SILVER FOX FARMING. 



21 



them properly. It is very important that their condition from day 

 to day be known. But the great value of the cubs, and their danger 

 from the irritability of their mothers, generally cause the keeper to 

 refrain from looking into the dens. By watching the behavior of the 

 mothers they judge whether or not the young are doing well. It has 

 been demonstrated by at least one progressive keeper that this uncer- 

 tainty is by no means necessary. Foxes are not excited by routine 

 events. By giving them large two-room dens, similar to the one 

 shown in figure 9, and always feeding them in the outer compartment, 

 they are led to expect the entrance of the keeper as the regular pre- 

 liminary to each meal, and even to welcome 

 it. When the keeper enters, they, of course, 

 depart, leaving him free to look into the in- 

 ner den. He should not touch the cubs un- 

 less they need attention. 



The young are small and weak at first, and 

 their mother remains with them almost con- 

 stantly for the first three days. They grow 

 rapidly and usually begin to appear outside 

 the den in about a month. When 6 weeks 

 old they eat more or less solid food. After 

 this they may be weaned. Many breeders 

 leave the weaning entirely to the vixen un- 

 less she is becoming emaciated. A decided 

 advantage in weaning cubs when they are 6 

 or 8 weeks old is that when the keeper con- 

 trols their food he can more easily eradicate 

 the intestinal worms which usually infest 

 them. Care should be taken to keep early- 

 weaned cubs clean and dry. In case of 

 accident to a mother fox, cubs may be Fl ll 

 reared by cats almost from birth. Not : i-< 



more than two cubs should be given to one 

 cat. After they are about 3 weeks old their toeth become large 

 and sharp enough to lacerate their foster mothers, and they must 

 be. reared by hand. 



BEHAVIOR IN CAPTIVITY. 



Aside from propagation, the domestication of foxes has proved 

 simple. It is true that they rarely bocome very tame. Even after 

 era] generations of parents reared in captivity the offspring retain 

 tin- wildness characteristic of the species. Nevertheless they are 

 amenable to gentleness. They quickly learn to recognize their keeper 

 and to come to the feeding place when called. Most of them can be 

 induced to take food from the band, but their tempers are uncertain. 



Section of a fence contain- 

 ing a smooth zone to protect foxes 

 Concrete 

 foundation and iron posts. 



