Physical Changes in the Domesticated Foxes
Farm Fox~Kit's ears stay floppy for 3 months
~Piebald spots (skin without pigment) on fur ~White stars on forehead ~Tails become curled at the sight of humans, like a shiba inu ~Some tails are three to six vertibrae shorter ~Shorter snouts ~Males and females the same size | Wild Fox~Kit's ears are only floppy for the first few weeks of life
~Fur is either solid or salt-and-pepper ~No stars on forehead, only the occasional white chest ~Tails tuck between the back legs at the sight of humans ~Sleek, smooth fur ~Long snouts for catching rabbits and mice in deep burrows ~Males are almost always larger than females |
Behavior Changes in the Domesticated Foxes
Farm Fox~Allow themselves to be petted and held
~Licks and sniffs humans ~Tail wags and curls up at the sight of humans ~Barks and whines happy for attention ~Rolls over on back and exposes stomach, a sign of instant submission | Wild Fox~Snaps and bites if touched
~Stays away from humans, usually runs instead of attacking ~Tails go between their legs at the sight of humans ~Grows and snarls, with ears back and teeth exposed ~Crouches and tries to back away if cornered by a person, may bite if it feels threatened |
How it's Connected
When a wild kit is first born, it shows fear of humans around the time it turns six weeks old. The best time to tame or interact with a wild fox is between birth and six weeks, so that it learns to not be afraid of humans.
A domesticated fox, however, starts showing signs of fear when it is nine weeks old. This allows the tame foxes a wider window of opportunity to become accustomed to people. This instinctual fear is controlled by a hormone called "corticosteroid," which affects the fox's levels of fear of the unknown. Foxes at IC&G have been found to have lesser corticosteroid, which is why they show less fear of humans as kits.
Also, the farm fox has less levels of adrenaline, or the "flight-or-fight response" hormone. These two chemicals in the foxes brain are sufficiently lower than a regular fox, which results in calmer, more trusting animals.
These two hormones also are connected to the creature's physical traits, much like Belyaev believed, on a genetic level. Dogs also show much of the same mutations, such as curled tails, floppy ears, and shorter snouts. They also have lower levels of andrenaline and corticosteroid than the wolves, their ancestors.
"Because mammals from widely different taxonomic groups share similar regulatory mechanisms for hormones and neurochemistry, it is reasonable to believe that selecting them for similar behavior—tameness—should alter those mechanisms, and the developmental pathways they govern, in similar ways." Lyudmila Trut explains in an article she wrote for The American Scientist in 1999.
To explain her explanation, it means basically that hormones control behavior and physical traits. Teenagers experience this, including the combination of physical acne and behavioral mood swings, both controlled by hormones. Foxes may not develop zits or "get an attitude", but their body is still linked through chemicals to their 'personalities.'
A domesticated fox, however, starts showing signs of fear when it is nine weeks old. This allows the tame foxes a wider window of opportunity to become accustomed to people. This instinctual fear is controlled by a hormone called "corticosteroid," which affects the fox's levels of fear of the unknown. Foxes at IC&G have been found to have lesser corticosteroid, which is why they show less fear of humans as kits.
Also, the farm fox has less levels of adrenaline, or the "flight-or-fight response" hormone. These two chemicals in the foxes brain are sufficiently lower than a regular fox, which results in calmer, more trusting animals.
These two hormones also are connected to the creature's physical traits, much like Belyaev believed, on a genetic level. Dogs also show much of the same mutations, such as curled tails, floppy ears, and shorter snouts. They also have lower levels of andrenaline and corticosteroid than the wolves, their ancestors.
"Because mammals from widely different taxonomic groups share similar regulatory mechanisms for hormones and neurochemistry, it is reasonable to believe that selecting them for similar behavior—tameness—should alter those mechanisms, and the developmental pathways they govern, in similar ways." Lyudmila Trut explains in an article she wrote for The American Scientist in 1999.
To explain her explanation, it means basically that hormones control behavior and physical traits. Teenagers experience this, including the combination of physical acne and behavioral mood swings, both controlled by hormones. Foxes may not develop zits or "get an attitude", but their body is still linked through chemicals to their 'personalities.'