>>From:    Tracy McAlpine <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>Just wondering if anyone knows if fennec foxes and ferrets can live
>>together? I realize that supervision is necessary ...

>From:    Beth Randall <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Fennec fox & ferrets
>
>legs break easily- unlike the sturdy agile ferret- fennecs should climb
>but they do like to hide like ferrets-

I meant to say that fennecs shoud not climb! sorry-

also to reply to another post on fennecs- they have been bred here in
the us as pets for several generations- they are not as domesticated as
a dog or cat but they certainly not wild animals either- it is illegal
to import them from africa where they are native- so there are no wild
ones available for pets here - they havent been imported in at least a
decade -

they are almost as tame as many rabbits or ferrets- its just that their
personality is much more shy & less interested in human interaction-
altho some do love to be held - alot of it depends on how it was
raised- a person lovingly caring for a kit for its life will probably
have a pretty interesting and somewhat loveable fennec- however like
our little guy, one that has been passed around through 5 owners and
never given quality care ( till he got here,) of course he will not
want much to do with people-

of course even the supposedly viscious fennec we have ( he was slated
for euthenasia due to his aggressiveness) , flash, is a little
butterball now- he sleeps on the couch, he plays with the little dogs,
he is fascinated by the cats, he lets us pick him up & cuddle for a
little bit- he is actually puppy pad trained- however it is not us
training him- he chose that spot & we provide the puppy pad - that's
what they do in a den- they find their spot & use it consistently-
actually the fennec is much more reliably potty trained than the
ferrets :)

as a sanctuary taking in & caring for abandoned exotic pets we
certainly do not want to encourage impulse pet ownership- whether it
is a cat or a fox, but it is also frustrating when professionals try
to scare people and give them misinformnation- i am sure there are
vets out tehre that will say ferrets are wild animals and viscious
biters and shouldnt be pets too-

our advice is always to visit someone with the type of animal you are
interested in- whether it is a poodle, a ferret, a hamster, a parrot,
or a kinkajou- you cant tell if it is something you can deal with until
you see what it is like in person-

feel free to contact us at anytime off list ( so we can stay on ferrets
here, before we get scolded :) as well- again anyone near us in
northwest il is always welcome to visit & see what the care of the
different animals is like :)

take care! beth
www.crittercamp.biz 

and to show what having a free range fennec in the house is like here
are a few videosof Flash:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1cuQM7gzko
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQXeb4G2UEE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d5gizv7j10

[Posted in FML 5900]