Fenech: is it possible to tame the smallest fox on the planet? (9 photos)

We already know that if you try hard enough, ordinary foxes can be turned into specific, but very loving pets. What about fennecs? Is it possible to domesticate them?





It turns out it's real! But the kit comes with so many pitfalls that you can build reefs from them! The problems start from the exterior. Fennec foxes are very small animals.



This photo is a short answer to the question from the first paragraph.

The fox's body length is 30 centimeters, and it weighs barely 1.5 kilos, like a young and thin cat. You need to be very careful with this fine-boned animal. One awkward move and you have a disabled person in your care.





Ride me, big monkey!

In the wild, fennec cats live in the desert regions of the Sahara and North Africa, and feed mainly on insects. Less commonly, small mammals, birds and fruits are included in the diet. Finding food in the sand is not easy. But his giant ears help him! Animal locators can grow as big as the animal's body! They serve two purposes: first, the blood vessels in the ears dilate when heated to release as much heat as possible outward. And the larger the ears, the more heat they can dissipate.



- Close the window, I'm cold. — But it’s +30 outside...

Secondly, locators help predators find prey right underground - insects and small vertebrates. This, by the way, is another minus in the content. The little fox is used to running for hours and intensely listening to the world. A high level of activity is not a luxury for them, but a necessity. Rest assured, fennecs will visit every corner of the apartment and drop all your flower pots and collectible figurines.



You work, work, I don’t interfere.

In addition to ears, the beast has other adaptations to the scorching heat of the Sahara. Their fur insulates them from the surrounding heat, and the moisture from their prey is enough to keep them from drinking for months. Their metabolism is 30% slower than animals of similar size and their hearts are 40% smaller. The little fox did everything to minimize the influence of the heat on his tiny body. But at home, this turns against them. Fennec fox freezes at 20 degrees above zero. And its efficient kidneys are not very resistant to disease.



The wind is in the mug, I continue to move.

To prevent the animal from getting sick, the fenech has to carefully select its diet. There is no store-bought food for these animals. Typically, fennel owners feed their pets cat and dog food mixed with vegetables and fruits. But finding the right proportion is difficult. Veterinarians can help with this. If you manage to find an expert in fennec physiology, of course.



Those lobsters of yours again! Give me crickets!!!

Well, the main problem of micro foxes is their high intelligence. These mammals are smart enough to dig burrow systems with an area of up to 120 square meters and with dozens of emergency exits. They know the habits of their prey and maintain friendly relations with their neighbors.



Hello neighbor, let's be friends?

However, this computing power is very difficult to apply at home. You can teach your fennec cat to go to the litter box, accustom him to a harness or collar. But that's all. But the cunning animal will always find a place to make a stash of food in the apartment or a tunnel to escape from the summer cottage. They need an eye and an eye!



Why did you drag me here? It's wet here!

But I think if you are willing to pay $1,700 or more for a pet, then you’ll figure out the rest of the problems. And in return you will receive a slightly shy, but active and cute unique pet, whose ears you can admire until the age of 14!

What is Fennec doing?