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Avian and Exotic Animal Medicine
with a passion!
Picture

​Fennec Foxes

​Deanne Strat, DVM
Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM
Picture
Classification

Fennec foxes are in the canidae family, closely related to the red and artic fox. They live 12-16 years and reach sexual maturity at 9-11 mos. The female is known as a “vixen” and a male is known as a “reynard.” They originate from the sandy areas of the Sahara desert of North Africa , from Morocco & Niger to Egypt and Sudan . They are avid diggers, creating dens in which to live.  Fennec foxes are considered threatened in the wild.

Anatomy/Physiology

They have soft, thick coats; coloration is reddish cream to fawn with a white underbelly. They are fastidious animals with no strong odor. They have a heavily furred tail with a gland at the end, whose function is as yet unknown. They have anal glands at the 5 and 7 o’clock position of the anus which is used as a scent gland and there are also glands between the toes. Fennec fox teeth are similar to that of dogs.  

Behavior

The Fennec fox is a social animal, and may live in colonies of up to 10 animals. When approached, the captive fox will normally cower, lay on its side, yelp and wag its tail. They have also been known to purr. Fennec foxes can be taught to fetch, which allows for great exercise.

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Housing

The Fennec fox should be kenneled when not supervised. A large dog crate or ferret cage would suffice. They should be kept in an area with low humidity and good ventilation. Avoid dusty or strong smelling bedding such as pine or cedar. They can be litter box trained and a covered cat box with a clay litter can be used.

Fennecs are strong diggers and good climbers so make sure to account for both when enclosed. These guys love to bask in the sun. If outside they should be on a harness and leash, but do not use a collar. Use caution even with a harness, because if startled they still may wiggle free.

Diet

Fennec foxes are omnivorous and eat a variety of foods in the wild. In captivity, they should be fed Mazuri Exotic Canine Diet (www.mazuri.com; 800-227-8941). You can then supplement with a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, pinky mice, crickets and mealworms.

Be sure not to overfeed; an ideal weight is between 2 to 3lbs. Avoid items such as onions, garlic, chocolate, caffeine, avocado, etc as they are toxic.

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​Annual Checkup

All Fennecs should be spayed or neutered at around 6 months of age. They require annual vaccines. Please note that all medications and vaccines are considered “off-label” meaning they were not tested or approved for use in this species. Rabies vaccination is not recognized legally, but will protect you and your fox from the disease.

They should be vaccinated yearly for Rabies, Canine Distemper, Canine Parvo virus and Canine Hepatitis. They should be tested annually for heart worm disease and be on heartworm prevention as well as flea and tick preventative. They should have annual fecal exams.

Common Illnesses

Fennec Foxes are prone to many of the diseases we see in dogs. Many of these are husbandry related and can be prevented. Some common illness include: kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, pneumonia, skin infections/mites, eye infections or glaucoma, intestinal parasites, dental disease and histoplasmosis.

Fennec foxes can also carry some disease that may be contagious to people such as: Tuberculosis, Rabies, Leishmaniasis, and some intestinal parasites.

Vital Statistics
Body Weight
20cm
Body Weight
1-1.5kg (2-3lb)
Normal Body Temperature
100.8 F
Respiration Rate­­
23 bpm
Average Lifespan
12-16 years
Maximum Lifespan
10 years
Age of Sexual Maturity
9-11 months
Gestation
49-63 days
Litter size
2-5 kits
Weaning
8-10 weeks
Picture
Reference

Exotic DVM Veterinary Magazine Vol 5.4

If you have any NON-EMERGENT questions, please feel free to call us at 847-329-8709
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  • Home
  • Emergency Care
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    • General Care >
      • Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)
      • Heating Reptile Enclosures
      • Health Veggie Shopping for Reptiles
      • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
      • Metabolic Bone Disease Care
      • Vaccines in Exotic Animals
    • Birds >
      • Amazon Care
      • Avian Influenza Fact Sheet
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      • Avian Bornavirus Testing
      • Budgie Care
      • Canaries
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      • Chronic Egg Laying
      • Cleaning and Disinfecting
      • Cockatiels (and other small Psittacines)
      • Cockatoo Care
      • ​Converting Your Bird to a Pelleted Diet
      • Feather Picking
      • General Parrot Care
      • Handfeeding Baby Parrots
      • Healthy Shopping for your Birds
      • Infectious Diseases of Parrots
      • Instructions for Physical Therapy in Birds
      • Lead Poisoning
      • McWatters Diet (Homemade Mash)
      • Macaw Care
      • Parrot Precautions
      • Polyoma Virus
      • Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease
      • Proventricular Dilatation Disease
      • Spiroform Pharangitis (Spirochetes)
      • Baby Starling and Sparrow guidelines
      • Territorial Aggression
      • Unsafe Plants for Birds
      • Weaning Baby Birds
      • What to Feed Your Pet Bird
      • Wing Injury and Rehabilitation
      • Wing Trims
      • Your Overly Reproductive Female Bird
      • Zinc Toxicity
    • Caiman Care
    • Ferret and Fox Care >
      • Your Ferret’s First Visit to the Vet
      • An Overview of Ferret Adrenal Disease
      • Chronic Diarrhea in Ferrets
      • Ferret Dentistry
      • Heart Disease in Ferrets
      • Heartworm Disease in Ferrets
      • Insulinoma in Ferrets
      • Lymphoma In Ferrets
      • Bob’s Chicken Gravy
      • Fennec Foxes
      • Red Foxes
    • Fish >
      • Algae in your Freshwater Aquarium
      • Eel Care
      • Freshwater Tropical Fish Care
      • Beginning a Freshwater Aquarium
      • Cleaning your Freshwater Aquarium
      • How to Feed your Fish
      • Aquarium Corals
      • Koi Care
      • General Goldfish Care
      • Hermit Crab Care
    • Invertebrate Care
    • Frogs, Toads, and Other Amphibians >
      • Argentine Horned Frogs
      • Bullfrog Care
      • Dart Frog Care
      • Feeding Pet Frogs and Toads
      • Fire Bellied Toad Care
      • Pixie Frog Care
      • Red Eyed Tree Frog Care
      • Short Tongue Syndrome
      • Tiger Salamander Care
      • Axolotl Care
      • White Lipped Tree Frog Care
      • White's Tree Frog Care
      • Ranavirus
    • Guinea Pigs and Rodents >
      • Chinchilla Care
      • Cuy Criollo (Giant Guinea Pig)
      • Health Problems with Guinea Pigs
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      • Diabetic Hamster Diet
      • Mice Care
      • Rat Care
      • Health Problems with Rats
      • Prairie Dog Care
      • Odontoma
      • Veggies For Guinea Pigs
      • Visible Tumors in Rodents
      • Vitamin C Deficiency In Guinea Pigs
    • Hedgehog Care >
      • Baby Hedgehog (Hoglet) Care
    • Kinkajoos and Armadillos >
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    • Potbellied Pigs >
      • Pot Belly Pigs
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      • Complete Rabbit Care
      • Getting To Know Your New Bunny
      • Training Your Bunny
      • What To Feed Your Rabbit
      • Learning to Use the Litter Box
      • What To Expect From Your New Rabbit
      • Dental Disease in Rabbits
      • Heart Disease in Rabbits
      • Healthy Stool in Rabbits
      • Gastrointestinal Stasis in Rabbits
      • RHDV2 Fact Sheet
      • Parasites of Rabbits
      • Sore Hocks in Rabbits
      • Pasteurella in Rabbits
      • Medicating Your Rabbit or Guinea Pig
    • Snakes >
      • Amazon Tree Boa Care
      • Ball Python Care
      • Black Rat Snake Care
      • Boa Constrictor Care
      • Brazilian Rainbow Boa Care
      • Burmese Python Care
      • California Kingsnake Care
      • Cornsnake Care
      • Dumeril's Boa Care
      • Eastern Kingsnake Care
      • Emerald Tree Boa Care
      • Garter Snake Care
      • Green Tree Python Care
      • Western Hognose Care
      • Mexican Black Kingsnake Care
      • Rosy Boa Care
      • Sand Boa Care
      • Western Fox Snake Care
      • Inclusion Body Disease
    • Sugar Gliders and Marsupials
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