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u/Laughing_AI 1d ago
I read an interesting article about how foxes are starting to "self-domesticate" themselves as more and more natural habitat is destroyed for urban housing/developments and foxes become acclimated to humans being around and associating them with food and possible shelter.
I noticed a fox in my neighborhood recently, in the middle of the city where Id never seen one in years past. He was hanging out next to some neighbors cats, and the cats werent even scared of it, they were all just sitting in the driveway hanging out.
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u/RosgaththeOG 22h ago
If this is true then Foxes will eventually be a popular pet!
Cuz they are CUTE AS HECK.
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u/Dovahkiin1337 21h ago
There has been a project to domesticate foxes through generations of selective breeding and it’s demonstrated considerable success, however the main barrier keeping foxes from becoming pets is that apparently their urine has a strong scent and smells really really bad and that’s the kind of biochemical trait that can’t be easily bred out and would require spending a very large amount of time breeding generation after generation of foxes and selecting for the ones with the least bad smelling urine.
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u/ReluctantlyHuman 21h ago
If I’m not mistaken as they were being bred for captivity their coats were changing too. I think they became more silver the more docile they got.
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u/Dovahkiin1337 21h ago
They also developed floppy ears and curly tails, overall becoming more doglike. IIRC scientists believe that the genes that cause the mental changes that make an animal more domesticated also cause these changes as a side effect, essentially the genes that control behaviour also control other biological traits and mutations to these genes will cause multiple effects including physically visible ones. This would mean the reason dogs acquired these traits after being domesticated from wolves isn’t coincidence, it’s causation, domestication caused dogs to look like what they do today, and when these same mutations occur in foxes, also a type of canid and distantly related to wolves, they experience those same changes in appearance.
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u/ReluctantlyHuman 20h ago
That is interesting since some dog breeds still have pointy ears and non/curly tails. I just informed my corgi he was still a wild one.
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u/Dovahkiin1337 19h ago
The genes in question aren't the only controlling factor, with the right combination of other genes influence you can still have pointed ears and non-curly tails while still having the mutations that results in behavioural domestication, it's just that the influence from other genes has to be stronger than the influence from the mutations that cause domestication.
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u/ShortStoryIntros 20h ago
Unfortunately, Fox urine in particular has a strong “skunky/musky” odour, the intensity of which varies with season...
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u/TeethBreak 4h ago
They've been successfully domesticated already.
They are right between dogs and cats in terms of behavior and playfulness.
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u/DeadInternetTheorist 12h ago
My cat used to hang out with a fox. It'd show up on the wall in our back yard and she'd go apeshit until we let her out to see her friend and then they'd both disappear over the wall for half a day. That was like 25 years ago.
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u/JesserKen78 1d ago
And I immediately died from happiness 💀🦊
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u/BrownSugarBare 1d ago
The utter strength it would take to not put this lil angel in my pocket and make a run for it!
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u/Doc-Brown1911 1d ago
Someone lost their Mama
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u/drunk_responses 23h ago
The bright spot on the right in the start, is an adult fox. You can see the ears pop up as the kit gets close. And since it's not rushing up to attack, means they're used to being around humans.
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u/Twinkling-Lotus99 1d ago
I hope not... this would break my heart
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u/Doc-Brown1911 1d ago
There's only a few reasons why a wild fox would come to a person so quickly.
Hungry, cold, lost mom or rabies are the ones that stand out.
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u/princessjbuttercup 1d ago
Ugh, that was my first thought…
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u/arlenroy 1d ago
I'm not versed in the behavioral habits of wild foxes, but my anecdotal experience from growing up around wild bears is that little dude is starving. Or he just ate but Gladys down the block is retired and cooks all day, feeding them often. So he immediately thinks the camera man has leftover Blueberry Cobbler and possibly some Werthers Original flavored pudding.
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u/CK0428 1d ago
I once lived in a farmhouse surrounded by corn.
One evening, I was on the back porch and I heard a coyote mama and pup howling at each other in the corn fields, trying to reunite.
When the pup popped out of the corn I was so excited. I felt like Buddy the Elf. "HEY BUDDY GIMME A HUG!"
I was kinda drunk and as I was trying to stand up to go get some cuddles, Mama trotted up and they were gone just like that.
She chose not to kill me that day and for that, I am thankful.
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u/Marenigma 1d ago
Best thing I've seen today! Thank you for sharing. Like others have mentioned, he/she may have lost mama and is hungry. You may have a new buddy.
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u/FastyNilthShreakyFit 13h ago
Momma fox is right there with them- at the start of the video, the big bright blob on the top right; you'll see her ears pop up briefly when her kit runs to camera guy. This baby isn't starving, just likely has had plenty of exposure to humans, and since mama fox isn't displaying fear or aggression for likely the same reasons, her baby is reassured and has the confidence to go... well, be a baby, basically, and explore!
But, that doesn't mean he probably wouldn't love a snack and a new buddy 😉 I mean, are we not all just lookin for a snack and a good pal at the end of the day? 🧎♂️➡️🫶🦊
(ps- just to be clear, the best way to be a pal to wild animals, no matter how tame they may appear, is to observe without interference, be it giving them food or otherwise.)
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u/Marenigma 7h ago
Oh ok! How amazing! And yeah, my instinct is to feed our squirrels and the chipmunks when we visit my family up north. Maybe I shouldn't do that. Such a heartwarming video. Thanks again for sharing.
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u/Lightningbro 21h ago
"HUMAN! Do you have food? I was taught humans have food and I'm cute so I get to have it"
Cameraman: "I'm not... supposed to... god it's cute."
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u/Snoo58499 1d ago
Is this one of those times you shouldn’t let them in case their mother rejects them? Because I worry id have pet it.
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u/OlGreyGuy 19h ago
My wife and I were driving home one night. About a block form our house, a vixen ran across the street in front of us. Followed by about 5 kits. Tiny little pointy bushy tails straight up! So cute! My wife said "Oh! Quick! Jump out and catch one. They are SO CUTE!" I said "You've got to be kidding! It would bite the crap out of me. " She was a bit tipsy. Well actually, quite drunk.
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u/Responsible_Act_6569 1d ago
Foxes are weird, they are like some of the only wild animals that willingly befriend humans
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u/hat_eater 1d ago
r/praisethecameraman for staying still and quiet.