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Domesticated Foxes - Your Future Pet?
14 years ago
Show of hands: who here would like to have a domesticated fox for a pet, where a domesticated fox is one that interacts with humans in a manner identical to a very friendly dog?
OK, that's just about everyone. No surprises there, huh.
Well, this month's National Geographic has an interesting article about the domestication of animals and of foxes in particular. Turns out there is an ongoing genetic research project started in Siberia about 50 years ago where they selectively breed foxes to understand the domestication process and what genes, if any, make it possible to domesticate a wild animal. And in this relatively short period of time, they now have a colony of foxes that one could easily argue are fully domesticated, or at least nearly so. These foxes will not only actively seek a bond with humans and seek out human interaction and affection, but will happily greet total strangers whom they seem to view as nothing more than potential companions.
The article is available online here (or in your local library in print):
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2.....s/ratliff-text
Be sure to read the second to last paragraph where it says the research group is seeking to obtain permits so that they can sell their excess fox population as pets in order to raise money to further the research. (They are currently forced to sell these foxes to the fur industry.) Assuming all their domestication claims are indeed true, I think this would be pretty cool. Of course, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for this to happen. After all, California has been fighting against pet ferrets for decades now even though they're legal in 48 states, so who knows how long it would take to get any kind of permitting through at both the federal and state levels. Still, it's a fun notion that it might be possible to keep foxes as pets one day.
And for the "Awww, isn't that cute!" moment, go to the photo gallery:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2.....si-photography
and go through the photos until you find the one where the researchers are all snuggling the foxes in their arms.
-- Furox The Dragon (who also happens to like foxes, and no, I don't mean for dinner)
OK, that's just about everyone. No surprises there, huh.
Well, this month's National Geographic has an interesting article about the domestication of animals and of foxes in particular. Turns out there is an ongoing genetic research project started in Siberia about 50 years ago where they selectively breed foxes to understand the domestication process and what genes, if any, make it possible to domesticate a wild animal. And in this relatively short period of time, they now have a colony of foxes that one could easily argue are fully domesticated, or at least nearly so. These foxes will not only actively seek a bond with humans and seek out human interaction and affection, but will happily greet total strangers whom they seem to view as nothing more than potential companions.
The article is available online here (or in your local library in print):
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2.....s/ratliff-text
Be sure to read the second to last paragraph where it says the research group is seeking to obtain permits so that they can sell their excess fox population as pets in order to raise money to further the research. (They are currently forced to sell these foxes to the fur industry.) Assuming all their domestication claims are indeed true, I think this would be pretty cool. Of course, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for this to happen. After all, California has been fighting against pet ferrets for decades now even though they're legal in 48 states, so who knows how long it would take to get any kind of permitting through at both the federal and state levels. Still, it's a fun notion that it might be possible to keep foxes as pets one day.
And for the "Awww, isn't that cute!" moment, go to the photo gallery:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2.....si-photography
and go through the photos until you find the one where the researchers are all snuggling the foxes in their arms.
-- Furox The Dragon (who also happens to like foxes, and no, I don't mean for dinner)
ledgema
~ledgema
Would rather have a domesticated dragon but I have Dougal.
Furox
~furox
OP
Oh, a pet dragon would be totally awesome! Might be a bit difficult to get a permit for that, and you'd probably need a really good fire insurance policy, but it would be so worth it!
ledgema
~ledgema
It would surely turn heads.
hunter0167
~hunter0167
Thats awesome yeah? I decided to write a psychology journal about that last year for my class. It was awesome. yeah, I would totally buy a fox.
