How to Provide Adequate Housing for a Pet Fox
The type of housing you will need to provide for your pet fox depends on the type of fox you own. Smaller foxes, such as fennecs, are able to live in your house and do not require elaborate housing. Larger animals, such as red foxes, will need a larger adequate amount of space outdoors. Foxes are very good climbers and diggers, a factor to keep in mind when constructing their living quarters.
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Things You'll Need
- Wood
- Shovel
- Mesh wire or fencing
- Tools
- Measuring tape
- Hut or dog house
- Gate or fence door
- Dog crate or kennel
Instructions
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1
Measure the area of your yard where you plan to keep your pet fox. 200 square feet will be adequate. Outdoor foxes need a lot of room to move around.
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2
Use a shovel to dig a trench outlining the area that will serve as housing for your pet fox. To prevent your fox from digging himself out from underneath his living quarters, the trench should be at least 24-inches deep.
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3
Construct pieces of framework of a pen that will fit the size of the trenches you have made. Remember to leave room for a gate or door. You can use wood or metal fencing that has already been assembled. The California Tortoise and Turtle Club has an article about building pens but you will need to change the scale for a larger structure (see Resources below). Your fox can climb very well, so plan for the pen to be at least 6 feet above the ground.
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4
Insert each side of the pen into the trenches, one at a time. Be sure they are firmly supported and the trenches are tightly filled in so the structure will not tip over.
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Attach wire mesh to the sides of the pen if you have built a wooden structure. Be sure there are no gaps where your fox could slip through.
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Add the gate or door to the completed pen. Make sure it locks securely so your pet fox cannot get out.
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Provide your pet fox with a hut or small doghouse inside the pen. This will ensure she will be warm and dry in case of inclement weather.
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Tips & Warnings
Fennec foxes that are used to people can live in your house due to their small size. They are high-strung animals, and like toddlers they get into everything. To prevent your house from being destroyed, keep your fennec in a dog crate or kennel at night and when you are not home.
