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Canidae Central

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TheWhiteFox Head Adminstrator

Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 3312 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 12:30 am Post subject: Buying Pet Foxes |
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As reviewing some topics, I noticed the issue involving buying a fox from a fur farm to save its life has come up.
So, I think we should discuss about it; is it really good, or is it a bad thing still?
Edit: My weaker debate:
There is a large issue over exotic pet animals, like exotic pet foxes. Meaning that they are wild and should not be contained as pets. The issue goes for nearly every animal that is more common in wild places, like tigers, etc.
I attempted to learn about the minds of exotic pet owners rather than just say "it's flat out wrong." Though my experiment in contacting with pet fox owners, and understanding them, was a failure for many reasons.
First, most didn't know barely anything about foxes. They had no idea what they were getting themselves into and would get rid of the fox as soon as they realized what they got themselves into. Most haven't done the research required to own a pet fox therefore it ends up worse on the fox's end.
Second, there are also those who want a fox no matter where they live. Like a request I saw of a Southern kid, wanting to own a pet arctic fox. Arctic foxes have an extremely difficult time adjusting to such warm weathers. Winters need to be far below zero and summers can't go up any higher than 60 degrees for more than a week. The arctic fox will suffer. If they were capable of living in warm weathers with comfort, then they would have migrated closer to the equator a long time ago.
Thirdly, and worst of all, when I was talking with some pet fox owners, I strongly disliked their relationships that some seemed to have with fox farms, farms that slaughter thousands of foxes for their fur. And like I mentioned before, if someone tries to get rid of the fox, they could be selling it to a fox farm resulting in the fox’s death. Or, one could be buying a fox from a fox farm. True, you do save the life of that fox, but you will be giving the fox farm money to continue their slaughter and that $100 dollars for the pet fox can become another three dead foxes.
That's three of my main points. On my site, the "pet foxes" debate has raged where I've had others help argue on both sides. The debates are very long, but if you wish to view them, go to my site (that's posted on my youtube profile) and scroll down to 'News about Foxes' and look for the locked topics... Foxes are not very social animals and like isolation from foreign species, they need room to survive… This cannot be achieved in a household, near people and other foreign species, with fences, and/or cages surrounding them.
Thanks for contacting me. And, I agree with most people, that it'd be the best thing to have a fox as a pet; but it's a selfish impulse that should NOT be acted upon. The only reason why one should house a pet fox is ONLY if it is part of a Sanctuary program and the fox cannot go back into the wild. _________________
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James McCloud Team Dog

Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Indiana, U.S.
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Krysys Of Sauria Stray Dog

Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 190
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Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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Same here. Dont see why people think its wrong to keep it as a pet tho (if you buy it from a farm) cause it wouldn't know how to survive in the wild. _________________ I am Krysys twin brother of Krystal |
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GrayFox Fox Kit

Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Pilisvorosvar, Hungary
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TheWhiteFox Head Adminstrator

Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 3312 Location: Arizona
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JazFox Fox Kit
Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 4
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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A lot of people think foxes are like dogs, which couldn't be further from the truth! They are so much more wild and destructive. They aren't cuddly, they smell bad and they aren't trainable in many ways, except perhaps litter or leash training.
I don't agree with people breeding them as pets. Especially because people will buy them just because they think it would be cool to be like "Hey guess what I have a pet fox." However, saving the animal is a different story. I am all in favor of the wild staying wild, but some people do know what they are doing. |
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TheWhiteFox Head Adminstrator

Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 3312 Location: Arizona
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TheWhiteFox Head Adminstrator

Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 3312 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| GrayFox wrote: | Here in Hungary, you can buy a fox from grower, but only now, in spring. They like foxes, and they sell the cubs, not for fur farms, only for foxlovers And these foxes is only 5 000 - 10 000 HUF (30-50 US dollar) (I hope so, i write this clearly.... i must learn English! ) |
However, foxes are still wild. I don't say this to mean that they are destructive animals, I say it because foxes need room to roam around, burrow dens and hunt their own food. They live to be free, not to be a pet in a small household or small yard (small = less than 100 acres), and if they cannot be free, they become depressed. It may not be so visual but their wild heart wants to be where it belongs.
Another thing, I watched a video of a pet arctic fox and at the end, it said that the fox was getting seizures... probably due to the light. Arctic foxes aren't used to so much light that's in a house hold or in the southeren regions... Arctic regions have long periods of darkness that last for months, and that's what arctic foxes are used to. So the seizures probably came from the overwhelming constant light.
There's a video that I'm watching that's called "Fox Makes Great Pets" but all I see is a slideshow of foxes in the wild... How valid is this video?!?!? Foxes do not make great pets, they don't even make good pets... They make excellent wild animals, that have been perfected by millions of years of evolution.
The main problem is with people who want to own foxes, is that they do not know how to care for one. Most people think that they're just so cute so they want one no knowing a d*mn thing about foxes. And if you do your homework, then you'll be like me, you'll accept that you should NOT own a pet fox... I wanted to own one, I still want to own one, but I will not own one. Only way you should have a fox at your household, is if it is part of a sanctuary program and you are certified to care for a fox.
Then people are so desperate to own such a "oh so cute" fox that they do the worse thing by buying them from fur farms... Reasons why it's so bad is explained above.
I left a comment on one of the videos, I said that if people truly love foxes then they should contact me.. I doubt many will contact me; I bet the owner of the video will delete my comment to condemn foxes to a life of misery..... It'd be so typical of those people. Ignore what you don't want to hear.
Edit: They are typical. My comments were deleted and only one person contacted me. _________________
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crazyanimallady Fox Kit
Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 14
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Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 12:54 am Post subject: |
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I still do not understand why you are so against everyone owneing exotics.. I have many exotics and many fox ranging from red, arctic, swift, fennec and grey.. they are all very healthy, very happy and get the best diet. they never lack vet care if they happen to become ill ( which is very seldom) they never go hungry, they are never cold with no shelter, they have new things to play with all the time, tunnels to go into, everything i could possibly offer them, they are very loving, love attention, love to play with me, I do agree that not everyone should own a exotic, but for those of us who live everyday for our animals to say we should not is not right.. my animals get constant care, I start every day at 6 or 7 am with morning water changes, feeding of my diernal animals and end each day around 11pm after the 3rd water change ( on real hot days ) and feedings of my nocturnal animals, they are very well cared for so to say that every exotic owner is bad is not right, most so called sanctuaries are people who once were buying exotics.. they are private oweners, just because you call yourself a sanctuary does not mean you do not buy and sell.. most of them do |
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Ex-Soldier Cloud Working Dog

Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 456 Location: In a tranquil place where foxes are
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Hikage Okami Team Dog

Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 607 Location: Nowhere under the snow arrow
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UltraMetaloid Working Dog

Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 491 Location: Maple Ridge, BC "Canadia"
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Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Ex-Soldier Cloud wrote: | | how old are ya? 9? 12? unless your name is mother nature i dought you can give everything a WILD (keyword wild) animal what it needs,so go ahead make an arguement in your post after this its only gonna show you like to argue about something that should be kept to a MINIMUM and unless you are psychic and can tell what emotions wild animals are in than HOW do you KNOW if any of the animals are ACTUALY happy? if you can answer this its gonna prove my point. |
Sorry, Cloud, I'm gonna agree with Hikage here. I dont think there's much more to add onto what he just said. From the sound of things, crazyanimallady here has things worked out, and the best interest of her animals in mind. neither you or I can be a judge as to whether her foxes are health and happy because neither of us are there. I for one couldn't sat that what she is doing is wrong because I don't know all the details. I also agree with TWF that animals such as foxes really belong in the wild and should not be raised as pets, but as Hikage said, that doesnt mean they are incapable of feeling happy around humans.
I would rather see foxes in the wild, but unless it's clear to me that they arent being properly cared for, I wont say anything bad of this person. For all I know, this could be a rescue operation/sanctuary for foxes. I dont know, and I'm sure niether do you, Cloud; I see no reason to fly off the handle like you just did, and I am politely asking you to cool down a little. This "animal activist" attitude of yours isnt a bad thing, but there are times and places where it isnt neccesary, and this is one of them.
Crazyanimallady, I am very interested to know more of what you do. Are you running some sort of sanctuary for foxes, or is it something different? _________________ Well the sun will rise in the east
But I'm barking at the moon
There is no home like the one you've got,
Cause that home belongs to you... |
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Ex-Soldier Cloud Working Dog

Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 456 Location: In a tranquil place where foxes are
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crazyanimallady Fox Kit
Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 14
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Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:33 pm Post subject: |
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I agree that not everyone is capable of properly caring for any animal let it be a dog or exotic, but I for one was head keeper/ curator for a private zoological park with over 150 animals for several yrs, have worked with exotics for many many yrs and have also worked in a exotic emergency vet hospital.. so qualifications I do have, knowledge I do have time and experience I do have.. as for my exotics, i raise fox, all different species of fox, I do raise fox for the pet trade but 95% of my fox kits go to educational programs.. I just sold a swift fox kit to a man who is well known in wildlife education and has been on Jay leno, and other shows many times. I run my own wildlife education program, where I teach children about wildlife and conservation the little things they can do to help the wildlife live a safer happier life. I have many animals other than fox, from marmoset monkies, to kinkajou, bobcat, and reptiles.. all my animals have the best well balanced diet I can provide, I have direct contact with 2 local AZA zoo vet staff if I have any medical, nutritional, or enrichment idea or queations. My days are spent 99% of the time with my animals. I also work as a humane officer with the county SPCA as my full time job, so I rescue animals daily. The care quality of enrichment and activity my animals recieve is far above adequate. My fox and bobcat get whole prey food such as whole rabbit, they get fresh deer, beef, chicken, they get vitamin suppliments for calcium, torine, and coat care. they get heart worm prevention monthly, flea and tick prevention monthly, they are wormed on a monthly basis as a prvention. If they should happen to fall ill I have a vet 24/7 who will see my animals. they are full vaccinated. they do not have to worry and lay hungry in the winter because they can not find food, or lay dieing a slow death from distemper, they do not lay around hot and thirsty as they have fresh water all the time, they do not have to fight for food or worry about being hit by a car or shot by hunters.. so there are many benefits for exotics in captivity. these animals can not long for what they do not know or have never known, being in captivity is all they know. I agree that wild animals born wild should stay in the wild, but there is nothing wrong with animals being born in captivity either provided they are cared for properly and humanely |
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flying red fox Stray Dog

Joined: 10 Oct 2006 Posts: 152 Location: Bognor Regis UK
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