Fennec Fox Caresheet

Family: Canidae
Latin: Vulpes zerda, formerly Fennecus Zerda
Commmon: Fennec Fox or Desert Fox
Spanish: zorro, zorrito
French: fennec, renard des sables
German: Fennek, Wstenfuchs
Swedish: fennek, rkenrv
Danish: rkenrv
Icelandic: tfa, refur
Swahili: mbweha
Arabic: tha`lab saharawi
Swahili: mbweha
Dinka Bor: tha ngwan

Fennec Foxes are the world's smallest foxes weighing a maximum weight of about 2 to 3 pounds. Fennec Foxes are also known as Desert Foxes since they live in the arid sandy deserts of north Africa. Being desert dwellers, they are sand colored with black tipped tails, and their most noticable characteristic is their large ears which are used for diffusing heat in the daytime and for hunting at night.

Size of average adult Fennec Fox:

Length: inches

Weight:

Males: 2 to 3.5 pounds
Females: 1.5 to 2 pounds

Wild: mice, birds, lizards, beetles, insects, plants
Captivity: carrots, green beans, apples, cantelope

Sexual maturity: 9 to 12 months
Breeding season: March to April
Gestation: 50-52 days
Litter size: 2-5 kits

Approximate life span:

Males: years
Females: years

Fennec Foxes are also sometimes known as the "Desert Fox", because they are originally from the hot deserts of North Africa, throughout the Sahara including Morrocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and south to the Sudan to approximately 17 N.

Please remember that the animal health and husbandry information contained on this page is merely what has worked for us. Please realize that we do not claim to know all the answers about each animal, but can only offer you the best information we have based on our experience. This information is not meant to be a substitute for common sense and proper veterinary care. Remember that age, health, sex, metabolism and individual temperament can vary from animal to animal to dictate the proper environmental and nutritional requirements for each individual animal. Please use common sense and monitor your animal's condition daily. If you have questions, please consult your veterinarian directly if the health and welfare of your animal is in question.

This caresheet is just a beginning and is not intended to be your entire education about Fenec Foxes. There are so many things to know and talk about that we simply cannot remember to list everything you will need to know. We are also just one opinion, and you should solicit other opinions to see what others think before you make up your mind. It is your responsibility to find out as much as you possibly can BEFORE you decide to buy a Fennec Fox.

For more information on Fennec Foxes, you can join the free Yahoo! Groups discussion list at:

• http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FennecFox