Desert fennec fox. Long-eared desert fox as a pet. Fennec fox - the cutest pet Fennec fox at home

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 deserts 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 them thin skin blood vessels are visible, which are adapted to remove excess heat from the fox’s body. Internal structure 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 married couple and her 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. Mostly hiding from 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. They should be fed meat, eggs, dairy 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. Trying to chew electrical wires is especially dangerous for a fox. 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?

IN Lately The domestic Fennec fox began to spread quite quickly in city apartments. Formally, this animal belongs to the same family as dogs, but in size and lifestyle it is a bit like a cat. Before you get one, you need to familiarize yourself with some of the features of caring for, raising and feeding a fox.

In size, the domestic fennec fox is even smaller than an ordinary cat:

• height at withers up to 22 cm;
• body length 35-42 cm;
• The length of the tail is almost the same - up to 30 cm.

The weight of the animal is around one and a half kilograms. With such miniature sizes, the fennec has very large ears, which reach almost half the length of the body (up to 15-17 cm). The coat has pale yellow and milky shades, is mostly fluffy, soft, and pleasant to the touch. The fennec cat has small teeth.

IN natural environment The fox is most common in the Sahara, as well as in the Arabian and Sinai Peninsulas, in many areas of Chad, Niger and Sudan.

Interesting. It is the ears that give the fennec a unique, original look. appearance. At the same time, such a size is justified from the point of view of the animal’s lifestyle: in the wild, this fox feeds on insects. To hear their slightest rustle, you need very large ears.

Features of keeping at home

It is acceptable to keep a Fenech at home, but it is necessary to raise the animal so that it clearly knows the hierarchy. In captivity, foxes only live in packs, so with the right approach, they will understand what the hierarchy is and become very obedient.

However, the domestication process is not the main problem.

Difficulties in keeping are also associated with the characteristics of the animal’s lifestyle:

1. First of all, your fennec cat needs to be toilet trained. Ideally, he only goes to the litter box, but raising a fox is sometimes very difficult.
2. In terms of veterinary care, vaccination and other important measures There is also a problem - after all, although the fennec belongs to the canine family (like dogs), it is difficult to find a veterinarian for them.
3. The fox loves to dig holes - she needs to build a fairly large cage with sand or even separate a room so that she feels like she is in a natural environment.

Otherwise, care is similar to keeping a regular dwarf dog. The only difference is that it is important to go for walks with this animal all the time, but at the same time it is better to train it to the litter box, because the fenech goes to the toilet quite often due to its increased metabolism. At the same time, in winter time You should not walk with the animal - the fox can catch a cold and even die.

Attention. The cost of a fennec tree ranges from 40,000 to 180,000 rubles.

Feeding diet for fennec cats

In the wild, the fennec is omnivorous, and mainly obtains food from sand and soil, digging it out with its paws. The usual diet is insects and small invertebrates.

And at home, the fennec fox is fed the following foods:

• raw meat (beef, chicken fillet);
• offal and fish - once a week as a replacement for meat;
• vegetables - daily;
• fermented milk, grain products - once a week;
• eggs - can be fed weekly with boiled chicken or 3 quail eggs;
• figs and dates are a favorite delicacy domestic fox, because they are accustomed to eating these fruits in natural conditions.

You can also switch to regular dog food. But it is still advisable to feed them with fresh vegetables and fruits daily.

Fenech can go without water for a long time because it extracts moisture from vegetables, fruits and insects. Still, it’s better to put a small container - the fox can drink from there.

– it would seem difficult to surprise us with unusual exotic pets who may live near us. However, there are still such people. And today we will tell you about fennec– little foxes, representatives wildlife able to live at home. However, given that the fennec fennec boom is just beginning, it is not surprising that their prices are sky-high. However, if you still decide to have such a fox cub in your house, be prepared that he will not behave like a cat. Fenechs love to play and love affection, but to live comfortably with them under the same roof, you will need to take into account a number of the following points...

Who are fennecs and their appearance

Fenech is the name given to a small fox that lives in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. In size this creature is smaller than a cat, its weight adult barely reaches 1.5 kilograms, and this animal grows up to 40 centimeters in length. It is much smaller than usual.

Distinctive feature Fennec foxes are her big ears. If you look at their size relative to the size of the head, it seems that the ears are several times larger than the fox's head. Because of this, you get the impression that there is no common fox, and its grotesque copy. However, it was not by chance that Nature endowed the fennec with large locator ears. She needs them in order to survive and get food. They also act as thermostats, and when the animal is hot, they help “cool down” the body. The fennec cat is also able to move easily and gracefully on the hot desert sand, thanks to the fact that there is a little fluff on its feet.

Where do fennecs live in Nature?

In Nature, these creatures prefer to live in families, in holes that they dig. Each such hole has many branches and passages. Before the cubs appear, the female and the male live in the hole together, but as soon as the babies are born, the female drives the male out of the hole. All he has to do is bring food and place it at the entrance. He is not allowed further than the threshold until the children grow up and begin to lead an independent lifestyle.

What do fennecs eat in nature?

In nature, these creatures feed not only on plants, fruits, leaves, but also insects, bird eggs, and small vertebrates. When they are hungry, they do not disdain carrion. Considering that the desert is for them native home, they can go without water much longer than ordinary foxes.

Keeping fennec at home involves some peculiarities that you need to know about. So, for example, mini-foxes cannot tolerate bright sunlight and are active night look life. You will have to adapt to your pet, darken the rooms with curtains and be prepared for the fact that when you go to bed, he will wake up and invite you to play. By the way, regarding activity and playfulness, these are indeed very active creatures; a few minutes are enough for them to cause mayhem in the room. They also love to dig holes. So, you will most likely have to give up flowerpots.

To minimize the destructive proximity to the fennec cat, it is better to keep it in a spacious enclosure, where you can set up a sandbox for it in which it will dig holes. This will be safer for the fennec itself and more convenient for you. Otherwise, he will soon turn your house into ruins, ruin the furniture, break all the dishes, chew through the wires... By the way, fennecs are very talkative, they constantly scream - at first it’s difficult to get used to it. So, your home will also be very noisy.

Fennec fur care

Fennec cats naturally have long, thick fur that requires regular brushing. Otherwise, it will get tangled and tangles will form. If necessary, the fennec cat can also be bathed. After bathing, be sure to dry his coat well and comb it.

As a rule, if you teach a fennec cat to bathe and comb from childhood, he normally accepts these procedures and even rejoices at this opportunity to communicate with his owner.

Toilet for fennec cat

Since the animal will live in the house, it needs a toilet. You can also use a cat litter box for these purposes. Fox cubs are naturally intelligent and quickly understand that they need to relieve themselves in one place. Namely in the toilet. You can also use cat litter for the toilet. Read more about it.

Upon reaching sexual maturity, fennec cats, like cats, can begin to mark their territory, leaving their odorous marks. The only way out in this case is castration, if you are not going to breed these exotics.

Although fennec females do not mark their territory, when they are very frightened they begin to emit a pungent odor - the owner should know about this feature.

Walking with a fennec cat

It is quite obvious that you will want to show off your unusual pet, and you will want to take it for a walk. This should only be done on a leash, and only after you are sure that the weather is hot outside. On a cool day, your fennec cat will need to be dressed warmly to prevent him from catching a cold. But it’s better to avoid winter walks altogether. Fenech can get hypothermia, get frostbite on its paws, get pneumonia and die.

What to feed your fennec cat

We already know what foxes eat in nature. What should you feed your fennec cat at home? Considering the pickiness of this creature and its omnivorous nature, make a balanced and useful menu it won't be difficult for him. Make sure that the fennec fox receives daily fresh vegetables and fruits, it’s better not to give him food from the human table, but if you want to feed him porridge, then prepare porridge with lean meat. Adult fennec cats can be given boiled chicken breast. You can also pamper your fennec cat with insects (for example), small rodents or even lizards.

But what will be the best delicacy for a fennec cat are dates, figs and quail eggs.

As an option, you can feed your fennec cat ready-made dog food with vegetables added to it. Only the food should not be cheap, but premium, so that the animal does not have health problems and receives all the vitamins and elements it needs.

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

The unusual appearance of the dwarf fennec fox

In size this predatory animal smaller than even 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.

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. Here are the cubs in full 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 in sandy desert There are small thickets of bushes, 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.

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, and various insects (), which are dug out of the sand.

Sometimes they eat and plant foods, mainly roots and ripened fruits. In case of famine, 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.

The fennec fox is a small animal, smaller than a domestic cat, which is a breed of fox, found in the deserts of North Africa. Zoologists assigned them to the canine family and discovered special social behavior in the little foxes. The fennec fox adapts perfectly to life in captivity, is very affectionate and flexible, and does not mind communicating with humans. Unfortunately, such animals are sold extremely rarely, so they are very expensive.

Little Fox, Can be kept at home. They feel great and reproduce quickly. If you raise a fennec cat correctly, you can get a loyal, affectionate, unusually smart pet.

The floor in the room should be covered with sand; foxes love to dig holes. And they can dig almost five meters in a short time. It is very difficult for a fox cub to relieve himself in a litter tray; it will take a lot of time and nerves to accustom him to this. Accordingly, until the animal is accustomed, there will be a persistent unpleasant smell in the room. The problem is that there are very few veterinarians specializing in foxes.

There will be no problems feeding the fennec. Animals are omnivores. They eat eggs, reptiles, small vertebrates, bugs, spiders, small birds. The fennec fox, a desert fox, is genetically predisposed to obtain all its necessary water supply from food. Roots, tubers, and fruits of plants are sources of necessary moisture for the animal.

At home, the pet is fed mainly meat products, include fruits and vegetables in the diet, you can sometimes give kefir, fish, eggs. The little fox will notice which product he prefers. The animals weigh only one and a half kilograms, the length of the body is approximately 30 cm, while the ears are about 15 cm. There are many blood vessels in the ears of the fennec cat; he needs large ears not only to hear well, but also serve as a natural cooler in the hot desert.

Woolen paws protect against burns from hot sand. After birth, the tiny animals are white. As the animal grows older, its color changes slightly and becomes a reddish hue. The long silky fur of the animals is very pleasant to the touch. The little fox is very sensitive and timid.

Video. Fennec at home