Red FoX
Fox are some of the most beautiful, unique creatures on this earth. I wouldn't trade the bonds and relationships I share with my foxes for anything. Mine have an outside run and come inside as well (A large outside enclosure is highly recommended). My Tucker, shown below, is a Dakota Gold and is truly one of the best souls I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I've been "mom" since before his eyes ever opened at approx. 2 weeks. Because I raised him at such an early age, we have an extremely solid bond. My point is, the earlier you get your fox, or any animal for that matter, the stronger the bond will be. The early bonding time is crucial for a fox, specifically. We do try to get our kits to their homes at around 4-6 weeks of age so they bond to their new families and not us. The longer they stay with us, the more they imprint on us and not their new families.
If you are looking for strictly an indoor pet, I highly recommend checking out our skunk page. They are easily cared for and low maintenance in comparison to red fox or arctic fox. They are also easier to handle, less destructive, like to cuddle more, and tend to be easier to litter box train. For these reasons, they make great indoor pets and are similar in behavior to that of a ferret/cat.
While I love my fox, there are somethings that need to be addressed. They are NOT for families with newborn babies or for families who do not have enough time to spend with them. They need attention and supervision almost constantly. They get into everything, mark their territory, steal socks and clothes, dig in couches, chew cords, and love getting in the fridge (like a toddler on steroids their whole life). They are a handful and they aren't for everyone, but for the right person, they are an amazing companion. And if you think about it, they are just motivating you to always have a clean house! ***With fox, you get out what you put in. A major key is early bonding and continual socializing!!!
Potty Training:
Potty training is fairly difficult with red fox. Most of the time, you are lucky to get them 75% potty trained. If you plan on trying to potty train, start early. I would recommend going about it like you would a cat or ferret. Find their favorite places to go and put a litter pan there or puppy pad at first. You can also pick up their poop/pee and stick it in the box so they know where to go.
It is the nature of the fox to mark their territory and objects they claim as theirs. This means because they claim you, all of your stuff will be marked as theirs as well. You can expect food and water dishes to be marked, your water bottles, blankets, clothes, socks, your pillows, and just about anything else left within reach. Believe me, its easier and way less smelly to just have everything put away. One time I accidentally left my laptop case on the floor when Tucker was out (That will never happen again)...when I went to classes the next morning I kept smelling fox everywhere I went....Dummy me thought it was someone else! Of course I soon realized it was me after I found fox pee and a turd in my case! Can't even be mad though because it was Tucker's way of telling me he claims me as his own. #Perspectivesofafoxowner
Food Aggression:
Fox can have food aggression at a young age. This needs to be addressed because it can scare some people and fluster inexperienced owners. You have to realize the kits spend the first few weeks on their moms fighting for milk against their litter mates. The kits survived because they were fast to the nipple and frantic to get there. That is where the food aggression begins, but with some TLC and patience, the kits learn you will not take their food and are actually giving it to them. We recommend new owners hold their babies on their laps while they spoon feed the fox. Once they get used to this idea, start stroking their back while they eat. It takes time, but the food aggression becomes less and less. All my fox as adults are not food aggressive and I have done this same method with all of them.
Bonding:
They are NOT like dogs or cats. It is important to remember they do not have the same personalities as dogs and do not respond to some methods of training that people use for dogs. Do not get a fox and hope it will act like a dog....just go buy a dog. Another key point with fox, just because it is a fox and considered an exotic, don't be afraid to take them places and wag them around. Take them places, let them ride in the car, walk them, introduce them to new people (after shots). Desensitize and socialize early. Just because they are a fox, doesn't mean you can't take them places and treat them like a "pet" (I mean pet in the loosest term possible because they really will never be a pet, they own you, not the other way around). As long as you start this early, they will grow used to it and get more and more comfortable over time. I'm not saying put your fox in stressful situations or put them in harms way with the public either, just simply expose them to whatever you want them to be okay with as an adult. I take mine in a pouch when they are at a young age and wag them around everywhere, including wal-mart, stores, baseball games, track meets, night drives, and regular car rides. With this being said, nobody knows I have my fox with me (precaution for diseases since you do not know where people have been) and the pouch they are in is big enough they cannot jump out (make sure they can breathe).
***Desensitize and socialize EARLY!!!!
Biting/Behavior:
If you own a fox, you will get bit at least once. It is inevitable. Especially as kits when they are young, learning, and all play. Whether its because they mistook your hand for a toy, or because you touched him when he had a toy and he didn't want you to have his treasure, it will happen. It comes with the territory, and its important to know, they need space sometimes. It is also very important to understand when they do bite, there was a reason. If you don't know why, reflect on what you did or what took place before it happened. This is important when owning a fox because the sooner you can pinpoint what your fox dislikes and what they are uncomfortable with, the sooner you can have a stronger bond and mutual trust. Please don't ever get discouraged if your fox bites you, whether its play nibbling or fear aggression. There is always a solution to fix the problem, or things you can do differently to help them feel more comfortable. Key points here are patience and to always use positive reinforcement. If my foxes are moody or going through a phase, I never approach them without a treat. Let them associate you with something positive.
With owning a fox, there are always going to be ups and downs. Hell, if it were easy, everyone would have pet foxes instead of dogs. Its takes time, patience, and consistency to win their hearts and trust over. Its also very critical to grasp the fact that not every fox will be cuddly and warm up to you instantly (or ever for that matter). Each fox is different, just like every person has a unique personality. Some fox love all people, some fox just enjoy a select few. Some love going for walks on a leash, and some despise it. Fact of the matter is, when thinking about owning a fox, you need to be able to accept a fox for what he/she is, just as you accept that one grumpy friend who can always find something to complain about (we all know that person). I promise you, a fox complains wayyyy more than that grumpy friend, it may not be in words, but they still get their points across. If you can't do that or don't think you will be able to tolerate how he/she turns out, then you probably shouldn't purchase one.
Crate Training:
We crate all kits at night so they don't get into trouble, but in the morning when we let them out, they need space to run and blow off all that pent up energy. A lot of owners get bit when they try to cuddle their fox directly after letting them out, simply because the kit just needs to run and play until he/she mellows out and blows off some steam.
Color Mutations:
Within the red fox family there are multiple color variations! The most common are silver fox, red fox, cross fox, arctic marbles, Dakota golds, white marks, sun-glows, ambers, and cinnamons/burgundy. The color variations seem endless. This causes confusion because everyone refers to all red fox color variations as simply "red fox".
Diet:
All red fox tend to be about 5-15 pounds when fully grown. They live for about 8-12 years (in captivity they can live longer) and are omnivores. We feed our fox a grain-free base kibble along with a variety of other things, including raw pheasants, chukars, and deer meat (when in season). The best kibble options are Wellness Core, Taste of the Wild, Ultimate Chicken Grain Free Dog Food, or Instinct Chicken Dog Food (notice the underlined words "Dog Food"---Do not feed cat food).
Ours enjoy apples, peaches without the pit, strawberries, cherries without the seed, watermelon, raspberries, pomegranates, blackberries, coconut, cooked and raw meats (chicken, turkey), green beans, cantaloupe, chicken hearts and gizzards, coconut oil, deer meat, brown rice, elk, sweet potato, salmon, quail, carrots, baby chicks, unsweetened apple sauce, insects (crickets and mealworms), fresh/unthawed veggies, corn on the cob, pinkies, raw eggs with the shell, scrambled eggs, hardboiled eggs, etc. NO feeds include: grapes (cause renal failure), raisins, mushrooms, garlic, onion, citrus fruits, pork, avocados, macadamia nuts, energy drinks, or chocolate! NO COOKED BONES!! They are choking hazards. These are all off limits. If you want to feed bones, grind them up or use bone meal. You can feed raw bones if you want, just understand there is always a risk of them splintering and penetrating the intestines. Also, fox need taurine in their diets (500 mg a day approx), you can purchase a supplement or purchase food that contains taurine already, either works.
Price:
Baby red foxes are $400 (plus 7% sales tax, for a total of $428), for any color of gender.
The health certificate from our vet is an additional 35-40$.
We have red fox kits for sale in the Spring, around March/April!
If you have questions, feel free to call me at 812-865-3021. I rarely text!!
Below are a few pictures of our foxes that we have raised. We try and take as many photos as possible and keep them updated here, so that people can see the potential parents of their kits. Upon pick up, we do not allow customers to see parents (from March-July) as a safety precaution to our newborn litters. Thanks in advance!!
Link to Fox Vaccinations:
http://www.2ndchance.info/vaccination.htm#S1
Another great source for Red Fox information: http://sybilsden.com/caresheet/fox.htm
****Listed below is the Red Fox Care Sheet****
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April 15, 2020, Red Haired Red Fox
April 15, 2020, Red Haired Red Fox
April 12, 2020,
Marble Red Fox
April 15, 2020
Russ, Traditional Red Fox
Glacier Red Fox
Connie, Collicott Red Fox
Sunglow (Red Marble) Red Fox
Russ, Traditional Red Fox
Sunglow (Red Marble) Red Fox
Russ, Traditional Red Fox
Arrow, Fawn Glow
Connie, Collicot
Tucker and Thea (Collicot Marble and Dakota Gold)
Copper, Copper Fox
All White Marble Kit
Sunglow kit
Cash (August 2, 2018) Red Platinum
Red Fox Kit (May 2018)
Silver Fox Kit (May 2018)
Arrow, Fawn Glow
Cash, The Red Platinum (May 2018)
Cash, Red Platinum (May 6th, 2018)
Platinums (April 27th 2018)
Sleeping Red Fox Kit
Sleepy Red Kits
Cash (August 2, 2018) Red Platinum
April 19, 2018 (Parents Collicot x Red Platinum)
Red Fox Litter
Thea, Collicot Marble Morph
Sunglow kit named Logan (Parents; Winston and Willa)
Sunglow (on top) and Red fox kit
Platinum litter with a red fox (April 14, 2018)
Sunglows (left side) and a Marble kit (far right) (April 14, 2018) (Parents; Enzo and Bonnie)
March 31, 2018 White Mark Variation (Parents Marco and Daisy)
April 8th, 2018 (Parents; Winston and Willa)
March 31, 2018 (White Mark Variation)
Copper, Copper Color Morph (March 2018)
1st litter of Spring 2018 (Parents are Marco & Daisy)
Bonnie, Cinnamon Red Fox (Heavily Pregnant-- March 10, 2018)
Red Platinum Fox (or Golden Fox)
Copper and Arrow (February 2018)
Spring 2018 kits March 16, 2018 (first litter belonging to Marco and Daisy)
Copper Fox (February 10, 2018)
Red Platinum
Marco, White-mark 2018
Tucker (Dakota Gold Color Morph)
Spring 2018 Kits (1st litter)
Thea, January 28, 2018 (Collicot Marble)
Daisy (Red fox) and Marco (White Mark)
Miss Daisy (Red fox) (October 2017)
Red Fox Kit
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Marco, White Mark Red Fox
Cash, Red Platinum
Platinum Litter (2018)
Red fox kits and 1 sunglow (white kit)
Sunglow (Red Marble) Red Fox
Tucker, Dakota Gold (Feb 2018)
Thea (Color Morph Collicot Marble)
Arrow Enjoying her Pumpkin (2017)
Daisy (Red fox) and Marco (White Mark)
Tucker, Dakota Gold
Arrow being Arrow (Fawn Glow Color Morph)
Arrow (Fawn Glow Color Morph)
Arrow, 2017 Kit
River, Pearl Kit 2017 (Parents: Bonnie and Enzo)
Tucker, Dakota Gold (Parents; Winston & Willa)
Litter of kits (2016)
Pearl fox
Arctic Marble (left) and Collicot Marble (right, AKA Thea at top of page)
1st Red Fox Litter of 2017
Tucker, Dakota Gold
Tucker Boy, My Dakota Gold
Reba (Red Fox)
White Mark Variation (Marco)
Sun-Glow Variation (Enzo as a kit)
Kits from 2015 (red fox)
Tucker (Dakota Gold)
Arctic marble kit from 2016
Fawn Glow kit (2017)
Arctic Marble Kit 2017
Enjoying his Pumpkin (Smokey Red Variation)
River (Pearl Fox)
Red Fox Kit
Tucker (2016)
Tucker, Dakota Gold
Fawn Glow Kit
River, Spring 2017 (Pearl kit)
Spring 2017 Kits
Arrow enjoying her nightly scratches
Arrow and I
River, The Pearl Fox
Sunglow Red Fox Kit
Reba, Red Fox
Platinums
Baby Dakota Gold (Tucker)
Tucker, Summer 2017
Enzo patiently waiting for his eggs (Sun-Glow)
Arrow and I (Christmas 2017)
Reba (Red fox)
Marco (White Mark)
Tucker, January 2018 (Dakota Gold)
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Below are a few pictures of two of our kits, Stan and Yukon, from spring 2017+. They now reside at the Long Island Game Farm in Manorville, New York.
If you would like to pay them a visit, go to http://www.longislandgamefarm.com for more information!
If you would like to pay them a visit, go to http://www.longislandgamefarm.com for more information!
Stan and Yukon playing
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