# Fox and hen as a pet **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 15, 2016, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018 "2016-11-15T00:47:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nansbread1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Nansbread1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nansbread1)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/1 "2016-11-15T00:47:07Z")
Has there been any verifiable case of anyone keeping a fox and a hen in the same household as a pet? Cant find any videos of it as proof in the great YT site. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/2 "2016-11-15T01:18:05Z")
Search for a video of a hen sleeping with one eye open. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/3 "2016-11-15T01:27:44Z")
I think we’ll find it illegal to keep a fox as a pet in most jurisdictions … and I assume they make terrible pets … they bite … ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/4 "2016-11-15T01:40:49Z")
Yes, it’s fine to keep foxes and hens together as long as you remember to put the hen in the boat first 🙂 > [@watchwolf49](#): > > I think we’ll find it illegal to keep a fox as a pet in most jurisdictions … and I assume they make terrible pets … they bite … So do their cousins the dogs. And based on my interactions with some dogs, domestication is a relative term. But you’re right, wild animals make difficult pets at best. They can be tamed but aren’t domesticated. However, there was [a successful breeding program](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Domesticated_Red_Fox) and you can own a tame fox if your jurisdiction allows it. The main catch: they’re about $8000. Googling suggests that while they can be housed with dogs, small animals and even cats may be a “not recommended, do at your own risk” situation. Although for cats, it seems to be that cats don’t like the foxes? Generally for dog breeds that are problematic with cats, they can learn to tolerate _your_ cats if raised together, but might not be able to turn off the prey drive if a cat wanders into the yard. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/5 "2016-11-15T08:40:37Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Search for a video of a hen sleeping with one eye open. Clutching its pillow tight? Well, if anyone _does_ keep a fox and a hen as pets, I know a really good way to get yourself and both of your pets _and_ a bag of chicken feed across a river on a boat only big enough to carry two things at once. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/6 "2016-11-15T11:32:38Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > But you’re right, wild animals make difficult pets at best. They can be tamed but aren’t domesticated. However, there was [a successful breeding program](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Domesticated_Red_Fox) and you can own a tame fox if your jurisdiction allows it. The whole point of that breeding program (as its name suggests) was to produce a domesticated population of foxes, not just wild-but-tamed individuals. And by all accounts it succeeded. That is, if you were to buy two of those foxes and breed them, the offspring would be inherently tame – no special training required. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/7 "2016-11-16T00:37:04Z")
There are numerous TV episodes about just this sort of thing, Unlikely Animal Friends is one of them. Certainly it has happened, these shows are full of odd pairings and some are predator/prey siblings. Small animals raised together form bonds that trump their instincts. Many of the examples on the show remain lifelong friends, even if one returns to the wild. They might stop back every year or two and the sight of the rejoined buddies is quite heart warming. These are some of our favorite animal shows. > **[National Geographic TV Shows, Specials & Documentaries](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/)** > > Watch full episodes, specials and documentaries with National Geographic TV channel online. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Xyjol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/8edcca/32.png) [@Xyjol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xyjol)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/8 "2016-11-17T12:52:19Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > I think we’ll find it illegal to keep a fox as a pet in most jurisdictions … and I assume they make terrible pets … they bite … You are right! ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/9 "2016-11-17T13:01:16Z")
Maybe they can bred a fox to vegan, then they might just fight over the chicken feed. ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/10 "2016-11-17T15:33:00Z")
Having grown up on a farm, with free range Chickens, I can tell you chicks learn very fast, from their parents. A chick will be fine with a dog and/cat (for the most part) if the hen has learned to keep their guard against a dog or cat and from day one teaches the chick. Chickens are not defenseless as we think. However if the chick has not learned this, they are a meal waiting for anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Bert\_Nobbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bert\_Nobbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bert_Nobbins)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/11 "2016-11-17T18:53:06Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Googling suggests that while they can be housed with dogs, small animals and even cats may be a “not recommended, do at your own risk” situation. Although for cats, it seems to be that cats don’t like the foxes? Generally for dog breeds that are problematic with cats, they can learn to tolerate _your_ cats if raised together, but might not be able to turn off the prey drive if a cat wanders into the yard. This is wrong- in London at least. We have a large number of urban foxes, and a large number of cats, who peacefully co-exist in the back gardens. If there is a plate of food available, the fox or foxes always defer to the cat. Usually the cat just looks at them and they back off. I have seen three foxes waiting nervously for one small cat to eat its fill. From my experience I don’t believe any fox would attack a grown cat. Just too dangerous- cats have those sharp front claws, and a cat bite very often goes septic. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-and-hen-as-a-pet/772018/12 "2016-11-17T19:25:22Z")
The article suggested it wasn’t due to danger, but might cause stress etc., perhaps as a CYA.