Oh, For Fox Sake

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a HUGE obsession with foxes. I’ve spent many hours of my days watching fox videos and scrolling through different profiles on Instagram. I even gave a speech about foxes my freshman year of college for my presentational speaking class and got an A, might I add. Whether this obsession of mine is healthy or out of control we will not be discussing today, but I’m sure you can make your own decision on that one.

I want to talk about my favorite part of this fox obsession I have. One day, a friend texted me to tell me that she thought I would appreciate an account called juniperfoxx on Instagram. I just had to look and see what this account was all about because the word fox was involved, duh. I was HOOKED almost immediately. I wasn’t hooked, though, just because of the cute pictures of foxes, dogs, and the occasional other crazy animal (although the pictures are very cute). Rather, I was hooked on the account because of the posts that the owner of this fox, Jessika, posts. Not only does she upload adorable pictures of her fox, Juniper, but she educates her followers on what it’s really like to own a fox as a pet.

One of the most important things I’ve learned through this account about my favorite animal is that they do not make the “perfect pet” and that they shouldn’t even be considered as a pet due to their inevitable wild nature. Most people who own a fox have rescued them from fur farms. Foxes are a lot of work to own because they need so much attention and socialization, along with needing a permit or license to even own one. Owning a fox is illegal in some states and cities. Just because a fox is legal to own in your home state, does not mean it is legal in your city. If you are able to own a fox, you must have an exotic vet nearby because normal vets will not take foxes as “patients”. On top of needing attention and socialization, foxes need their own space in a home to express their natural behaviors. They have very high energy and LOVE digging because it is part of their natural hunting habits. 

When it comes to caring for a fox, they require a very specific diet of raw meats, bone contents and taurine. The lack of the correct diet can cause series problems for a fox’s health and could lead to death. Foxes also smell horrible; Jessika claims you can smell Juniper from her driveway. There is no way to “de-scent” a fox to correct this, it’s just something you learn to live with if choosing to own a fox. To go along with that point, foxes will urinate on whatever they believe to be “theirs”, which is a habit that is almost impossible to break; their urine and feces smell even worse than foxes themselves do.

 

There are positives to owning a fox if you think you are able to commit to one. For example, they are easy to train because they pick up patterns easily and can recall those patterns. A downside to foxes is that they don’t have that great of an attention span, so training can take a while. They have keen memories though, and can become an expert in a trick within 30 minutes. Like most animals, foxes are food motivated and that is the easiest way to train them. Another downfall of foxes when it comes to training is that they will only follow commands if they are in the mood to do so. Dogs follow commands regardless because they typically aim to please. Foxes, not so much. They key with foxes is to be consistent with rewards and discipline. It works due to their intelligence.

Jessika now owns a second fox by the name of Fig. Unlike Juniper, who is a red fox, Fig is a fire and ice fox. He is slightly browner than Juniper and has a completely different personality. Fig is sweeter and more laid back than Juniper; however, he is always more distracted when it comes to training and isn’t able to be left out over night to sleep because he wants to play or go to the bathroom. Juniper is more sassy and protective of her stuff. She doesn’t warm up to other animals very easily, but can sleep through the night on Jessika’s bed. The point of this little paragraph is that no matter how different the two foxes may be, they are both still foxes nonetheless and have similar habits. One isn’t better than the other or easier to own.

I would also just like to point out that Jessika also owns the dark-coated dog she calls Moose and the lighter-coated dog she calls Chewy. She will occasionally post other animals she has on the juniperfoxx account due to her having a passion for exotic animals. She is in the process of opening a enclosure to help these kinds of animals. There is more information on not only that, but animals in general on the account as well as a link to purchase Juniper merchandise. Before you ask, yes I have made purchases is that helps you decide how healthy or crazy my obsession is.

There is so much more to learn about foxes, and I learn something new every day through this account on Instagram. I truly enjoy learning so much about foxes because I think they are just the most incredible and interesting creatures. I used to be a person who desperately wanted to own a fox and love it and cuddle it and we would live in perfect harmony and everything would be great. I no longer feel that naïve though. I understand how much time and effort goes into these animals and I’m self-aware that I probably will never truly have the time or devotion to be able to own one. I now spend my days obsessing over just getting to encounter one and play with it for a while, which I think is much more realistic.