How to Groom a Pet Fox

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Updated: October 5, 2017

Sometimes foxes have a way of getting themselves dirty, no matter how clean you keep them. The matted fur, muddy paws, and mess become a big problem when owning a pet fox. Finding a way to groom them can also be a challenge, but this article can help.

Part One of Two:

  1. 1
    Prepare warm bathwater for your fox. If it is too hot, it can scald your fox. If it is too cold, your fox will get cold as well and feel very uncomfortable. Getting the water temperature just right is extremely important.
  2. 2
    Put around one to one and a half inches of bathwater in the bathtub. Not too little since it will be hard to groom your fox that way. You should have just enough to completely cover the fox's feet.
  3. 3
    Get your fox. Gently pick it up, and set it into the bathtub. Make sure to close the bathroom door behind you just incase your fox tries to get out of the bathtub.
  4. 4
    Add some soap to the top of your fox's body, and then rub it in gently by using your hands. Make sure that there are a nice amount of bubbles on the fox's fur. Take some of the suds and put them on the fox's legs and rub the bubbles on. Repeat with the other three legs and the tail.
  5. 5
    Using the bathwater and a washcloth, dip the washcloth in the water, and squeeze it out onto the fox's fur, occasionally stopping to wipe the fox's fur too. This will rinse off the fox to make him/her all clean.
  6. 6
    Grab a towel and pick the fox up out of the water using it. Gently rub it into the fox's fur to dry him/her off.

Part Two of Two:

  1. 1
    Spray a little bit of water onto the fox's fur using a clean spray bottle. This will make it slick enough to work the tangles out of the fox's fur without harming it.
  2. 2
    Using a wire brush, gently start to brush the matted fur of the fox and get the tangles out for a smooth, clean look.
  3. 3
    After cleaning and brushing, award the fox with a treat such as chicken, or pork. Pet the fox as a bonus.

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I stop a pit bull from attacking a female fox pup/kit?
    Community Answer
    • The two should be kept apart from one another, especially if the pit bull's tendency is to attack her.
    Thanks! 1 0
  • Question
    Is it true that in Russia they domesticate foxes?
    Community Answer
    • Slightly. There's a domesticated form of the red fox, selectively bred in a Russian experiment that was designed to mimic the way wolves were domesticated into dogs. The program was started in 1959 in the Soviet Union, and still runs. There are changes in the physical appearances and behavior of a wild fox to a domesticated fox. The Russian domesticated red fox has a wider variety of coat colors, and in terms of behavior, domestic foxes are friendlier to humans, but also have dog-like attributes, like a raised tail.
    Thanks! 0 0
  • Question
    How do I keep a fox from freaking out, biting and escaping?
    Community Answer
    • This article is for domesticated pet foxes. If yours is not, then grooming is not a good idea.
    Thanks! 0 2
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  • Using medicated soap formulated for dogs will get most fleas and ticks out of your fox's fur.
    2 Helpful?  0
  • Give your fox a treat that it likes.
    3 Helpful?  0


  • Wear gloves to protect your hands.
    8 Helpful?  0

  • Put a muzzle on your fox to reduce biting.
    5 Helpful?  4

About This Article

26 votes - 73%
Co-authors: 5
Updated: October 5, 2017
Views: 6,459
Categories: Foxes

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