Bat-eared Fox

Bat-eared Fox (scientific name: Otocyon megalotis) has ears that are as long as 14 centimeters and resemble bat wings. In fact, its species name "megalotis" comes from the Greek words "mega" and "otus", which mean large ears. A pair of large ears play an important role in communication, finding food, and many other aspects. The fur color ranges from pale yellow to deep honey, depending on age and the region they are found in. The nose and mouth are larger than other foxes, and are gray-black in color, with gray-white edges on both sides. They have sharp teeth that allow for quick and efficient chewing of insect food to aid in digestion.

An African species, with two subspecies. One is distributed in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya, and extends to other countries such as Tanzania and Uganda. The other is distributed in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. It inhabits dry grasslands and tropical savannahs, preferring short grass areas. It lives in self-built burrows or burrows left by other animals. The burrows generally have multiple entrances and dens, as well as tunnels that can be several meters long.

It is recommended for enthusiasts to keep as pets, and they should be purchased from legitimate and qualified breeding farms. Foxes with a breeding permit can be kept as pets, but they have a strong smell and are difficult to manage. Red foxes, Arctic foxes, and blue foxes in the wild are protected animals and private breeding and hunting are prohibited.

1. Canine gastric enteritis is characterized by severe diarrhea, abnormal colored feces, loss of appetite or refusal to eat, and in severe cases, rectal prolapse. Treatment involves intramuscular injection of Cefzil 2 ml + Baras 0.2-0.3 ml, and simultaneous oral administration of Baras at a dosage of 10 kg body weight per bottle. For a large group with mild diarrhea and acceptable appetite, timely improvement of feed and administration of Ofloxacin, Amoxicillin, Calcium Phosphate, and Anti-life No. 1 are recommended for prevention and treatment.

2. Canine cold is characterized by watery eyes, dry nasal mirror, and nasal discharge. Treatment involves intramuscular injection of Diluted Canine Distemper Vaccine 1-2 ml and Gold Vita 1-2 ml.

3. Canine pneumonia is characterized by dry and cracked nasal mirror, thirst, and breathing difficulties. For acute cases, intramuscular injection of Cefzil 1-2 ml is recommended, while for chronic cases, intramuscular injection of Clindamycin 1 ml and fluid supplementation are recommended.

4. Canine distemper is an infectious disease caused by canine distemper virus. Infected animals may experience fever, anorexia, dry nose, and nasal discharge within 2-3 days, followed by rhinitis and conjunctivitis with sticky tears and nasal discharge, sneezing, and later neurologic dysfunction and convulsions. Treatment involves subcutaneous injection of polyvalent canine distemper immunoglobulin combined with Cefzil.

5. Staphylococcal disease, also known as hemorrhagic septicemia, is characterized by reduced appetite, thirst, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, rapid weight loss, and in severe cases, hind limb paralysis and neck ulceration. Treatment involves intramuscular injection of Cefzil.

6. Anthrax is characterized by high fever, foaming at the mouth, refusal to eat, swaying gait, and often hematuria and diarrhea, followed by respiratory difficulties and convulsions. Treatment involves subcutaneous injection of 10-15 ml of anthrax immune serum, penicillin at a dosage of 200,000 units, or streptomycin at a dosage of 100,000 units. It is also important to eliminate the source of infection and administer anthrax vaccine.

7. Mammary gland inflammation is characterized by red and swollen mammary glands, cracked nipples, and refusal of nursing. For non-ulcerated cases, treatment can involve warm compresses with Fano Liquid and massage of the mammary gland, or intramuscular injection of Cefzil 3 ml and closure of the mammary gland. Alternatively, herbal medicine Chrysanthemum Indicum can be used at a dosage of 5 g, boiled and fed twice a day. If ulceration occurs, the ulcerated area should be cleaned and penicillin should be administered intramuscularly.

8. Deficiency in vitamins can lead to various symptoms. Vitamin A deficiency can cause corneal softening, dry eyes, and night blindness; vitamin B1 deficiency can lead to decreased appetite, hoarse vocalization, and backward tilting of the head; vitamin C deficiency, mainly occurring in 5-day-old cubs, can cause vesicles on the toes and whitening of the oral cavity; vitamin D deficiency can result in rickets, with affected animals showing unsteady gait, stunted growth, weight loss, rough and disorderly coat, limb deformities, and curved spine. Treatment involves adding Zilu Fox Multivitamin, Jinhua Dafang Multivitamin, or Xingsha Compound B to the feed, or intramuscular injection of Gold Vita, with attention to increasing the amount of light exposure.

9. Staphylococcus infection in pups is characterized by red and swollen foot pads with mucus, similar to vitamin C deficiency, hoarse vocalization, and high mortality rate. Treatment involves oral administration of Amoxicillin + Ofloxacin for mother animals, and intramuscular injection of Cefzil for pups.

10. Botulism is typically characterized by loss of muscle tone, weakness in the hind limbs, dilated pupils, drooling, lack of defensive reactions, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, breathing difficulties, and rapid death within a short period after onset, with a mortality rate of 70-90%. Treatment involves intramuscular injection of Cefzil. For a large group, oral administration of Amikacin + Ofloxacin is recommended.

11. Pyruvate body infection

In recent years, pyruvate body infection has occurred more frequently in foxes, minks, and raccoons. The disease is caused by the pathogen Babesia, which parasites in the blood. Infected animals may experience low fever, gradual decrease in appetite, anemia, conjunctival jaundice, and bloody defecation. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infectious disease caused by a type of Toxoplasma gondii, which can be transmitted through feed, mucous membranes, secretions, and excreta. The main symptoms include fever up to 41-41℃, central nervous system disorders, increased excitability, motor disturbances, decreased appetite or anorexia, breathing difficulties, diarrhea, and stillbirth in mother animals. Different degrees of lesions can be found in various organs, with hemorrhage and edema, especially in the lungs, liver, spleen, and gastric mucosa. Treatment involves mixed injection of Strongylus + Canine Ferret Pyruvate and injection of Gold Vita.

The diet of the Bat-eared Fox mainly includes insects and other arthropods, occasionally small rodents, lizards, bird eggs, chicks, and plants; termites and alates account for 80% of their food source. Ground-feeding termites will be eaten by passing Bat-eared Foxes. They obtain a large amount of water from the body fluids of these insects. Bat-eared Foxes are often found around large herbivores such as zebras, wildebeest, and buffalo, using their large ears to listen for the movement of beetle larvae. They usually forage alone, but in areas where insects are abundant, they will also gather in large numbers. In fact, group foraging can capture more termites than solitary foraging in the same place at the same time.

The fur of the bat-eared fox is relatively dense and is easily dirtied, so we should regularly clean its fur. If the fur is too long, we need to brush it every day. Foxes shed their fur after eating high-salt foods, so we can feed them low-salt food and avoid giving them oily food to alleviate this.