsk - unknown.

Photos of the Fennec fox and video with her

Fennec fox at home, photo by Kzoop.
Fennec Fox - photo by Tambako The Jaguar.

Desert fennec fox, photo by Roger Smith.
Domestic Fennec fox, photo by Tom Thai.


Long-eared Fennec fox, photo by Michele W.

Of course, the Fennec fox in the photo turns out simply excellent, but the video will best convey its charming appearance, so we recommend watching the following video:

These foxes have thick fur, but it is not very long and easy to care for. The animals themselves are very active and playful, they love to constantly run and look for something, while jumping onto the sofa, bedside table and even the windowsill without any problems. They also know how to talk: barking, snorting, whining, grumbling and even howling - all this is in their sound arsenal.

The diet of a fox is similar to that of small dogs:

• meat (chicken, veal, rabbit, lamb);
• fish (only boiled or frozen, without bones);
• vegetables and fruits (the first ones should be boiled).

Like cats and dogs, your pet Phoenix can be trained to go to the toilet on a special tray or.

It is very important to protect the Fennec fox from hypothermia; the apartment should always be warm, and in winter you cannot walk outside!

This animal is cute and attractive in appearance, like all foxes. Despite the fact that they are predators, one cannot help but be touched by their fluffiness, cute pointed faces, and gentle habits. The desert fox also has huge ears, which give its image additional charm, which will definitely not leave indifferent those who see it for the first time. Interestingly, the name of this animal “fenech” is translated from Arabic and means “fox”.

These animals live in the deserts of North Africa and they are national symbol Algeria and are depicted on one of the coins of this country. The long-eared desert fox is small in size. At the withers it reaches 18-22 centimeters and weighs only 1.5 kilograms. The ears seem gigantic compared to the head and reach 15 centimeters in length.

Habitat

The desert fennec fox is perfectly adapted to living in the desert. In order to walk on the sand without fear of getting burned, the feet of her paws are overgrown with fur. There is fur on the back and white on the tummy. This allows you to camouflage yourself among the dull and monotonously colored desert landscape. Ears, like locators, allow you to hear the rustle of even the smallest vertebrate or insect, which the desert fox eats, although it does not disdain the roots and fruits of plants, eggs, and carrion as food. In addition, these hearing organs help to establish thermoregulation in extremely hot living conditions of the animal.

How does it handle the heat?

No, she doesn’t fan herself with them to escape the heat. Through their thin skin, blood vessels are visible, which are adapted to remove excess heat from the fox’s body. The internal structure of the animal is also adapted to such a life. The desert fox is able to eat only dry food and go without water for a long time; for this, its kidneys work in a special way to retain as much moisture as possible inside the body. The fennec fox does not have sweat glands.

Fox song

In the desert you can often hear the sounds these animals make. And they are very diverse. Sometimes there is barking, howling, whining, growling, and sometimes something similar to crying or squealing. Fenechs repeat their “songs” many times. Unlike other representatives of the fox genus, these individuals do not live alone, but in groups, which include a married couple and their cubs different ages. They dig holes in the sand with many secret passages. Looking at the charming fluffies, it is difficult to say that they guard their territory very sternly and are ready to defend it in battle. So that no one doubts that this is their area, these animals mark it with feces and urine. The dominant male leaves the most excrement.

More comfortable at night

On the surface, the desert fennec fox stays in the shade of bushes or grass thickets. But they rarely come out of their holes. They mostly hide from the bright sun and walk only at dusk. To catch prey, these babies are capable of excellent high and long jumps. In addition, the desert fox is a very intelligent animal. For example, in order to break an egg with a strong shell that cannot be cracked, the fennec quickly rolls it onto a stone, on which it breaks. Interestingly, these foxes play various games with each other. It is very interesting to watch them, as they often come up with something new.

Fluffy babes

An adult fox is extremely cute, and what can we say about her cubs! These babies, whose cuteness is simply limitless, are born in March-April, after the mating season ends, which begins in January. Pregnancy in fennec cats lasts 50 days. Tiny fox cubs weigh only 50 grams when born. The mother does not leave the hole until they open their eyes; all this time the family is fed by the male, who is temporarily not allowed near the children. When babies are 5 weeks old, they begin to leave the den, and at 3 months they already travel long distances. These nimble animals are almost not afraid of anyone. They are able to evade both caracals and eagle owls who want to catch them. But man turns out to be more cunning than the beast.

Affectionate pets

The desert fennec fox is, of course, very cute as a pet. But often owners forget that this is a creature of wild nature. And although he can be tamed, he needs to create living conditions close to nature, because the Fennec’s instincts do not disappear even when close to a person. The fox needs a hole as a home, and the air temperature in the room should be high, since the fenech is used to living in a hot desert. Those who decide to purchase a “living toy” should remember that it is very expensive (the minimum price today is 65,000-70,000 rubles) and requires a lot of care. IN good hands The animal will live, as in nature, about 12 years. These foxes become attached to their owner, affectionate and playful. You need to feed them meat, eggs, fermented milk products, fruits and vegetables. You can also give grain or fish.

Difficulties of maintenance

The owner needs to know that the desert fox sleeps during the day and begins to lead an active lifestyle at night. If you keep it not in an enclosure, but simply in a room, then all the things that are there will be spoiled, since the fennec will gnaw everything, try to dig holes, tear the upholstery of the sofa and armchairs. Attempts to gnaw are especially dangerous for foxes. electric wires. It is imperative to keep your pet warm, since, having caught a cold, the desert fox dies, and it is not possible to cure it.

But is it worth getting a “living toy” for your own entertainment? Maybe it would be better to leave the desert foxes in the distant desert, next to his own family?

Fennec foxes are small desert-dwelling foxes that have large ears and an attractive appearance. These foxes, like all others, are predators, although their habits are considered softer. The name "fennec" with Arabic That's how it's translated - "fox".

Habitat of foxes with big ears and their description

The habitat of these cute eared foxes is the desert areas of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. In Algeria, the fennec is its national symbol and is even depicted on one of the national coins.

fennec fox does not reach large sizes . At the withers it is only eighteen to twenty-two centimeters. The weight of these babies reaches up to one and a half kilograms on average. If you compare the animal’s ears with its head, they may turn out to be gigantic in relation to it. They can be up to fifteen centimeters in length.

Foxes living in the desert are perfectly adapted to similar climatic conditions:

• they have fur on the soles of their paws so that the hot sand does not burn them;
• Their coat color is reddish-fawn, which allows them to camouflage in desert areas;
• long ears allow you to perfectly hear any rustle, even of a small insect.

The latter, it must be said, can be eaten by fennec. Although these foxes can feed on roots and fruits of plants, carrion, and eggs.

Ears, in addition to hearing, also help improve thermoregulation, because the animal lives in a very hot desert climate.

How does an animal cope with desert climate?

As mentioned above, the fennec fox, thanks to its large ears, can easily tolerate the hot desert climate. The thing is that the skin on the ears of foxes is quite thin and blood vessels are visible through it, thanks to which excess heat is removed from the body.

Even the internal structure of foxes allows them to live in the desert. Fenech can eat dry food and go without water for a long time. Therefore, the kidneys of this species of fox work differently than those of other representatives of this family. Thus, this allows you to retain more moisture in the animal’s body. The fennec fox does not have sweat glands.

IN daytime Foxes come out infrequently, preferring to stay in holes. If they find themselves on the surface, they prefer to stay in the shade of bushes or thickets of grass. They spend most of their time hiding from scorching sun and emerge from their holes as dusk approaches. At the same time they prefer to hunt.

It should be noted that this is a fairly smart animal and it is very interesting to watch them from the outside. For example, if a fennec fish has obtained an egg and the hard shell is difficult to crack, then it will roll the egg towards a stone. And what games they play among themselves!

Fennec fox breeding

The mating season for foxes begins in January. After the end of the mating season, the female is waiting for offspring. The wait lasts approximately 1.5-2 months, and cute little animals appear around March-April. That is, the duration of gestation for a fennec fox is about fifty days.

When born, the tiny foxes weigh only fifty grams. The female does not leave the cubs alone until they begin to open their eyes. During this time the male is not allowed near them, however, he continues to feed and obtain food for the entire family.

At five weeks of age, little foxes begin to gradually emerge from the hole and explore the territory. When they are three months old, they are ready to travel quite long distances. It should be noted that these animals are practically not afraid of anyone. They very fast and can easily escape from any danger.

IN Lately The domestication of wild animals became very popular. Due to their cute and rather cute appearance, it has become popular to keep fennec foxes as exotic pets at home. But like all wild animals, The pet fennec tree is not that easy to care for. There's something for that whole line reasons:

1. The long-eared fox is an animal that prefers a nocturnal lifestyle, therefore, due to this, it can cause a lot of trouble for the owner;
2. The fennec animal can be very naughty, so it simply needs training.
3. It is difficult for them to get used to the tray and have a rather unpleasant and specific smell that will not please the owner much.
4. In order to keep such an exotic pet at home, you will need a large cage or even a separate room, the floor of which must be covered with sand to bring it closer to its original habitat. This way the pet can dig a hole for itself.

In addition to all this, care should be taken to so that the room is warm enough, and perhaps it is worth making heated floors. Since the animal is accustomed to a very hot climate, it is susceptible to colds, which can cause the death of the pet. Sudden fluctuations in temperatures, as well as their value should not be allowed to be too low.

Not even every veterinarian will be able to help such an exotic pet, because the fennec fox is an unusual patient. In addition, it is better not to get a fox if you have other pets or small children, because it is not known how a wild animal might react to such a neighborhood at home.

By the way, even in distant Africa there is a little fox-sister. Meet - dwarf fox fennec

Fennec fox - African fox

Fennec fox - African fox

The smallest fox on Earth lives in the northern deserts of Africa and in the center of the Sahara. Its name – fennec – is translated from Arabic as “fox”.

The unusual appearance of the dwarf fennec fox

This predatory animal is smaller in size even than a domestic cat. The body and tail are the same length, up to 40 cm, height from 17 to 22 cm, and weight only 1.5 kg. The unexpectedly large ears give a touching expression to the small, pointed muzzle. No predator has such a structure of ears, when their size is much larger than the head. Just imagine ears 15 cm long! They help fennec cats not only hear well, but also cool down.

Large ears help cool the body in hot weather, and large eyes help you see in the dark.

The eyes are also large and expressive, but the teeth are small and sharp, helping to gnaw on small animals.

Like all adult foxes, the body is covered with soft, thick fur of a beautiful reddish hue, the abdomen and lower parts of the paws are white. But the cubs are completely white. The lower part of the paw is also covered with hair, which allows it to move on hot sand.

Lifestyle of African foxes

If there are small thickets of bushes in the sandy desert, then you can be sure that there is a fennec burrow somewhere nearby. Animals dig holes with branched passages themselves.

Several families can live in one den, as fennecs lead a gregarious lifestyle. In addition to the male and female, the family has 7–8 cubs, very small ones and teenagers from the previous litter.

When the breeding season begins, which happens once in the first months of the year, the males turn into fierce defenders of their territory. They leave marks with urine and get into fights with anyone who encroaches on its boundaries.
The female carries offspring for about 50 days. The fennec drags soft grass, feathers, and pieces of wool into one of the branches of the hole. There are sometimes very few cubs, 1–2 or more, 5–6. They are small, helpless and blind. But they grow quite quickly, at 2 weeks their eyes open, and after another 3 they slowly, carefully look out of the hole and even walk around it.

The role of the male during this period is only to feed the entire family, but the female does not let him into the nest.
When little fennec foxes turn 3 months old, they freely, without fear, move away from the hole and even get food themselves.

The fox “hid” in the hole in the log

They become fully grown by 9 months and form their own family. It happens that they stay with their mother and raise younger, later born brothers and sisters.

Fenechs communicate very actively with each other using a variety of sounds. Like all members of the canine family, they can not only bark, but also squeal, grumble, whine and howl.

What do fennec foxes eat?

Miniature fennecs cannot hunt large animals, so small desert inhabitants become their prey. These are small rodents such as jerboas, gerbils, and can also eat carrion, bird eggs, various insects(), which are dug out of the sand.

Sometimes they eat and plant foods, mainly roots and ripened fruits. In case of hunger, it stores food for future use. The animal has adapted to life in the desert - the fennec almost never drinks water; the liquid contained in its food is enough for it.
Due to the fact that the color of the fur merges with the color of the sand, and also the fact that when in danger, the fox buries itself in the sand with lightning speed, as if it were falling through, they have almost no enemies.

Some people are attracted by the exotic. These can be a wide variety of animals, from bears. However, lovers of exotic animals often do not think about the fact that keeping such “friends” in their apartment can be uncomfortable for the animals, and in addition, dangerous for their owners.

Keeping fennec foxes, miniature foxes, at home is becoming increasingly popular. Let's figure out how safe it is to have such a pet and how easy it is to tame and raise it. And believe me, this animal really has something to surprise you with, starting from appearance, ending with habits and behavioral characteristics.

Appearance and photo of fennec cat

The weight of such animals does not exceed 1.5 kg, height 18-22 cm, body length 30-40 cm excluding the tail, and it is quite long, sometimes reaching 30 cm.

A small fox with disproportionately large ears (up to 15 cm) looks incredibly cute and attractive, which explains its popularity. Their muzzle is small, their nose is elongated and pointed, and their eyes are large and expressive.

Immediately after birth, their fur is colored White color, and some time later it acquires a red or fawn color. These animals are very fluffy, their fur is not very long, but incredibly delicate and soft to the touch.

Important! Large ears help the fennec cat in thermoregulation due to the fact that the vessels on them are located very close to the skin - this helps foxes remove excess heat from the body, since wildlife they live in hot deserts. Naturally, owners of such large ears are also endowed with excellent hearing..

Characteristics of the chanterelle

Fennec foxes are very active, playful animals. They are excellent jumpers; jumping 1 m in length and 70 cm in height is not particularly difficult for them. Another feature of this animal is that it stays awake at night and gets enough sleep during the day.

Eared foxes get along well with pets, provided that they met when the fennec was very small. Actually, this also applies to people: in order for an animal to become tame, it is necessary to get it at the age of 2 months, only in this case can you “domesticate” the predator.

Features of life in the wild

The central Sahara is considered the homeland of the fennec; they live in the Arabian Peninsula, the Republic of Chad, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan and southern Niger.

Desert foxes prefer to choose areas for their homes that are densely overgrown with grass and shrubs, due to the fact that it is easier for them to get food. And they eat snake eggs, plant roots, small vertebrates, fruits and carrion.

To make it easier to endure the heat, their houses are built deep underground, that is, they are burrows with numerous underground passages. Thus, they are excellent diggers.

Important! Once a year, the family is replenished; after the birth of the young, the mother protects and protects it, and the father serves as the breadwinner. At the age of 3 months, the fennec fox cub begins to show interest in its surroundings and go beyond the parental burrow.

It is worth noting that these animals lead a social lifestyle, living in groups of 5-10 animals. But they go for prey alone.
Water deficiency in the desert does not affect foxes - their body is designed in such a way that liquid accumulates in it with food, and the kidneys retain required amount moisture so that the miniature can go for a long time without drinking.

How to create a comfortable environment at home

Before getting a fox, you should understand that the fennec is first and foremost a predator. It is possible to grow and tame it at home, but this will require some effort and patience.

In addition, you need to create favorable conditions for the animal to live in, provide it with a correct, balanced diet and proper care.

Cage and your own corner

Since the biological activity hours of humans and fennec cats do not coincide, it is better to give the animal a separate room or create a corner outside your bedroom so that you can sleep at night.
A very important point in keeping these little ears is the air temperature in the room where they live.

The room should be very warm or even hot, otherwise the little fox will start to get sick, and this can result in big problem, since animals get sick seriously and for a long time, and it’s not so easy to find a veterinarian who knows how and with what to treat them.

Since the animal loves to dig, it is advisable to organize play area with sand; if this is not done, he will make tunnels in things and furniture, so ensuring the pet’s leisure time is clearly in the interests of the owners.

The safety of the fennec cat plays a big role; his excessive curiosity and activity can play a cruel joke on him. Therefore, always close windows and doors and hide all fragile items. Make sure that the wires are not accessible to your pet fox, as the fennec will definitely be interested in them.

Did you know? Married couple from South Africa once rescued a pygmy hippopotamus during a flood, which then became their pet. Hippo Jessica loves her owners very much and does not want to part with them.

To avoid unpleasant situations, it is better to arrange a cage or a cage for the animal, and let it out for walks around the apartment only under the supervision of the owners.
Of course this will require additional costs, but at least your home will be in order and you will be able to calmly go about your business without worrying about what your pet has done.

Feeding the little animal

In order for the fox cub to feel good, it needs to be provided with a balanced diet. He is not picky about food; can be used for, which contains everything that an eared animal needs.

If you give preference to natural nutrition, then your diet should include fruits and vegetables, eggs, chicken meat and cereals. A real delicacy for them are insects and small ones, as well as dates and figs.

Important! It is best to observe the animal for some time, offering it to taste different foods, and identify its taste preferences, since they can be individual.

Pet care

One of important points care is to accustom the fox to the tray. The fact is that animals can mark the territory and after that an unpleasant odor can concentrate in the room.
So, from childhood, you need to teach the animal to go to the toilet in a certain place.

Breeders have mixed opinions about the difficulty of such training: some say that fox cubs very quickly master going to the litter tray, others say that there are certain problems with this, but in the end everyone overcomes them.

In no case do not forget that the eared bear has the finest hearing; therefore, it is better to avoid loud sounds and conversations in his presence.

The animal's fluffy coat requires special attention - the fur needs to be combed regularly with a special brush, which brings great pleasure to the fennec. Every year the animal must be vaccinated against rabies.

Fennec at home: pros and cons

From the above description and characteristics of the fennec, we can draw a conclusion as to what advantages and disadvantages are inherent in this animal. Let's start with the pros:

1. Decorative and exotic look.
2. The animal is active and playful.
3. Easy to care for.
4. Not picky about food.
5. Easily gets along with and.
6. With proper maintenance they live a long time (up to 15 years).

Among the disadvantages are the following:

1. The high cost of the animal and the high costs of initial stage(cage and toys).
2. It will take a lot of time and effort to tame an animal.
3. They mark the territory.
4. They don't sleep at night.
5. They love to throw things around.
6. It is very difficult to find a doctor for fennec cats.
7. They can be aggressive; You cannot have such an animal if there are small children in the house.

Did you know? Even if youalready a lot We've seen it and it's hard to surprise you with exotic animals; a flying squirrel will definitely impress you. This good-natured and loving people The animal from Australia is capable of jumping over a distance of 40 meters. At the same time, squirrels are suitable for home keeping - of course, if living space allows.

Where and for how much can you buy an animal?

fennec - not only a rare, but also quite an expensive animal, the price for it in Russia varies between 75,000-150,000 rubles.
You can find a lot of offers on the Internet at a lower cost, but in such cases there is a risk of purchasing an animal whose parents live in the natural environment, and this greatly complicates the process of taming the animal.

Therefore, it is best to purchase fennec cats from experienced breeders; At the same time, you should definitely take an interest in his pedigree.

Before getting an eared fox, be sure to weigh the pros and cons, and also study more information about him. Despite the fact that it is very beautiful and amusing, we should not forget that, first of all, it is a wild animal with its own habits and character.

And, quite possibly, an ordinary cute dog or a pretty cat will much better satisfy your need for a pet.