Domestic Silver Foxes??

[bemba]

How cool are they!! Does anyone in the states have them as pets? Saw the doco on their domestication, and how just selecting the tamest from each generation not only made them friendly, but changed their coat colour, floppy ears etc, I found it facsinating.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

I've never seen anyone with one... but I do know from what I read they had to be imported. Might be something different, but I believe they make you sign contracts not to breed when you buy them.

 

[NovaAman]

They're domesticated in Russia... It started as an experiment to see how the domestication of k9 changed them, and foxes were the targeted k9. Its so cool. I'd love love love to have one or two... BUT, I think people around here would FREAK cuz of their chickens. I'd worry bout my chickens... LOL
But I just had it in my Nat Geo a few months ago. Was so cool about how the ears went from perked to floppy, and their tails got longer and curled up more. New color patterns also emerged... SO very interesting.

 

[Lacey1988]

But when ever a sweet domestic one was made some of its siblings would be really aggressive.....they tried to see if it was nature or nurture it turned out nature you couldn't tame the aggressive ones at all....so I would like to have a sweet one but I wouldn't breed them at all

 

[watchdogps]

Foxes STINK! They have an odor worse than skunk, IMO. Cut as anything, but rank. Also, they do not act anything like a dog. More like a ferret, but flightier.

 

[bagendhens]

actually the 'domesticated silvers" from russia are nothing like regular foxes, they actually are very dog like, a little more independant but otherwise its very similar...
that being said the only way to get one in the usa s to import it from russia and if i remember rightly its almost a $7000 venture to own one. by the time you buy the fox and pay for all health certs and shipping costs.

also because fo the breeding process and domestication selection (this was origionally and still done as a genetics experiment origionally done on fur farm foxes to try to develop an easily handled no odor fox for the fur farms...) these foxes have little to no fox odor (and are also usually spay/neutered before being shipped to the usa which also helps remove any musk too...

 

[NovaAman]

It'd be cheaper to move to Russia!

 

[watchdogps]

For those, yes. But there are plenty of breeders/dealers here in the US that will try to tell you theirs are that tame, or even that theirs are descended from the russian ones.

 

[bagendhens]

well anyone telling you their foxes are "descended from the russian ones" are fibbing...
ALL Institute of Cytology and Genetics domesticated foxes are spay/neutered before shipping. there are no exceptions to this rule and never have been.
and currently only 5 people in the usa own Institute of Cytology and Genetics domesticated foxes.

now, many exotics breeders will sell you TAME fox cubs (bottle raised foxes) but these are a completly different animal than the domesticated foxes comming from russia...these tamed foxes are not selectively bred the same way and while are often very epople frinedly due to being bottle fed they DO smell very badly (even if spay/neutered) and are NOT dog like.

theres a HUGE difference between a tamed/bottle fed fox and these russian domesticated foxes.

as of right now the only usa vendor authorized to arrange sales of the russian domesticated foxes is a company called sibfox, they arrange everything for you, otherwise you have to go to or contact the ICG directly and sort it all yourself, itll generally save you about $500 in fees dealing directly, but it takes alot longer and is alot more difficult...

they are lovely looking little dogs...and as someone who works with foxes on a regular basis (im a vector species wildlife rehabber with a fox speciality and i worked with foxes of all kinds in zoological settings as a keeper and trainer) id love one...
but not for $7000 thanks. lol

 

[welsummerchicks]

Actually a friend of mine had looked into the Russian Domesticated foxes and said it was all complete and utter nonsense.

Like right brain left brain, and a whole lot of other things, just something people get pleasure out of believing.

I asked him why not publish an article about it?

He said, 'Number one, why spoil people's fun or this guy's income stream. Two, no one would listen. They like believing this. If you tell them it's not true, they just get mad and don't listen.'

Which brings us to the whole incredibly fascinating issue of why people believe some things and not others.