There are real legends about this cunning cheat with a curious face and an inquisitive mind. They compose tales and poems about her, paint pictures and stage performances. One of the varieties of this animal is a black fox. Most often it is grown with the aim of producing beautiful and unusually warm fur. However, you can keep the chanterelle at home, replacing the traditional pet. We will tell about how the life of the notorious silver fox in the natural environment and in the house differs in this article.
Origin history
The first information about foxes with unusual silver-black fur appeared in the first half of the 19th century. It was during this period that individual individuals of silver fox were spotted in Canada and North America. Later, their numbers increased. However, due to the special value of the fur, this hybrid form of the wild Canadian fox began to be ruthlessly exterminated, therefore it quickly became threatened with extinction.
Currently, approximately 8% of these individuals from the entire fox population live in parts of Canada and North America. And the black-brown fox itself (the photo of the beast can be seen below) is listed in the Red Book and lives mainly in protected areas and animal husbandry.
Short description of the fox's external data
The silver fox is a medium-sized fur predator from the Canine family. In this case, the body of the male is always larger than that of the female. For comparison, the length of the adult and sexually mature fox is 66-85 cm, and in the female red - only 55-80 cm.
The black fox (its description will allow you to get more detailed information about the appearance of the animal) has a long, thick fur. Moreover, its color can vary from grayish-blue to ashen, black and classic black-brown. Often, individuals of this species are distinguished by a characteristic white tip of the tail. Sometimes small bright spots are observed on the abdomen, paws and chest area. In a word, you cannot confuse such a beautiful and unusual beast with anyone.
It is noteworthy that the density of the coat and its color variations directly depend on the time of year, habitat, diet and genes of previous generations.
Black fox in nature
In nature, these predators, which are smaller than a wolf but larger than a normal dog, are found in the forests of Canada and the United States. Less often, their representatives can be seen in Russia. Most often, they settle away from people, because they cannot stand loud noise, and even Homo Sapiens themselves are afraid. Many of them can be seen in the protected areas of nature reserves and parks.
The black-brown fox lives in a hole, which he personally digs out and equips. It is in it that this noble and beautiful animal feels protected, so most of the time it is in its cozy house, leaving it only in search of food.
What does silver fox eat?
Being in the natural environment, black fox feed mainly on small rodents. For example, with a successful hunt, they easily catch rabbits or mice. Less commonly, they attack birds and can feed on lizards. These tricky and powerful predators do not attack larger prey, since they themselves do not have large sizes.
Skillful and enterprising hunter
The black fox is a brave and prudent hunter, able to spend hours pursuing his prey without rest. She has a delicate sense of smell and excellent hearing, so she can find rodents even at a very great distance. This ranger will easily unravel the most intricate trace of his victim in a matter of minutes, overtake and eat. At the same time, the silver fox does not like to attack first.
Almost always, she chooses the tactics of starving her opponent. Her task is to find and drive the victim so that she herself comes to her clutches. The fox’s enemies are especially concerned about its sharp teeth and fangs, sharpened like little razors. They bite, for example, into the mouse and quickly divide it into parts.
The ability to confuse footprints
No wonder they talk about the fox as a cunning animal that can perform various deceptive maneuvers. And this applies not only to fairy-tale characters, but also to real black-brown individuals. So, according to many hunters, it is very difficult to find, and even more to catch, a rogue, because it skillfully hides and confuses its tracks, confusing its own pursuers. Here they were - and suddenly they seemed to evaporate.
Fox reproduction in nature
As a rule, short-eared or black-brown fox reaches its puberty by 9-11 months of its life. During this period, males begin an active search for their companion with a unique dark and shiny fur. Moreover, this happens only once a year. Pregnancy in females takes place as usual and is approximately 49-58 days. After this, a fluffy woman in labor gives birth to offspring, numbering from four to thirteen small foxes.
Two weeks after birth, babies acquire vision and hearing, and also they have the first sharp teeth. At this time, the mother continues to feed them milk and she does this for a month and a half. Gradually, she adds coarser food to their diet, conducting peculiar survival lessons for puppies. And after about six months, the fox-mother already begins to lead the children out of the hole, accustoming them to a future adult life. Very soon, the kids grow up, leave their home and begin to hunt separately and look for a new den for themselves. All this happens in the natural habitat, but is it really possible to keep such a beast in captivity? And how fast does a black fox grow at home?
How hard is it to keep a fox at home?
Since today it is fashionable to keep exotic and wild animals at home, silver fox are frequent guests in the home of modern people. However, their content is associated with certain difficulties. For example, before starting such a pet in your own apartment, you need to clarify how legal this is. So, in many countries to keep such animals, especially those listed in the Red Book, is strictly prohibited. Moreover, failure to comply with this prohibition entails administrative liability.
The second important point is a complete medical examination, which must pass a domestic fox. In this case, the animal must be shown to the veterinarian who will do all the appropriate vaccinations and check the beast for rabies.
The third condition is the presence of a place on which the animal will move freely. For example, it can be a free cage, an aviary or a special fence. But it should be borne in mind that silver foxes are considered excellent climbers and jumpers. Therefore, when creating free space for your pet, make sure that he cannot get out of it on his own.
In addition, you should take care in advance of the presence of a container with sand or a small artificial house, where the animal could hide at the right time for him. And, of course, the place where the fox will live should be easily and regularly cleaned. Remember that cleanliness is the key to the health of your pet!
Games and Fun
Since the fox is a member of the canine, it is also necessary to play with it, as well as with an ordinary puppy. Therefore, do not stint on the purchase of a variety of balls and special toys for animals. And, of course, do not forget that the little foxes, like the dogs, have their teeth cut. Therefore, they simply need to buy bones that can be chewed and massage their gums.
